The Psychiatry course introduces medical students to the fundamental principles, core clinical skills, and essential knowledge required to understand and manage mental health conditions in clinical practice. This module bridges scientific foundations with real-world patient care, ensuring students gain the ability to recognize psychiatric presentations across all medical specialties.
The course begins with an overview of mental health, classification systems (DSM-5 and ICD-11), and the structure of psychiatric assessment. Students learn how to perform a complete psychiatric history and Mental Status Examination (MSE), identify abnormal thought processes, assess cognition, and evaluate risk for suicide, violence, and self-harm. Emphasis is placed on developing clear communication skills, building rapport, and interviewing patients with complex or sensitive presentations.
The module provides structured learning around major psychiatric disorders, including psychotic disorders, depressive and bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, obsessive–compulsive and related disorders, trauma-related conditions, personality disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, substance-use disorders, and neurocognitive disorders. For each category, students learn core diagnostic features, red flags, differential diagnoses, and basic management approaches.
A key component of the course is the introduction to psychopharmacology. Students gain foundational understanding of the mechanisms, indications, and common side effects of antidepressants, antipsychotics, mood stabilizers, anxiolytics, and stimulants. Principles of psychotherapy—including cognitive-behavioral techniques, supportive therapy, and motivational interviewing—are also covered to help students appreciate the multidisciplinary nature of psychiatric treatment.
Clinical exposure is an essential part of the training. Students rotate through outpatient clinics, inpatient psychiatric wards, liaison psychiatry units, and emergency services. Under supervision, they participate in patient interviews, case formulation, treatment planning, and multidisciplinary team discussions. Through these experiences, students learn to recognize psychiatric emergencies, manage acute behavioral disturbances, and understand indications for referral or admission.
The course also highlights the interplay between mental and physical health. Students are trained to identify psychiatric symptoms in medical and surgical patients, manage delirium, and understand the psychological impact of chronic illnesses. Ethical considerations—such as confidentiality, informed consent, and capacity assessment—are integrated throughout the curriculum.
By the end of the module, students are expected to demonstrate competence in conducting psychiatric assessments, recognizing common mental disorders, initiating first-line management strategies, and collaborating effectively with mental health professionals.
