How did you like your Psych. rotation?

[PsychMD]

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This question arises from my own personal selfish curiosity. I am hoping for honest and straightforward answers from the current "trenches" of Med School.
I am a non-academic Psychiatrist, and was drawn to this forum by the recent flurry of posts re. Louisiana legislation re. allowing psychologists prescribing privileges for psychotropic medications. I realized that several people posting on this subject in the other subforums/threads were not really either med. students nor psych. residents.
But I began wondering about the current quality of psych. TEACHING and current attitudes/perceptions regarding the specialty of Psychiatry in our current Med. Schools, at this time, as perceived from ground level, from the perspective of the current Med students who have rotated recently and/or are currently rotating through their Psych. assignments, either inpatient (hospital based, as I believe is most often the case), or outpatient (clinic based).
Again, I will emphasize, this is just out of personal curiosity. You can be as honest, as humorous, as sarcastic, as sincere, etc. as you want to be. I am actually HOPING that as many people as possible will respond. If you have any current or recent frustrations/dis-satisfactions/or even anxieties about the specialty itself or the way it is taught at this time, please do not hesitate to post them here as well. If you have any questions, feel free to ask.
I also wanted to clarify that I DO NOT have a specific agenda to "promote" the specialty of Psychiatry among Med. Students, or elaborate "ad nauseam" re. the current pitfalls/crisis of the "mental health care system", etc. I just want to hear the voices of my younger colleague physicians-to-be who are currently going through Med School.
Thank you. 🙂

 

[Blade28]

I loved it. Just finished my 7-week psych rotation 2 weeks ago. 4 weeks was spent in an acute inpatient hospital facility, 3 weeks at a state psychiatric hospital. Calls were done in the psych ER. Had a few great attendings and some oustanding residents who loved to teach (and were good at it!).

 

[Jaded Soul]

It was awesome. I did 6 weeks of C&L at a county hospital. The attendings and residents were all great people and I learned a lot. For people like me not going into psych, I think C&L is the best way to learn. You don't get too far removed from medical problems and still see common acute psychiatric problems.

 

[souljah1]

I'll echo Jaded Soul. I am wrapping up my last week on C/L service at the VA (we do 4wks of psych and 4wks of neurology). I am the only medical student on that service, and report directly to two attendings (no residents). I have a lot of autonomy and really appreciate the chance to interact with medical and surgical teams. Most of the consults have dealt with delirium, or attempting to distinguish between adjustment disorder, bereavement, MDD, etc. I have had some good cases with personality disorder, but the overwhelming majority have been Axis 1/Axis III.

I also have outpatient clinic once a week where I see lots of patients in the VA community with psychotic, anxiety, and mood disorders. See pts on my own and then present them to the clinic attending. After presenting, and if the case if complex, we both go in and finalize the visit with the pt. Otherwise, I do that on my own..then write up the note, etc.

I have really been surprised at how much I've enjoyed myself. I feel confident in saying that I won't be a psychiatrist, but I feel like I have learned a lot of important things that will help me later in my career. For my first rotation, I have really had a good time.

 

[Mirror Form]

I loved my psych rotation too!

 

[southerndoc]

I also loved my psych rotation, but I also minored in psych in college, so I've always liked psych (I know, I know, undergrad was psychology and med school was psychiatry). 🙂

We spent our time in a state institution, which was awesome! We spent a couple weeks with a private practice psychiatrist getting experience in his office.

 

[irlandesa]

I enjoyed my psych rotation which was last July and part of August.. It was a 6 week consult service with lots of dementia, depression, people coming into the ER seeking detox (or drugs).. Would have liked a little more variety, but the teaching by attendings, the wonderful Psych NP who kept the team together, and the residents were great! They gave us a lot of independence and had us teach didactics to each other and gave great feedback. I also felt this rotation tied in very nicely with FP and IM (current rotation). I'm a third year at Tufts and plan on going into IM, just in case anyone wanted to know. So far I've enjoyed most of the rotations here, though the resident teaching in Peds was absolutely miserable and Ob/Gyn had some painful moments as well.

 

[DrMom]

I'd love any recommendations you guys have for a psych rotation...that's what I start with.

 

[Gauss]

I'd love any recommendations you guys have for a psych rotation...that's what I start with.

hard to say since I have no idea what's available to you

I LOVED my psych rotation. I had a great attending, great pathology, great interaction with patients. I must say I was hesitant at first, I felt scared that I had no idea how to talk to crazy people. By watching my attending I realized it ain't that different nor that hard.
Psych is something some of my fellow students blew off or tried to use as a vacation. I found it extremely useful in learning how to talk and listen to patients. The hours weren't bad either. Overall I had a great time and learned a ton.

 

[DrMom]

I believe I'm in a private practice setting, but I'm not absolutely positive.

 

[southerndoc]

I'd love any recommendations you guys have for a psych rotation...that's what I start with.

First Aid Psych is great for the Shelf test. I highly recommend it.

 

[PsychMD]

Just a quick thank you for your responses and participation so far. I am reassured to see that current med students are enjoying their Psych. rotations and also find them useful as well as part of a well-rounded training. Please feel free to continue posting "at will" about any impressions (either positive or negative!). 🙂

 

[Jaded Soul]

I'd love any recommendations you guys have for a psych rotation...that's what I start with.

Two books:
BRS Psychiatry (excellent for the shelf)
Current Clinical Strategies Psychiatry (awesome pocketbook)