Clerkship in Psychiatry

The Psychiatry clerkship includes four weeks of inpatient psychiatry and one week of outpatient psychiatry. Students rotate in multiple settings of psychiatric practice and work within multidisciplinary teams. An integrative model is stressed, emphasizing the biologic, psychological, social and behavioral aspects of treatment. Psychiatry clerkship is part of the Mind, Brain and Behavior Unit which also includes Neurology clerkship, Family medicine week and a Flexible Professional Experience week.   

Clerkship didactics comprise simulated case-based teaching sessions with standardized patients, presentations, and small group discussions, with an emphasis on student-directed learning.   

Key clerkship objectives are:  

• develop the interviewing, reasoning, and communications skills fundamental to psychiatric diagnosis and intervention  
• experience diagnosis and treatment of common psychiatric disorders  
• work as part of a heath care team; understand the roles of other mental health disciplines; know when and how to refer patients for mental health services.  

Student competency is assessed through clinical evaluation using a standardized rubric, NBME testing, objective structured clinical examinations (OSCE), and participation in group learning and case presentations.  

JUNE 21 2024 | cjb