Psychiatry Key Concepts/Learning Outcomes

A.      Acquire Knowledge of Psychiatry

1.       To learn about psychiatric illnesses, especially those that are common and those that are particularly serious.

2.       To apply this knowledge to compile appropriate differential diagnosis, to make a diagnosis, and to

propose treatment options in patient care situations.

B.      Gain Clinical Experience in Patient Care

To demonstrate the ability to work as part of a treatment team in the care of patients with psychiatric illnesses.  This ability includes:

1.       Interviewing patients:

To perform a diagnostic evaluation/risk assessment to determine the need for in-patient

admission or out-patient treatment.

To (re)-assess as part of the initial in-patient History and Physical.

To do a complete history including substance history, and social history.

To monitor patient's progress during in-patient or out-patient treatment.

To assess patient's ability to give informed consent.

To perform a mental Status Exam and a Mini-Mental Status Exam.

2.       Documenting interviews and patient care of:

Diagnostic evaluations/risk assessment in the ER, out-patient or other clinical settings.

In-patient History and Physicals.

In-patient daily notes to monitor the patient's status and the ongoing treatment plan.

Out-patient notes to monitor the patient's status and the ongoing treatment plan.

Assessment of informed consent situations.

3.       Communicating Clearly:

To present interview finding to the treatment team; this includes the initial diagnostic evaluation or follow up interviews of patients.

To participate in the psychoeducation of patients and their families regarding pertinent clinical issues.

4.       Organizing Clinical Work

To contribute to the optimal efficiency of the treatment team in coordinating and carrying out the treatment plan.

C.      Foster Independent learning

1.       To be able to read around/research/learn about a clinical topic(s) not covered in a formal didactic session.

2.       To organize and present a topic with appropriate visual materials.

3.       To read provided/recommended materials which are part of, or are about topics not covered in, formal didactic sessions.

D.      Professionalism

Students will:

1.       Care conscientiously for patients with the highest standard of professional, ethical and moral conduct in all circumstances associated with the patients' illnesses.

2.       Display behaviors that foster and reward the patient's trust in the physician, such as appropriate dress, grooming, punctuality, honesty, respect for patient's confidentiality and other norms of behavior in professional relationships with patients.

3.       Converse appropriately and behave with personal integrity in interactions with peers, faculty, residents, and non-physician staff.

4.       Recognize and accept own limitations in knowledge and clinical skills and commit to continuous improvement in knowledge and ability.

E.       Practice Based and Lifelong Learning

Students should be able to:

1.       Use information technology access and manage clinical information and perform on-line searches to support ongoing, self-directed learning;

2.       Search, evaluate and critically review scientific evidence appropriate to the care of individual patients or, as an approach to clinical problem.

3.       Show evidence of reading around/researching/learning about clinical topics not covered in a formal didactic session. .

4.       Demonstrate awareness of ongoing professionalism issues that occur in the everyday practice of medicine.

F.   Social and Community Context of Healthcare

Students will:

1.       Demonstrate an understanding that some individuals in our society are at risk for inadequate healthcare, including the mentally disabled and chemically dependent.

2.       Implement strategies to access healthcare services for patients who need advocacy and assistance.

3.       Under supervision develop diagnostic and treatment strategies that are cost-effective, sensitive to limited resources and do not compromise quality of care.

4.       Demonstrate knowledge of non-biological determinants of poor health.

5.       Demonstrate and understanding of the unique process that is individual in assuring continuity of care with the community where there is limited access to resources.