3rd Year Psychiatry Clerkship

The purpose of the 6-week psychiatry clerkship is to provide Medical Students the skills of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of patients with psychiatric and behavioral health conditions.  Clinical and didactic experiences will focus on DSM-5 diagnoses, psychopharmacology, basics of individual and group psychotherapies, and becoming an active member of a treatment team. Medical Students will have the opportunity to participate in the provision of psychiatric services at a number of locations in Boston and surrounding areas. Our sites provide medical students with opportunities to work with diverse patient populations. Our affiliate hospital sites include:

  • Boston Medical Center, Consultation & Liaison Service
  • Boston Medical Center, Emergency Department
  • Bedford VA (Edith Nourse Rogers Memorial Veterans Hospital)
  • Berkshire Medical Center
  • Bournewood Hospital
  • Brockton VA
  • Fuller Hospital, Attleboro
  • Good Samaritan Hospital, Brockton
  • Kaiser Permanente (California)
  • Manchester VA Medical Center
  • St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center
  • West Roxbury VA

At clinical sites students will function as part of a multidisciplinary team, working collaboratively with the attending, resident, other mental health providers and members of ancillary disciplines.  As treatment team members, students will be encouraged and expected to contribute to patient care planning and delivery – from providing morning report of  clinical observations to more formal case presentations. In addition to clinical placements, all students attend Thursday morning and afternoon didactics covering core areas of psychiatry, including Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds. Final assessment is based on a clinical evaluation (65%), NMBE Psychiatry exam grade (25%), and OSCE (10%).