There is a core structure to the elective which includes elements of psychotherapy, staff, chronic care and emergency clinics, case conferences and seminars. Beyond that, the student may combine any of the other clinical options listed above to construct an elective which suits his or her individual needs and interests. The student will be supervised by and work with attending psychiatrists. Students participate in individual supervision and case conferences. Each site offers a general psychiatry consultation experience.
Additional experiences vary by patient population and clinical setting.
At SFGH there are specialists who focus on women, Spanish-speaking, and HIV patient issues. At the VAMC, PTSD and substance abuse issues amongst veterans is a focus, as is consultation psychiatry in both ambulatory primary care and nursing home settings. It emphasizes evaluation and treatment of neuropsychiatric disorders in HIV seropositive patients, as well as addressing their psychological and social issues. In addition, medical students will participate in didactics, case conferences and research seminars at Langley Porter Psychiatric Institute that focus on issues and cases that involve the interface of psychiatry and the law. Finally, medical students will attend a course at Hastings Law School with the forensic fellows and law students.