Psychiatry Clerkship Overview

The Clinical Psychiatry Clerkship is a six week, six-credit-hour required clerkship in the third year in which the evaluation and treatment of patients with psychiatric disorders, particularly as applicable to general medical practice, are reviewed in detail.

The overall goal of the MIII Psychiatry Clerkship is to provide training in basic psychiatry, utilizing core inpatient and outpatient experiences. After successful completion, each student will be able to recognize major psychiatric illnesses, be familiar with general treatment concepts and medications and be able to differentiate organic/medical problems from other psychiatric disorders. An effort will be made to relate the course work to the practice of general medicine and/or the understanding of medical service delivery. Skills and knowledge in psychopharmacology, differential diagnosis, treatment planning, and the doctor/patient relationship are developed. The rotation is designed to be a "doing" rather than an "observing" rotation. That philosophy will be evident in the level of student responsibility required in all aspects of patient care and will be reflected in the skills necessary to successfully complete the final examinations.

Students receive close supervision from faculty members and are encouraged to assume patient responsibility commensurate with their clinical competence. The resources available for care of psychiatric patients are presented. Skill in the evaluation of the psychiatric patient is developed through direct patient contacts. The development of appropriate treatment plans is emphasized in team meetings and supervision. Clinical experience involving various aspects of inpatient and/or outpatient psychiatric specialty care including child and adolescent, emergency, geriatric, substance abuse, consult-liaison, and community-based psychiatry is offered.