Child Inpatient Psychiatry

Department of Psychiatry

  • Course Information

    Course Number: RPSY608

    Prerequisites: Completion of the Phase 2 Psychiatry clerkship

    Length of Time: 2 or 4 Weeks

    Phase Availability: Phase 2 and Phase 3

    Credit Type: Physician-Assessed Patient-Facing (PAPFE) or Open

    Call: No

  • Contact Information

    Program Directors: Anum Khan, MD

    Coordinator/Scheduling: Allison King (aking75@uic.edu), 815-395-5802 (call or text)

    *Scheduling Note: Dr. Anum Khan the primary preceptor and Director for the Psychiatry Clerkship. Availability for the elective is subject to change upon clerkship needs.

    Location: UW Health Hospital Center for Mental Health (1401 E. State St., Rockford, IL)

Narrative Description: Students will work under the direct supervision of Dr. Anum Khan as she provides diagnosis, management, and treatment to hospitalized patients. Students will gain proficiency in interviewing children and adolescents, expand on their diagnostic and management skills, and improve their understanding of the mental status exam. Students will be encouraged to take on a leadership role and to work closely with medical personnel on the treatment team.

Learning Objectives:

  1. Students will learn initial and follow-up evaluation skills to provide comprehensive child and adolescent psychiatric assessments in the inpatient setting.
  2. Students will use DSM-5-TR criteria and the mental status exam to aid in expanding differential diagnoses.
  3. Students will develop their understanding of the uses and benefits of a dual treatment approach using medications and psychotherapy.
  4. Students will expand their knowledge base of psychopharmacology through discussion of treatment plans and focus will be placed on FDA-approved and common off-label use of medications.
  5. Student will build on M3 clerkship competence and continue to develop and improve their professional skills by working directly with a variety of mental health personnel.
  6. Students will continue to develop and improve their presentation skills.
  7. Student will continue to build on their understanding of the role that psychiatrists and mental health professionals play in healthcare.
  8. Students will continue to improve their documentation skills and focus on developing their abilities to write concise assessments in the form of biopsychosocial formulations.
  9. Students will continue to expand on their leadership skills through leading team discussions and guidance of M3 students when present.
  10. Students will expand their understanding of psychotherapeutic modalities with emphasis on cognitive and dialectical behavioral therapies.

Learning Activities:

  1. Assessment, evaluation, and treatment of child and adolescent psychiatric patients on the inpatient unit.
  2. Participation in interviewing parents/caretakers and obtaining collateral information.
  3. Participation in patient admissions and discharges while working closely with nurses and staff.
  4. Participation in individual/group therapy and working with therapists, counselors, and case managers.
  5. Participation in the planning and flow of family meetings and family therapy sessions.
  6. Participation in partial hospitalization outpatient treatment program when available.
  7. Participation in consult/liaison psychiatry when medical floor consults are requested on children/adolescents.
  8. Research and discuss psychiatry topics including a critical appraisal of the medical literature; presentation of this information to Dr. Khan and the clinical team.
  9. Work up a case using appropriate techniques in searching for evidence-based research.

Method of Assessment:

Direct faculty evaluation of performance and standard UIC evaluation form completed and submitted. Personal consultation with the student will also be completed.

Required/Recommended References:

  • Desk Reference to the Diagnostic Criteria from DSM-5
  • Readings as assigned by preceptors

Additional Resources:

Please refer to the Phase 3 Canvas for resources that you will use throughout the rotation.