This is a one-month rotation for students interested in pursuing a career in psychiatry and wishing to gain exposure to an inpatient residency service which cares for patients with a broad spectrum of psychopathology. Our residency service is multidisciplinary in design and includes pharmacy residents and students, third-year medical students, social workers, and nursing staff. Fourth-year students will have the opportunity to progressively take on more autonomy regarding patient care including seeing patients on their own, staffing cases directly with the attending, communicating treatment plans with the patients, and completing comprehensive documentation.
Psychopathology seen will be diverse including affective disorders, thought disorders including psychosis and acute mania, agitation, acute detox, and co-morbid substance use disorders. Our inpatient facility includes nine distinct units which all have specialized programming to which students will be exposed. Understanding of ethical and legal aspects of psychiatric care will also be observed, including shorter involuntary stays, as well as patients with more prolonged stays undergoing court-ordered treatment.
Sub-interns will additionally participate in weekly protected didactic time on Tuesday afternoons alongside PGY-1 residents.
Medical knowledge, communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice are competencies highlighted in the rotation.