Psychiatry

The Department of Psychiatry teaches courses in behavioral science and psychiatry during three years of medical school. The curriculum consists of participation in Neuroscience and Behavior, the psychiatry clerkship and electives during the clinical years.

During Neuroscience and Behavior, major psychiatric illnesses are taught with an emphasis on their etiologic and clinical presentations.

In the third year, the psychiatric clerkship enables students to expand and integrate psychiatric knowledge within a clinical setting. The clerk gains skills in psychiatric assessment, interviewing, comprehensive treatment planning, psychotherapy, and use of psychotropic drugs. During the clerkship, students gain experience treating patients with psychiatric difficulties in in-patient and out-patient settings.

Electives are offered in a wide variety of subjects, and provide students with intensive experience in selected areas of psychiatry. Fourth-year electives enable students to select clinical and research experiences tailored to their particular interests.

The Department of Psychiatry draws upon the clinical facilities of many area hospitals and the expertise of its full-time and volunteer faculty to offer students a breadth of learning experiences.

Department Coordinator: Leanne Hatswell

Course Descriptions

  • PTY 700 Psychiatric Clinical Clerkship, 6 credits
    6/24/22
    The objectives of this clerkship are to introduce medical students to clinical psychiatry and enable them to acquire knowledge and skills through clinical experiences under faculty guidance.
  • PTY 800 Subinternship in General Psychiatry, 4 credits
    6/24/22
    This rotation is offered to give students a variety of clinical experiences at psychiatric units of affiliated hospitals.
  • PTY 801 Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry, 4 credits
    3/6/20
    Patients often present to their physician with psychiatric illness or emotional problems complicating their physical condition.
  • PTY 802 Outpatient Psychiatry, 4 credits
    3/6/20
    The objectives of this rotation is to provide students with a more in-depth understanding of psychopathology and increased skill in evaluating and treating patients with a variety of psychiatric diagnoses in various outpatient settings.
  • PTY 805 Senior Teaching in the Behavioral Sciences/Psychiatry, 4 credits
    1/23/24
    This course gives seniors the opportunity to assist in the teaching of the Behavioral Sciences/Psychiatry course.
  • PTY 810 Emergency Psychiatry, 4 credits
    10/1/24
    The objectives of this rotation are to teach students the clinical evaluation of patients in crisis, assessment of patients at risk for violence against self or others and techniques of crisis interventions.
  • PTY 820 Clerkship in Child Psychiatry-Clinical Child Psychiatry, 4 credits
    12/6/22
    The goal of this month is to familiarize students with what a child and adolescent psychiatrist does. This rotation provides a broad exposure to multiple child psychiatric settings.
  • PTY 890 Course at Other University, 4 credits
    6/24/22
    Contact departmental office for site location.
  • PTY 950 Research in Psychiatry, 4 credits
    3/6/20
    The goal is to introduce the student to one or several varieties of basic and clinical research and educational research approaches currently being used by departmental faculty members.