4th Year Electives

Although less than 5 percent of medical students nationwide become psychiatrists, psychiatric illnesses are seen in almost all disciplines of medicine, and it is important for students to develop skills for diagnosing, treating, and referring patients who have psychiatric illnesses.

The 4^th year electives build upon skills first introduced in the 3^rd-year psychiatry clerkship and provide students the opportunity to work with psychiatric patients in various settings.

Electives Listing

Geriatric Psychiatry (PSYCH 858)
Interventional Psychiatry (PSYCH 860)
Forensic Psychiatry (PSYCH 870)
Psychosomatic Med Consults (PSYCH 871)
Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Externship (PSYCH 874)
Adult/Inpatient Psychiatry Externship (PSYCH 877)
Adult/Inpatient Psychiatry at the VA Externship (PSYCH 888)

Goals & Objectives

In addition to the overall goals and objectives each elective has their own goals and objectives as well.

Goals

Learn the personal and professional characteristics that are required of physicians.
Understand the core principles and clinical skills needed to treat patients with psychiatric illness.
Pass the Shelf Test and OSCE.
Have fun.

Objectives

Patient Care

Demonstrate proper techniques for interviewing a patient to obtain a psychiatric history and complete a mental status examination.
Demonstrate the ability to analyze, synthesize, and integrate pertinent patient data.
Formulate a comprehensive and organized differential diagnosis.
Demonstrate the ability to build a positive, healing relationship with a patient.
Describe the impact of psychosocial factors on patients’ illnesses and health.

Professionalism

Demonstrate professional demeanor and ethical behavior, including timely reporting to all assignments, professional dress, respectful communication, and accurate and timely documentation and completion of reports.

Medical Knowledge

Apply knowledge of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and natural history of diseases to the diagnosis and management of patient conditions.
Demonstrate the ability to integrate laboratory and diagnostic findings when developing a differential diagnosis and treatment plan.

Interpersonal Skills & Communication

Present patient data gathered from patient interviews, examinations, laboratory & diagnostic studies, and progress notes in a standardized format.
Document patient data gathered from patient interviews, examinations, laboratory & diagnostic studies, and progress notes in a standardized format.
Demonstrate effective, professional and compassionate interpersonal and communication skills in interactions with patients, families, peers, and other professionals and staff.

Practice Based Learning & Improvement

Use evidence-based medicine to guide patient care decisions.
Be able and willing to identify errors in patient care and knowledge deficits.
Demonstrate a willingness to change future practices based on feedback.
Use information technology successfully to access and manage patient information.

Systems Based Practice

Demonstrate an appreciation of, and ability to collaborate with, other members of the health care team, including nurses, social workers, pharmacists, psychologists, and other team members and trainees.
Identify issues related to the cost-effectiveness of diagnostic evaluations and patient care.

Grading

4th-year electives are graded Honors/Pass/Fail based upon the attending supervisor’s evaluation of the student’s clinical performance. There is no written examination.

National Organizations

APA Student Membership - The American Psychiatric Association offers a free membership to medical students. With this membership comes many valuable resources including free online access to the American Journal of Psychiatry and Psychiatric News, discounts on books and journals from American Psychiatric Publishing, Inc., and a medical student newsletter. Please check out their website for more details or to download an application. You may e-mail them at apa@psych.org. Applications are also available in Room SS 208 of the Harper Student Center.

American Medical Student Association (AMSA)

Association of Directors of Medical Student Education (ADMSA)