MEDICAL STUDENT EDUCATION

The psychiatry curriculum offered to medical students by the department is progressive, integrated and offered through a variety of innovative methods in small, medium and large group formats. It includes two years of general behavioral science, organized by Dr. Julia Frank and embedded within an interdisciplinary problem-oriented case based learning course (PCL). PCL is taught entirely in small groups during years one and two. Students also have a highly rated introduction to psychopathology course in year one, and a human sexuality segment of the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course in year two, both organized by Dr. Charles Samenow.

Third year students have a required psychiatry clerkship, involving two, four week clinical rotations. One month is spent in an adult inpatient psychiatry ward and the other may be in child or adolescent inpatient psychiatry, consultation liaison psychiatry, or in a variety of specialized settings. For details about the clinical placements, GWUSHMS students should consult Blackboard or contact Shaira Morales, the clerkship coordinator.

Electives for fourth year students who have completed a third year clerkship in an accredited school include acting internship slots in inpatient adult psychiatry at either the George Washington University Hospital (GWUH) or Northern Virginia Mental Health institute, child or adolescent psychiatry at Children's National Medical Center, or consultation liaison psychiatry at GWUH. Students from other institutions interested in fourth year electives must apply through the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS) of the American Association of Medical Colleges. Students from GWUSMHS should consult the fourth year catalog for more information. Dr. Frank welcomes also welcomes direct enquiries from students about any of the courses described.

Fourth year students are able to set up electives in the department, tailored to their specific interests and educational goals. Application information for fourth year electives is obtained through LaQuita Beale in the GWU School of Medicine Dean’s Office: http://www.gwumc.edu/smhs/academic/medicine/electives/catalog.pdf.

Psychiatry department faculty also participate in the medical humanities electives offered to medical students, under the direction of Prof. Linda Raphael, PHD.

Dr. Frank is co-editor of the third edition of Sahler, OJ, Carr, J, Frank, JB, and Nunes, J, The Behavioral Sciences and Health Care (Hogrefe, 2012). Both she and Dr. Samenow are graduates of the Master Teacher program of the GW School of Education and Human development.

Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

Health Sciences Education

The GWU Department of Psychiatry teaches physician’s assistant students and the nurse practitioner students in the School of Medicine and Health Sciences. These health sciences students are enrolled in the psychopathology course (for second year medical students) and the human sexuality course (also for second year medical students).