Director: Dr. Cheryl Murphy

The OBJECTIVES of undergraduate teaching in the Department of Psychiatry are: to underline the significance of biopsychosocial factors in normal human development and in illness, to enable students to recognize psychiatric disorders, and to treat these disorders within their competence, or refer the patient for psychiatric investigation and management.

MED I: First-Year Medicine - Human Behaviour

Under review.

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MED II: Second-Year Medicine - Clinical Psychiatry

Psychiatry, neurology, and physiology produce an integrated unit in second-year called the Brain and Behaviour Unit. Three major psychiatric cases are studied over a period of three weeks, with the main emphasis on schizophrenia, obsessive compulsive disorders, and major mood disorders. A series of lectures and two laboratory sessions (three hours each) complement the case studies. This Unit runs in parallel with a patient contact program consisting of seven sessions of three hours each. Groups of five to six students are supervised by junior and senior faculty. Using pre-circulated guidelines, the students learn to complete a psychiatric history and to assess the patient's mental status. They then discuss diagnosis and management with their facilitator.

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MED III: Third-Year Medicine - Clinical Clerkship

During the Psychiatry Unit, students will complete a six week core rotation which will include a variety of both inpatient and outpatient clinical experiences. Rotations are offered in the Halifax Regional Municipality, as well as at other affiliated sites throughout the Maritimes, including Saint John, Fredericton, Moncton, New Glasgow, and Sydney.

Teaching sessions occur weekly. Several topics are covered, either in the form of didactic lectures or clinical vignettes which give the students an opportunity to discuss clinical issues with experts in the area. There is also a resident-initiated course on Personality Disorders and Psychotherapeutic Principles which provides an opportunity for students to explore relevant aspects of personality disorders, basic psychodynamic principles, and various psychotherapeutic modalities.

MED IV: Fourth-Year Medicine - Clinical Clerkship

In Med IV, Phase 2, there is a scheduled block that is designed for clerks to participate in 18-weeks of elective time. In addition, clerks will complete a three-week rotation in Care of the Elderly (CoE). Vacation time and CaRMS interviewing time can be scheduled around the clincal rotations.

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Electives:

Electives are offered in MED I, MED II, and MED IV. These vary from supervised individual patient psychotherapy to involvement in research projects.

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For further information, please contact:

Ms. Mandy Esliger
8th floor, Abbie J. Lane Memorial Building, Rm. 8405
Phone: (902) 473-4883
Fax: (902) 473-4545
E-mail: mandy.esliger@cdha.nshealth.ca