Psychiatry

Psychiatry and Neurology Clerkship

 

Third year medical students participate in an eight-week combined Psychiatry (4 weeks) and Neurology (4 weeks) clerkship. The Psychiatry portion is offered at one of our affiliated hospitals: University Hospital (UH)-Newark, Hackensack University Medical Center (HUMC), East Orange Veterans Administration Medical Center (EOVA) and Bergen Regional Medical Center (BRMC), Paramus. The Neurology portion is offered at either University Hospital or EOVA. In the Psychiatry rotation, emphasis is placed on developing patient rapport, taking a thorough psychiatric history through a comprehensive interview, learning how to do a mental status exam, creating a differential diagnosis and developing a comprehensive treatment plan for each patient.

Students are trained on inpatient, consultation-liaison, ambulatory and emergency services for adults and children. Both Neurology and Psychiatry conduct National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Shelf exams for their respective specialty. Exams are at the end of each 4 week block and in the final (eighth) week, there is also a combined Objective Standardized Clinical Exam (OSCE) with ‘standardized patients’ that has 2 Psychiatry stations and 2 Neurology stations. Students are evaluated on a combined grade from clinical performance (LCME medical student competencies), Shelf exam score and OSCE score.

Learning is "hands on" with observation of, and participation in, patient care. Additionally, students receive a wide variety of didactic instruction in the form of lectures, seminars, grand rounds, case conferences with senior clinicians and reading assignments. Our electronic learning system “Angel” allows for remote access to an on-line curriculum at all times. Department faculty and residents work with medical students to guide them through this rich and valuable clinical learning experience.

To visit the clerkship's website please click here.