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Important information to all extramural psychiatry elective applicants from the Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

Along with the visiting student application material please submit a copy of your C.V. and medical school transcript to the department no more than 3 months prior to your expected start date. In order for your application to be considered all of your material must be submitted no later than 1 month prior to your start date. Because of the very large number of applicants for electives in psychiatry at NYU it may not be possible to meet all requests. Priority will be given to applicants whose proposed dates for the elective rotation fit the start and stop dates of the existing NYU block schedule.

Mail the completed documents to:
Tanisha Young-Nuzzi
Department of Psychiatry
1 Park Avenue 8th Floor Room 8-230A
New York, NY 10016

Tanisha Young can be reached at youngt02@nyumc.org to enquire about status once you have sent the forms.

*It is highly suggested you send your application via FedEx, UPS or any other top courier services. United States Postal Services - Priority mail is treated as standard mail.

Please note:

*In 2012 we will have a very limited amount of openings from January - June.

**Doing a psychiatry elective at NYU/Bellevue does not guarantee an interview for applicants to the NYU psychiatry residency. Residency applicants will be reviewed on the basis of academic performance at the home medical school.

If you have questions, please feel free to e-mail me at Molly.Poag@nyumc.org

Sincerely,
Molly Poag, M.D.
Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

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Title: Comprehensive Psychiatric Emergency Program "CPEP"
Preceptor: Jennifer Halper, M.D.

Course Code: 14-07

Description:
This elective gives the student the unique opportunity to participate in the evaluation, diagnosis, and the short-term treatment planning for patients in the Bellevue Psychiatry Emergency Room. Under close supervision by the faculty and staff of this service, the student gains experience in interviewing, diagnosing, and managing the acute psychiatric patient. The student sees a very wide range of pathology from adjustment disorders to frank psychoses to complex multisystem illnesses. Students work with the attending psychiatrists as well as the Director of the Bellevue Psychiatry Emergency Services.

Objectives of the Elective:
The objectives of the elective are as follows: Perform a thorough mental status exam. Differentiate functional from organic disorders. Define and identify common psychotic, affective and characterological disorders. Recognize interaction of substance abuse with other syndromes. Assess dangerous ideation and behavior. Make appropriate disposition decisions. Appropriately utilize medications and recognize major side effects. Demonstrate appropriate use of chemical and physical restraint. Understand and comply with the Mental Hygiene Law.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on the Elective:
Two sites are available. The student may elective to work primarily in the Bellevue ER or in the field with the Mobile Crisis Unit. In both settings the student will:

1. Perform comprehensive assessments, make dispositions recommendations, formulate the initial treatment plan and initiate pharmacological and psychological interventions under the direct supervision of an emergency psychiatry attending.
2. Attend and discuss their cases at rounds, participate in team meetings, present to the major interdisciplinary case conference, and attend lectures and seminars.

Didactic Program:
Students participate in the residency Emergency Psychiatry curriculum to the extent that their schedule permits. It includes assessment of the emergency presentations of the major psychiatric illnesses, suicide and violence, and the major acute treatments and forensic issues.

Method of Evaluation:
Students are assigned to a preceptor who meets with the student regularly and conducts their evaluation. Students are formally evaluated by the same method as psychiatry residents, a mock board oral examination.

Scheduling Information:
Months Offered: All Year

Report to: Bellevue Hospital "CPEP" ground floor

Students per period: 1-3

Duration: Four weeks

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Title: Consultation-Liaison Psychiatry
Preceptor: Andrea Kondracke, M.D.

Course Code: 14-06

Prerequisites: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
For students interested in psychiatry, this is an opportunity to combine the medical and psychiatric experience by working on the medical and surgical services as psychiatric consultants. There is a wide range of clinical problems seen as this service provides psychiatric consultation for all inpatients who require evaluation and treatment while hospitalized. The student works with Residents and Attendings in Psychiatry. In addition to the individual supervision, the student participates in regularly scheduled clinical case conferences, journal club, and consultation/liaison seminars.

Objectives of the Elective:
The objective of the elective is to provide the student with a rich clinical experience with academic stimulation. There are ample opportunities for the student to participate in rounds, discussions of differential diagnosis, developing treatment plans, follow-up throughout the general hospital on different services: medicine, surgery, virology, etc.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:

1. Participate in walk rounds, weekly conferences, consultation-liaison journal club, departmental grand rounds.
2. Exposure to a wide range of consultations in both in-patient and out-patient settings.
3. Attendance at rounds in different servicesûprimary care, dialysis, AIDS.

