Medical
School Courses
The four-year curriculum is designed
to introduce the student in a sequential manner to normal
growth and development, fundamental clinical neuroscience
issues relevant to psychiatry, psychotherapy, the impact of
personality factors on the doctor-patient relationship, the
impact of psychological factors on illness behavior, and the
etiology, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric and behavioral
disorders.
First Year Behavioral
Science
This course introduces the student to psychological
growth and development from infancy to senescence in health
and illness, addresses clinical neuroscience topics relevant
to psychiatry and provides an introduction to psychiatric
and behavioral disorders and the patients who suffer from
them. The course is taught in lecture format. Areas covered
include the biopsychosocial model of illness, normal child
and adolescent development, normal adult development, death
and dying, topics in basic neuroscience relevant to clinical
psychiatry, psychodynamic theory, learning theory, psychoimmunology,
stress management, professional impairment, treatment adherence,
and an introduction to human psychopathology.
Second Year
Psychopathology
In this course students are introduced to psychopathology
and the biologic bases of behavior in children and adults
through lectures, clinical case conferences and discussions.
Patient interviews are shown with videotapes. In preparation
for clinical rotations, students learn to recognize major
psychiatric disorders and appreciate the psychological and
behavioral concomitants of medical illnesses. They learn
how to conduct a psychiatric evaluation, including the mental
status exam.
Third Year
During this required six-week clerkship, students gain further
knowledge regarding the common major and minor psychiatric
disorders, and develop and improve their clinical skills
in interviewing techniques, history taking, performing the
mental status examination, and developing differential diagnostic
and treatment plans. Empathic understanding of patients
with mental illness and an appreciation of psychiatric and
behavioral disorders are emphasized.
The clerkship may be taken
at most of the clinical locations described. Students are
assigned patients and are expected to function as an important
part of the treatment team. Students are responsible for
written patient evaluations under close faculty supervision
and participate in treatment planning and case conference
presentations. Students are assigned on-call responsibilities
during this clerkship.
Fourth Year
Electives are offered in a
number of different locations including child and adolescent
services, adult and geriatric inpatient services, and consultation-liaison
services. Students may also participate in one of the department's
many research programs or pursue an independent library
research project.
The Department of Psychiatry has multiple clinical sites
that allow students the unique opportunity to study a wide
range of psychopathology under the close supervision of
the 89 full-time and 339 part-time and volunteer faculty
in Philadelphia and 60 full-time and 12 volunteer faculty
in Pittsburgh.
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Faculty
Research Programs
Medical School Courses
Residency Program
Clinical Information
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