Committee Member: Adrienne Bentman, M.D.

Duration: One Month

Months Offered: All months except August and February

No. of Students: Maximum of 1

Prerequisite: Third Year Curriculum

Contact Person: Edward Jaroszewski, M.D. Director
Psychiatry Section, Emergency Department
at 545-2629; FAX 545-4273

Description of Clerkship:

This elective is designed to provide advanced training in the psychiatric care of seriously ill patients in Hartford’s busiest emergency department. The elective is a valuable adjunct to the CORE requirements for those students interested in or curious about pursuing a career in psychiatry. The rotation is also appropriate for those students interested in pursuing alternate fields including emergency medicine and those who desire advanced education in the evaluation and management of severely disturbed patients in an emergency setting.

Format:

The student is responsible, under the supervision of the Director of Emergency Psychiatry and their designees, for the evaluation, disposition and management of patients referred to the psychiatric section of the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department. The responsibilities of the student include the initial psychiatric evaluation, confirmation of the medical diagnosis, pharmacologic and behavioral management, and disposition planning. The student evaluates between 3-6 patients during a typical 8 hour shift. No night call is required though is available on request.

1. To gain experience in rapid psychiatric assessment.
2. To solidify one’s knowledge base in the use of, side effects of, complications seen with, and toxicity of psychotropic medication.

1. To develop the ability to recognize intoxication and withdrawal states of licit and illicit drugs.
2. To learn initial phase of early crisis treatment.

Teaching:

The student functions in the role of primary psychiatric clinician assessing patients in the psychiatric section of the Emergency Department at Hartford Hospital. Individual supervision in the care of each patient seen by the student is provided by an experienced psychiatric nurse practitioner. Daily supervision is provided by the Medical Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Department. More structured educational experiences include weekly Psychiatry Grand Rounds and the weekly Emergency Room/Crisis Intervention Seminar.

Patient Population:

The psychiatric section of the Hartford Hospital Emergency Department cares of 3,000 patients per year. The population ranges in age from 18 to geriatric and patients hail from a wide range of socioeconomic, ethnic, and cultural backgrounds.

Evaluation Process:

The student is evaluated directly by the Director of the Psychiatric Emergency Division with mid-point feedback on progress and a final verbal and written evaluation upon conclusion of the rotation.

Instructions:

Interested students should contact Edward Jaroszewski, M.D. at Hartford Hospital at 545-2629; FAX 545-4273.