The Colombian Association of Psychiatry continues to work in different areas (professional and scientific issues) with the aim of improving the profession for its members. As you will have noted, from the scientific standpoint, the journal, as a means of communicating the knowledge base generated by mental health professionals, both national and international, strives for continued improvement of its quality, production and visibility, both within the country and abroad. The efforts made by different levels of the Association to join Elsevier Press are invaluable. Undoubtedly, this has been a huge step, with future demands and listings in new databases, the visibility of our psychiatric work and the generation of knowledge will be comparable to that of some Latin American countries. The great news of having been newly classified as A1 in Publindex (Colciencias) confirms its scientific quality. We are now expecting the collaboration and involvement of each and every one of you. To this end, work at Psychiatry Departments and Medical Schools throughout the country must be highly demanding. Our academics, researchers and teachers must become the first link in the chain, together with resident physicians, so that the process of knowledge acquisition, application and generation reaches the highest levels. Communicating our work in a systematic manner will certify us as a country with a psychiatric profession committed to solving pressing mental health problems in our population.
This year, the National Psychiatry Congress will be held at Cartagena on October 10–14. It will be an excellent opportunity to socialise the scientific and professional aspects of mental health professionals. We will have a chance to establish links and set the course of Colombian psychiatry. You are all cordially invited.
This third issue of the journal contains articles which embody our continued emphasis on aspects of violence, child abuse, psychoactive drug use and the rights and obligations of mental patients. Moreover, it contains two articles related to bipolar disorders and schizophrenia, which continue to be a research topic in our country. The methodology article deals with ICT issues and bibliographic searches, a fundamental skill in current clinical practice, as well as an interesting case report on parricide and psychosis and its legal ramifications. The Editorial Committee is very pleased to present this issue of the Colombian Psychiatry Journal.
