MPA 5785 - Supervised Clinical Practice: Psychiatry and Behavioral Health

3 Credit Hours
The supervised clinical practice (SCP) in Psychiatry and Behavioral Health is designed to prepare a student to function in various clinical settings and gain exposure to behavioral health [Standard B3.04]. Each student will experience patient encounters that are essential in preparation for entry into practice. Students will be able to evaluate/assess patients involving one or more of the following types of encounters: preventative, emergent, acute, or chronic. [Standard B3.02]. Each student will be given the opportunity to apply knowledge and skills learned in the didactic program as s/he is exposed to patients seeking care for behavioral and mental health conditions across the life span (children, adolescents, adults, and/or elderly) [Standard B3.03]. Upon completion of this SCP students will have the skills necessary to evaluate and manage patients with a variety of psychiatric problems. The student will be familiar with the indications, contraindications, side effects and dosing guidelines for the medications commonly used in psychiatry and be able to use selected psychoactive pharmaceuticals appropriately. Additionally, students are expected to perform psychiatric interviews and mental status examinations. The student will learn and understand the role of psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers and nurses in the care of the psychiatric patient and learn when to make referrals for specialized psychiatric care to the appropriate specialists. The aim is to achieve a level of competency in psychiatry to be able safely carry out the duties of a PA in any domain of medicine, promulgate respect and understanding of psychiatry as a medical discipline and its importance to other medical specialties, and to dispel attitudes which result in stigmatization of patients with psychiatric disorders.