Didactic Program:
The student participates by observing in a large number of daily consultations with residents, fellows and attendings. The student is also included in a variety of services and will attend PGY-II C-L lectures.

Method of Evaluation:
Students are evaluated for their motivation, interest, and knowledge for the level of training, as well as discussion of cases and presenting.

Scheduling Information:
Months offered: All Year

Report to: Bellevue Hospital 20West

Number of Students: 1-2

Duration: Four Weeks

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Title: Forensic Psychiatry
Preceptor: Steven Konrad, M.D.

Course Code: 14-26

Prerequisite: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
The Forensic Psychiatry Service serves male inmates (ages 16 years and older) in the New York City correctional system. The demographics of the male population served reflects that of the jails and prisons of New York City in that the majority of patients are from minority groups: black and hispanic. Although the majority of the patients are from lower-income, minority groups, we frequently treat and evaluate professionals including doctors (even psychiatrists), lawyers, businessmen and clergymen. The age range is generally in the younger to middle twenties. On average the population is generally one-half treatment cases and one-half evaluation cases. A majority of cases carry a DSM-IV Axis I psychiatric diagnosis. The most frequent diagnoses are that of Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizophrenia, Bipolar Disorder, and Depressive Disorders. Also common among the population are diagnoses of Personality Disorder and Impulse Control Disorder. The assessment of Malingering is an essential component of each evaluation. A substantial number of referrals are sent for treatment because of suicidal or homicidal tendencies.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:
The student has a case-load of no less than three and no more than six ongoing treatment patients at one time. He/she will also assist in performing forensic consultations and psychiatric consultations for the medical/surgical prison ward.

The student receives two hours of formal supervision weekly, and ongoing supervision daily.

Didactic Program:
Students attend clinical case conferences, medical and psychiatric ethics seminars, and other educational conferences held on the Service weekly. Additionally, the Students attend Grand Rounds at New York University Medical Center weekly, and educational seminars held at Bellevue Hospital Center bimonthly.

Scheduling Information:
Months Offered: All Year

Report To:  Steven Ciric, MD

Students Per Period: 1

Duration: 4 weeks

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Title: Inpatient Psychiatry
Course Code: 14-25

Preceptor: Molly Poag, M.D.

Prerequisites: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
Students gain an increased knowledge of psychopathology, psychiatric diagnosis, and psychotherapeutics, and experience the evaluation and management of psychiatric inpatients representing a broad range of psychiatric disturbances.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:
Students serve as primary therapists in evaluating newly admitted patients, formulating a differential diagnosis prescribing treatment and monitoring progress. Students are responsible for both the physical and psychiatric health of patients they are assigned. For students who have completed a core clerkship in psychiatry, this elective will be at the level of a subinternship.

Didactic Program
Elective students participate in all ward teaching activities including weekly case conferences in addition they are invited to attend all psychiatry clerkship lectures and seminars, and the second year psychiatry residents' lecture series.

Method of Evaluation:
Students are evaluated on the basis of their day to day care of patients and daily clinical supervision by residents and attending staff.

Scheduling Information:
Months Offered: All Year

Report To: Bellevue Hospital 20N11

Students Per Period: 1

Duration: Four Weeks

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Title: Psychiatric Education & Publication
Preceptor: Benjamin Sadock, M.D.

Course Code: 14-01

Prerequisites: Any One Core Clerkship, Interview with Preceptor

Description:
For students interested in academic psychiatry, writing or publishing, this elective offers the opportunity to develop cognitive skills in clinical psychiatry and behavioral sciences as well as the opportunity to participate in the preparation standard textbooks in the field: The Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, Synopsis of Psychiatry,. The student's experience will be augmented by individual tutorials held weekly.

Objectives of the Elective:
The student can choose one or several objectives: (1) conduct reviews of the literature on clinical or educational issues relating to the teaching of psychiatry (2) analyze the role of doctor as portrayed in the media (3) study medical student characteristics including stress, study habits, choice of career and (4) learn the art of medical publishing from writing and editing manuscripts to the final stages of galley and page proof.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:
The student is responsible for gathering data in the area of his or her choice and developing a thesis to pursue and study.

Didactic Program:
The program is conducted as a tutorial in which the chosen area of study is examined and discussed.

Method of Evaluation:
Students evaluate themselves based upon their own expectations and performance with the advice of Dr. Sadock.

Scheduling Information:
Months Offered: All Year

Report To: Bellevue Hospital 20N11

Students Per Period: 1

Duration: Four Weeks

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Title: Psychiatry Research
Preceptor: Vatsal Thakkar, M.D.

