Psychiatry Clerkship

The Psychiatric Clerkship is designed to equip medical students with the skills necessary to assess, diagnose, and treat patients with psychiatric disorders and related behavioral health issues. Through clinical and didactic experiences, students gain knowledge of DSM-V diagnostic criteria, psychopharmacology, and foundational psychotherapeutic techniques, while actively participating as members of a multidisciplinary treatment team. By the end of the clerkship, students are expected to develop differential diagnoses, conduct thorough mental status, substance use, and depression assessments, and understand psychiatric medication classes and their side effects. Students will learn to utilize appropriate laboratory and imaging studies, formulate comprehensive treatment plans including aftercare, and address cultural and ethical considerations in mental health care. The clerkship also emphasizes effective patient education regarding diagnosis, medications, and treatment strategies.

Contact Information

• Clerkship Director: Maria Prom, MD, maria.prom@bmc.org
• Associate Clerkship Director: Zachary Robbiano, MD, zachary.robbiano@bmc.org
• Clerkship Coordinator: Scott Harris, MPH, scotth@bu.edu

Resources

• 3rd Year Overall Guidelines 2026-27
• Psychiatry Clerkship Guidelines 2026-27
• Psychiatry Clinical Faculty Guidelines 2026-27
• Required Patients & Procedures
• C-SEF – Psychiatry Clerkship
• CSEF to Numeric Score Conversion Table
• Psychiatry Milestones
• Psychiatry FOCuS form – Interviewing Technique
• Psychiatry FOCuS form – Mental Status Exam
• Department Webpage