Erie County Medical Center maintains a 16-bed inpatient adolescent unit for children aged 12 to 18 years old. Adolescents receive comprehensive psychiatric and psychological care from a multidisciplinary clinical team consisting of psychiatry, social work, mental health counselors, and nursing.
In this rotation, interns are integrated into the interdisciplinary team to provide psychological assessment, along with individual and group treatment in collaboration with other clinical staff. There is substantial opportunity to work directly with attending psychiatrists (two for this unit) in providing care and assessment for patients. The focus of clinical treatment are brief interventions, given that this is a brief setting, though opportunities may present to treat trauma. Interns may gain substantial experience in providing “milieu therapy.” Psychological assessment is mainly focused on providing diagnostic clarity and tend to be brief, but there are opportunities for more in-depth assessment, including use of the Rorschach. Interns may provide consultative services on this unit, including assisting in development of behavioral management plans. There are also opportunities to attend and participate in family meetings.
The experience is enhanced through work with other learners, including medical students, along with psychiatry residents and fellows. Interns may gain additional supervisory experience through involving psychology practicum students with their work on this unit.