Course Code: 14-19

Prerequisites: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
The psychiatry research elective provides the opportunity for students to work on a range of studies extending from preclinical biochemical and behavioral pharmacology to clinical biological and behavioral studies with a variety of populations and research methodologies. Clinical areas of focus include: addictions (opiates, cocaine, methamphetamine, alcohol, tobacco); attention deficit disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder and other anxiety disorders; affective disorders and schizophrenia.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:

1. He/She will work closely with a faculty mentor, clinical staff and research assistants on a given project.
2. The student will also attend regular research meetings, ward rounds, or outpatient conferences as well as seminars as appropriate.

Method of Evaluation:
Students are evaluated by their preceptors based on goals agreed upon at the start of the elective. Students are also encouraged to provide feedback to the preceptor about both the supervision and the elective.

Didactic Program:
There is no pre-hoc structured didactic programs for students involved in research electives, but rather individual preceptorship directed at the student's specific elective goals. This begins with the initial dialogue between the student and the preceptor at the time the elective is planned and continues during the elective. Students are encouraged to attend grand rounds, seminars and other ongoing teaching activities during their elective.

Report to: Call Psychiatry Office 212-263-6237

Students Per Period: 1-2

Duration: Four weeks

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Title: Psychoanalytic Medicine
Preceptor: Elizabeth Horwitz, M.D.

Course Code:14-02

Prerequisites: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
The faculty of the NYU Psychoanalytic Institute, in the Department of Psychiatry at New York University School of Medicine, offers an elective in Psychoanalytic Medicine. This elective provides the students with the opportunity to learn about psychoanalysis as a clinical field of practice, to become familiar with the psychoanalytic point of view, and to understand the relationship of psychoanalysis to general psychiatry and to medicine in general. The elective aims to introduce students to the basic principles of modern psychoanalytic theory and practice, and demonstrate their applicability in a variety of psychiatric settings and treatment of modalities. It is hoped that students will acquire a greater appreciation and understanding of the usefulness of psychodynamic listening, interviewing and formulation.

1. Supervised in-depth evaluation interviews with suitable outpatients, in one of NYU School of Medicine's affiliated mental health clinics.
2. An individualized reading tutorial.
3. Attendance at psychoanalytically-oriented classes taught by Institute faculty in the NYU Psychiatric Residency Program and the Institute itself.

Prior exposure to analytic approaches varies widely and is not necessary to participate in this elective. All students are contacted prior to beginning the experience at NYU to best tailor the program to their needs, interests and level of experience. An Institute faculty member at the Department of Psychiatry serves as a preceptor for the student and oversees this elective.

2. Weekly individual case supervision meetings.

3. Weekly meeting with elective preceptor.

4. Weekly classes with the residents within the psychodynamic curriculum. Classes very depending on the time of year.

5. PGY-1 Inpatient Interview Conference (VA Hospital - Tuesdays 12:00-1:00 PM

6. Bellevue Mental Hygiene Clinic Conference (Mondays 9:00 - 10:30 AM)

7. NYU Psychoanalytic Institute First Year classes (Saturday mornings)

Method of Evaluation:
Students are evaluated based on comments from supervisors, tutorial instructors, and the elective preceptor. Students demonstrate their learning primarily through discussions with these members of the Institute faculty, and also in written case summaries and psychodynamic formations of the patients they interviewed.

Scheduling Information:
Months Offered: All Year except August (July is also not recommended).

Report to: Call Dr. Horwitz two weeks prior for location.

Students per period: 1

Duration: Four Weeks

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Title: Addiction Medicine
Preceptor: Stephen Ross, M.D.

Course Code: 14-12

Prerequisite: Any One Core Clerkship

Description:
This elective offers the student the unique opportunity to evaluate and treat patients with both substance abuse and psychiatric disorders at the Dual Diagnosis Training Unit, a 27-bed inpatient psychiatric unit at Bellevue Hospital. While our patients most frequently use alcohol, cocaine, heroin, and cannabis, we also treat patients who use phencyclidine (PCP), hallucinogens, inhalants, methamphetamine, and party drugs like MDMA (ecstasy), ketamine, and GHB. Prescription drug abuse is also common. The majority of patients suffer from psychotic and/or mood disorders, as well as severe personality disorders. The student learns about psychopathology, behavior modification techniques, group therapy techniques, motivational interviewing, and psychopharmacology specifically designed for this patient population. The student assumes direct responsibility for the diagnosis and management of her or his patients under the close supervision of attending physicians who are also faculty member of the Division of Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. Each student is required to lead a weekly patient group; in the past, students have run group activities like relapse prevention, rum and relationships, poetry group, medical consequences of addictions, and life stories. The experience is augmented by individual tutorials, case conferences, and division-wide grand rounds. For students who have completed a core clerkship in psychiatry, this elective is offered at the level of a subinternship.

