Psychiatry & Behavioral Science (PSYM)

The objective of this course is to expose students to the experience of mental illness through various narratives. Psychiatry as a discipline has a unique relationship with language and story telling. The psychiatric exam itself relies almost solely on the narrative that exists between physician and patient; in addition, psychiatric illness can be seen as a narrative that is both intrinsic and extrinsic to the mind of the affected person. This course will review a myriad of different texts in order to gain a view into the nuances of mental illness, as well as into the extraordinary relationship between patient and doctor of the mind. The goal of the course is to build narrative competence such that students will be better situated to approach the care of patients living with mental illness. By the end of the course, students will understand how narrative competence can inform psychiatric practice, and how narrative medicine can enhance physician empathy toward these patients who are often misunderstood. Using techniques such as close reading and textual analysis, this course will explore relationships between mental illness, patient, and caregiver. Following discussion of a text, students will be asked to participate in unstructured writing; the intent of this exercise is to encourage students to make a connection between readings and their own experience, as humans, and as physicians-in-training. Sharing of personal stories, as written or spoken narratives, will allow students to broaden their concept of what it means to be a psychiatrist in a multicultural world.

This course will enable students to develop a basic understanding of the fund of knowledge and types of medical problems seen in this specialty; to develop a basic understanding of the medical decision making process involved in the practice; and to develop an understanding of and practice of medical interpersonal communication and professionalism.

The purpose of this elective is to provide fourth-year medical students experience with psychiatric disorders in children and adolescents. Students will gain exposure, during the one month of child psychiatry, to the diagnosis, treatment, and management of behavioral, psychotic and mood disorders, anxiety, trauma, PTSD, ADHD, and autism. They will also become familiar with age-appropriate psychiatric history-taking in children and adolescents and normal developmental stages and milestones. They will also learn to recognize broad patterns of developmental disease and propose treatment of common childhood psychiatric disorders. Students will also have the opportunity to participate in family meetings to review assessment, diagnosis, and treatment.

There is a critical need for medical students to be exposed to the diagnosis and treatment of co-occurring addiction and mental and emotional illnesses. Addiction Psychiatry is a 4th year elective designed to expose medical students to the diagnosis and treatment of substance abuse disorders. Students will be paired with faculty treating patients for substance abuse in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Students will be exposed to treating patients for withdrawal in the acute care setting and outpatient maintenance care. The importance of transitional care will be highlighted with particular attention to socioeconomic challenges experienced by patients with drug dependence.