Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences

The Department is engaged in providing Teaching- Learning and Research opportunities in the Mental Health field across the period of Graduate studies. It has credentialed Faculty from the Disciplines of Psychiatry, Clinical Psychology and Social Sciences

The Course objectives in the Pre-Clinical years is to help students have a sufficient background in normal behavioral and cognitive processes, apply the basic principles of psychology to the practice of medicine and obtain an introduction to psychopathology. The Objective in the Clinical rears (change to years) to empower students with skillful clinical evaluation and considerable amount of theoretical knowledge that help them to practice psychiatry at a general practitioner’s level and pursue Post graduate studies as a career choice.

The Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Science has a gradational approach to Mental Health training for medical students spanning across the pre-clinical and clinical phases of the MD program.

The courses in the pre-clinical phase include:

Introduction to Psychology: Introduction to Psychology is offered during the first year of pre-clinical training to enable students to have a sufficient background in normal behavioral and cognitive processes before moving on to study Behavioral Science in Medicine and Clinical Psychiatry later in the program. Students are introduced to the various theoretic perspectives in Psychology. Topics covering mental processes include Sensation and Perception, Learning, Memory, Motivation and Emotion, Intelligence and Creativity & Personality. The mode of course delivery includes interactive lectures. Course Assessments include a quiz, midterm, and final examinations. Students are also required to complete a small-group project.

Behavioral Science in Medicine: Behavioral Science and Psychopathology is offered during pre-clinical training to enable students apply the basic principles of psychology to the practice of medicine and obtain an introduction to psychopathology. Students are introduced to relevant topics in developmental psychology, abnormal psychology, and health psychology. The mode of course delivery includes interactive lectures and self-directed learning sessions in small groups. Team-based learning, Case-based learning, Video-based projects, and course Learning Portfolios are used for In-Course assessments. A mid-term and final examination are also conducted.

Health Care Ethics: Health Care Ethics is offered during pre-clinical training to introduce students to the basic concepts in medical ethics. Students are introduced to relevant topics including the core ethical principles and relevance of these principles in clinical practice and health care delivery. The mode of course delivery includes interactive lectures and self-directed learning sessions in small groups. Case-based learning and report analyses are used for In-Course assessments. A quiz is also conducted.

Psychiatry Clerkship- Our mission in this 6 week psychiatric clerkship is to graduate students with general competence of expression of real professionalism, skillful clinical evaluation and considerable amount of theoretical knowledge that help them to practice psychiatry at a general practitioner’s level, prepare them for post graduate psychiatric education and advocate good clinical practice.