Objectives of the Elective:
The objective of the elective is to gain knowledge of diagnosis and treatment of addiction, mental illness and dual diagnosis.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on Elective:

1. Clinical management of 2-4 patients under direct attending supervision.
2. Participation in daily clinical rounds and weekly treatment team meetings.
3. Participation in unit academic conferences and divisional Grand Rounds.
4. Running a weekly group.

Didactic Program:
In addition to the conferences above, the student receives individual weekly supervision from a faculty member.

Method of Evaluation:
The student will be evaluated based on her or his participation in ward activities and conferences.

Scheduling Information:
Months offered: All Year
Report to: Bellevue Hospital 20 East Unit
Students per period: 1-2
Duration: Four to eight weeks

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Title: Neuropsychiatry/Behavioral Neurology
Code: 14-28
Prerequisite(s): core clerkships in psychiatry and neurology
Preceptor: Siddhartha Nadkarni, M.D.
Telephone#: 263-8311

Description of the Elective:
The student will rotate through several different clinics that offer clinical and supervisory experience in areas of neurpsychiatry. These will include, but not be limited to the epilepsy clinic, the behavioral neurology clinic, and the adult ADHD clinic. In addition, the elective student will spend time in the psychiatric emergency room of Bellevue Hospital, will attend regularly scheduled neurology and psychiatry lectures, and may arrange to obseerve neuropsychological testing, including WADA testing.

Objectives of the Elective:

• The student will strengthen and consolidate clinical skills of psychiatry and neurology by working in clinical settings that require knowledge of both.
• The student will better understand the separate but overlapping domains of psychiatry and neurology.

Key Responsibilities of the student while on the Elective:
In the clinics and the emergency room, the student will evaluate patients under the supervision of an attending or resident, and will present patients to the attending or at team conferences. He or she may be asked to write chart notes and case summaries, which will be read and approved by an attending or resident.

Didactic Program:

• Supervision, and discussion of assigned readings with the elective preceptor
• Attendance at the PGY-II psychiatry lectures.
• Attendance and participation at the medical student neurology lectures.
• Attendance at psychiatry and neurology grand rounds.

Method of the Evalution:
Summary qualitative assessment by the elective preceptor, based on evaluations of the various clinical services through which the student has rotated.

Scheduling Information:
Months offered: All year

Report to: Tanisha Young, Division of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry, NB 20-N-11. 212-263-6237. After checking in with Ms. Young, the student will meet with Dr. Nadkarni.

Students per period: maximum 2

Duration: 4 weeks

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TITLE: Reproductive Psychiatry

CODE: 14-29
PREREQUISITE(S): 4th year medical student. Recommendation from the director of Medical Student Education.
PRECEPTOR: Judy Greene, MD
TELEPHONE #: 212 562 7294

DESCRIPTION OF THE ELECTIVE:

During the clerkship students will develop a greater understanding of the mental health needs of women with reproductive-related psychiatric disorders. The elective is particularly useful for students pursuing careers in psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, or pediatrics. The elective is conducted primarily at Bellevue Hospital Center but students may also have the opportunity to see patients at NYU. There is a weekly journal club and students will also be assigned key articles to read.

OBJECTIVES OF THE ELECTIVE:

Students will be able to:

1. Diagnose mood disorders that arise in relation to women’s reproductive life cycle such as premenstrual dysphoric disorder, pregnancy-related mood disorders, and perimenopausal depression.
2. Describe the risks and benefits associated with various psychotropic medications used in pregnancy and lactation.
3. Design a treatment plan including psychotherapy and medications where indicated.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE STUDENT WHILE ON ELECTIVE:

1. Student will attend all clinic and program lectures
2. Student will read core articles
3. Student will participate in patient visits with the fellow and/or attending. As the elective progresses, the student will evaluate patients independently.

DIDACTIC PROGRAM:

Students will attend and participate in all Program conferences including individual supervision, weekly journal club, weekly case conference and Department of Psychiatry Grand Rounds.

METHOD OF EVALUATION:

The Director, the fellow, and the resident physicians who have supervised the student will give a subjective evaluation of the student’s cognitive and performance skills, as well as overall performance. Dr. Greene will collate this information and submit the final evaluation to the Dean’s office.

SCHEDULING INFORMATION

MONTHS OFFERED: contact Dr. Greene for availability

REPORT TO: to be determined

STUDENTS PER PERIOD: 1

DURATION: four weeks

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