Discipline - Medical psychology

Associate Professor Popa-Velea Ovidiu, PhD tenured
Head of works Mihailescu Alexandra-Ioana, PhD tenured
Head of works Diaconescu Liliana-Veronica, PhD tenured
Assistant Professor Dayeh Iulia-Irena, PhD fixed term
Assistant Professor Zgarbura Robert-Constantin, PhD fixed term
Assistant Professor Ionita Ioana, PhD fixed term

The Medical Psychology discipline of the Faculty of Medicine of the ’Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy Bucharest  was founded in 1994.

The name of the initial course was Medical Psychology, which was later changed into Health Psychology and Communication with the patient. Psychosomatics (optional course) was also added and in 2005 the discipline of Human Behavior Sciences was introduced.

Along time, the academics of the discipline have been teaching not only at the Faculty of Medicine but also at other faculties of ’Carol Davila’ University of Medicine and Pharmacy (Faculty of Balneophysiokinetotherapy, Geriatrics College, Faculty of Midwives and Nursery), the total number of students exceeding a total of 30000.

The activity of the Medical Psychology discipline has experienced a continuous development and diversification, in agreement with the requirements of European training and also with the specifics of the health system of Romania. Education in the areas of Medical Psychology and related  are currently targeting a number of approximately 2500 students per year, of which about 500 are schooled in English.

Since 2004, under de coordination of dr. Ovidiu Popa-Velea, the Circle of Psychology has been functioning, its activity resulting in the production of scientific papers, licence papers, projects and conducting workshops on curricular and extracurricular interest.

The general interest of our discipline is directed towards the psychopathological effects of the psychic stress and psychotrauma to health. Several priority objectives of study include the quality of life and personality disorders of patients having different somatic diseases with an important contribution of psychic factor (psychosomatic diseases and disorders), as well as the psychological aspects of the doctor-patient relation.

As sources of information and related documentaries for courses and practical work, the following have been created:

- Medical Psychology – Theoretical Bases and practical applications for doctors and psychologists (O. Popa-Velea (under redaction of), L. Diaconescu, I. Necula Cioca), Editura Universitara „Carol Davila", Bucuresti, 2006;
- Human Behavior Sciences- Applications in medicine (O. Popa-Velea), Editura Trei, BucureAYti, 2010 AYi 2013 (revised second edition);
- Behavioral Sciences in Medicine (O. Popa-Velea), Editura Universitara „Carol Davila", Bucuresti, 2013;
- Compendium of Medical Psychology (O. Popa-Velea, L. Diaconescu, A. Mihailescu, M. Pana, C. TruALescu, M. Jidveian Popescu, A. Frunza), Editura Universitara „Carol Davila", Bucuresti, 2016 (in press);
- Medical Psychology – Clinical cases discussed (collective of authors), Editura Universitara „Carol Davila", Bucuresti, 2016 (in press);

Coordination of license works with various topics, often interdisciplinary, in the fields of Medical Psychology, Behavioral Medicine and Psychosomatics:

Examples:

