Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

The University of South Florida Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences has a strong commitment to teaching in all four years of the medical curriculum. We strive to produce graduates who are familiar and aware of components for both mental health and psychiatric illness. To achieve this goal, it is our intention to provide a strong foundation in human behavior and behavioral neurosciences for students entering all fields of medicine.

Contact Information


Saundra Stock, MD UME Director sstock@health.usf.edu		Barbara Lubrano, MD Clerkship Director blubrano@health.usf.edu


Mary Ann Hausknecht UME Coordinator mhauskne@health.usf.edu (813) 974-2388		Pat Crump UME Coordinator pcrump@health.usf.edu (813) 974-5368

Pre-Clinical Curriculum

MS1 year – Human Development is covered during the Core Principles course at the start of the year one curriculum. These sessions cover important theoretical constructs about physical, cognitive, emotional and social development across the lifespan. The focus for human development is on how typical development impacts health care and health seeking behaviors at various ages. Important aspects of development including family relationships and potential for family violence are discussed. Didactic sessions on important neuroscience topics such as Addiction, Memory, Learning Theories and Executive Functions occur during the second course. During the Doctoring 1 course, students learn about the mental status exam and basics of motivational interviewing in small group sessions.

MS2 year – An introduction to major categories of psychopathology occurs during the Medical Sciences 3 course. Topics include disorders of cognition, mood, anxiety and thought. Substance abuse and impairments occurring in childhood are also discussed. During the Doctoring 2 course, students interview standardized patients to obtain a psychiatric history and conduct a risk assessment.

Clinical Curriculum

MS3 year – Students rotate on psychiatric adult inpatient units and consultation liaison services during an integrated Neuropsychiatry clerkship. Students work on inpatient or consultation services at Tampa General Hospital or the James A. Haley VA hospital. Typically, students are assigned to an inpatient team for 4 weeks and a consultation liaison team for 2 weeks during the clerkship. Students also have the opportunity to attend outpatient psychiatric clinics for adolescent and geriatric patients for a few days during the Primary Care clerkship.

MS4 year – Students can take a wide variety of psychiatry electives, most for 2 or 4 weeks in duration. Electives include:

Acting Internship for Adult Psychiatry (adult or geriatric)
Acting Internship in C/L Psychiatry
Outpatient (adult, child or geriatric) Psychiatry
Alcoholism and Substance Abuse
Mood disorders across the Lifespan
Memory Disorders Clinic
Neurostimulation in Psychiatry
Research in Psychiatry
Functional Psychiatric Neuroimaging
Seminar in Neuropsychology
Psychiatric Research
Molecular Genetic Research in Psychiatry
Neuroimmunology Research in Psychiatry
Cognitive Medicine, Neuropsychiatry, and Neuroscience Neuropsychopharmacology
Independent Study in Psychiatry
Externship in Psychiatry

Visiting students interested in taking an elective can get more details at: http://health.usf.edu/medicine/registrar/new/visiting_students.htm

Other activities

We have an active psychiatry interest group (PIC) with members spanning all 4 years of medical school. There are meetings throughout the year with faculty and residents speakers on topics selected by the student membership. There is an annual discussion about what to look for in a psychiatric residency and tips for the application process hosted by senior students and residents.