- Correlations between cognitive style, psychiatric comorbidity and alcohol consumption in academia (Iulia ChiALiga, 2016)
- Self-esteem of puber infected with HIV-AIDS (Anca Radoslav, 2016)
- Relations between protective cognitive traits, social support, ways of coping and depression in elderly institutionalized (Raluca Postelnicu, 2014)
- The psychological impact of communication style with the neoplazic patient towards psychiatric morbidity and adherence to treatment (Simona Grigore, 2011)
- Psychological effects on nonverbal communication towards the patients with chronic somatic diseases (Tudor Borjog, 2011)
- The influence of custom treatment on quality of life and psychiatric comorbidities (anxiety and depression) in patients with stage III TNM colon cancer  (Bogdan Cernat, 2010)
- The influence of social support towards treatment compliance in gastric carcinoma (Delia Nedelcu, 2009)
- Drawing – method of early diagnosis and treatment in infantile schizophrenia (Eugen VuALescu, 2007)
Participation at congresses/ conferences organised at UMF or by SOMS: coordination of workshops
- Predictive value of attachment style and perceived social support for the onset of somatic complaints in adolescents (O. Popa-Velea, C. TruALescu, L. Diaconescu, I. Cioca, A. Mihailescu) (UMF Congress with international participation, 2016)
- Psychological and hormonal markers of distress in healthy undergraduate medical students (A. Mihailescu, L. Diaconescu, A. Totan, O. Popa-Velea) (UMF Congress with international participation, 2016)
- MEDICS 2016 – The difficult patient: Challenges in the doctor-patient relationship (O. Popa-Velea, L. Diaconescu, A. Mihailescu)
- Medical Education Days 2016 – Art-therapy in medical practice: theoretical basis, indications and limits (O. Popa-Velea, M. Jidveian Popescu, A. Petrisan)
- Congress for Students and Young Doctors 2015 – Psychotherapy: indications, challenges, limits. Applications in hypnosis and family therapy (O. Popa-Velea, C. Trutescu, G. Gane)
- Congress for Students and Young Doctors 2014– Psychooncology: theoretical basis, practical applications (O. Popa-Velea, A. Mihailescu, M. Jidveian Popescu)
- Congress for Students and Young Doctors 2014– Contratransfer (O. Popa-Velea, M. Jidveian Popescu)
- Congress for Students and Young Doctors 2012 – Therapeutic compliance (O. Popa-Velea)

Health Psychology and Communication with the patient (Faculty of Medicine- first year, first semester)

COURSE

Attached document

PRACTICAL WORK

Attached document

Human Behavior Sciences, psychosocial module (Faculty of Medicine – second year, second semester)

 Course

Attached document

PRACTICAL WORK

Attached document

Psychosomatics (optional course) (Faculty of Medicine – Third year)

Attached document

  • Doctor-patient relation,
  • doctor-patient communication,
  • psychosomatics,
  • therapeutic compliance,
  • mental stress,
  • quality of life.
  1. Popa-Velea, O., Gheorghe, I.R., Truţescu, C.I., Purcărea, V.L. (2015). Current challenges and pitfalls in the pharmacological treatment of depression. J Med Life. 8 (2):181-186.
  1. Brătucu, R., Gheorghe, I.R., Purcărea, R.M., Gheorghe, C.M., Popa-Velea, O., Purcărea, V.L. (2014). Cause and effect: the linkage between the health information seeking behavior and the online environment–a review. J Med Life. 7(3): 310-316.
  1. 3. Popa, F., Arafat, R., Purcărea, V.L., Lală, A., Popa-Velea, O.,Bobirnac G. (2010). Occupational burnout levels in emergency medicine – a stage 2 nationwide study and analysis. J Med Life. 3(4): 449-453.
  1. Diaconescu, L. (2014). Drug allergic reactions and distress vulnerability, Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 76 ( 6): 501.
  1. Diaconescu, L., Cioca, I., Frunză, A, Popa-Velea, O.(2014). Psychosomatic symptoms in academic settings: investigating coping strategies for the early detection of risk, Medimond International Proceedings R 625:90-93, ISBN 978-88-7587-701-.9
  1. Matei, V.P., Mihăilescu, A., Al-Bataineh, R., Purnichi, T. (2016). Tratamentul antipsihotic şi funcţionarea psiho-socială în schizofrenie – rezultate ale studiului cohortei EUFEST din România , Rom J. Psych (2):45-51.
  1. Matei, V.P., Mihăilescu, A., Paraschiv, G., Al-Bataineh, R., Purnichi, T. (2016). Weight Gain and Antipsychotics. Data from EUFEST Study, Acta Endo (Buc), 12 (2): 177-184. doi: 10.4183/aeb.2016.177.
  1. Truţescu, C., Jidveian, M., Popa-Velea, O.,Dobrescu, I. (2016). Self-reported ADHD symptoms in the academic enviroment,    Journal of Psychosomatic Research, vol 85: 84.
  1.  Silişte, R., JidveianM., Ianula, R., Spătaru, D. (2014). What could hide an oncologic patient with exertional dyspnea?, Romanian Journal of Cardiology, Vol. 24, No. 4:294-296;
  1. Pană, M. (2011). Impactul astmului asupra calităţii vieţii copiilor, Revista Medicală Română, Vol.LVIII, nr 2:107-111.
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