Skip to main content Skip to section navigation
Back to Top

Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

Welcome to the Stanford Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Medical Student webpage! We hope that this information is helpful to you as you navigate this page to learn more about psychiatry pre-clerkship, clerkship as well as other opportunities.

Psychiatry and behavioral sciences are taught during both the pre-clerkship and clerkship parts of medical school. Pre-clerkship instruction is provided to first- and second-year students and explores the behavioral determinants of health, doctor-patient relationship, and human development; offers patient interviewing apprenticeships; and examines the major psychiatric disorders including psychotic, mood, anxiety, eating, trauma-related, somatic symptom, and substance use disorders.

Elective courses are also offered in topics like careers in psychiatry, child and adolescent psychiatry, research, and group discussions of the medical student experience. For more information on elective PSYC courses offered, please click here. 

Early clinical engagement in psychiatry: Interested students should connect with their advising dean

Of note, lunchtime courses include:

PSYC 249: Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Subspecialty Areas

Terms: Aut | Units: 1 | Repeatable for credit

In this lunch talk series, students will explore psychiatry and behavioral science subspecialty areas through the personal perspectives of psychiatrists and other specialists in behavioral health from a variety of practice settings. Some examples of topics have been advances in subspecialty areas (e.g., child and adolescent psychiatry, psychotherapy, legal issues, mood & anxiety disorders, community outreach, eating disorders), the interplay between social issues and mental healthcare, and the nature of psychiatric work and work/life balance.

Of note, this course discusses sensitive topics in psychiatry including suicide, psychosis, addiction, child abuse, sexual assault, trauma, violence, and mental disorders. While priority will be given to MD students, undergraduates and graduate students are welcomed.

PSYC 225: Mentorship and Clinical Engagement in Child/Adolescent and Adult Psychiatry

Terms: Aut, Win, Spr | Units: 1 | Repeatable for credit

Read our brochure for more information

Related articles: Mentorship Matters: Science points to the efficacy of the Klingenstein Third Generation Foundation National Mentorship Program for Medical Students

Psychiatry Core Clerkship PSYC 300A

The psychiatry core clerkship is a 4-week, clinical experience designed to solidify the knowledge of psychiatry that students have acquired in the Practice of Medicine courses, as students (clerks) gain practical skills in the application of this knowledge to clinical clerkship situations. The focus is on interviewing skills, psychiatric evaluations, clinical reasoning, and an overview of psychosocial and biological treatment modalities for the major psychiatric disorders. The clerkship consists of clinical work on inpatient units, some (half-day) outpatient clinics, and a couple (on-call, weekly for the firsts three weeks) emergency department shifts, under the supervision of academic and clinical faculty; a weekly didactic series by academic faculty; and attendance at Grand Rounds (didactics instead of Grand Rounds during the summer months).

Clerks are assigned to inpatient care settings in one or two of the following sites. (Clerks are given the opportunity to express their preferences regarding assignments. The final rotation assignments are, however, determined by the department based on availability of sites.)

Stanford Health Care (SHC)

Core clerks do inpatient work on a comprehensive medical-psychiatric unit (G2 – patients have psychiatric and medical disorders), an acute care psychiatric unit (H2), a geriatric psychiatric unit (GPU), and/or the consultation-liaison (C/L) psychiatry service. Clerks will learn about psychiatric evaluations/diagnosis and psychopharmacologic and psychosocial treatments, with somewhat different patient populations depending on the clinical unit/service. In addition to this inpatient work, clerks participate in some half-day, outpatient clinics at Stanford. The clerkship will try to assign specialty clinics based on the clerk’s interests, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, child/adolescent, bipolar disorder, geriatric and general psychopharmacology clinics (see below). An alternative to doing some half-day, outpatient clinics is to participate full-time in outpatient clinics for part (1-2 weeks) of the core clerkship (if interested, clerks should contact the clerkship director in advance).

El Camino Health Scrivner Center Mental Health and Addiction Services

The El Camino core clerkship focuses on giving a broad overview of psychiatry in various settings, primarily on the inpatient psychiatry unit, as well as on the consultation-liaison psychiatry service, and in outpatient clinics. The curriculum revolves around 1) Developing diagnostic and assessment skills in both inpatient and outpatient settings 2) Improving clinical decision-making skills 3) Expanding fund of knowledge in psychiatry, with emphasis on psychotherapeutic techniques and psychopharmacology 4) Enhancing empathy in engaging patients, appreciating patient autonomy, and delivering patient-centered care 

VA Palo Alto Health Care System (VAPAHCS)

Core clerks work on the Acute Inpatient Services and/or inpatient Consult-liaison Psychiatry Service.

The Acute Inpatient Psychiatry Service immerses clerks in the care of patients in the most acute states of psychiatric disorders. They will work in one of three 20-bed locked inpatient units that serve both male and female veterans, ranging from young adults to geriatric individuals. Clerks will have the opportunity to work closely with their team in the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, substance use disorders, mood disorders, PTSD, and personality disorders. They will also attend legal hearings and participate in multidisciplinary rounds with nursing, recreation therapy, social work, psychologists, peer specialists and other providers in the collaborative care of patients.

The Consultation-Liaison (CL) Psychiatry Service involves providing psychiatric consultations, evaluations, and follow-up to medical and surgical inpatients throughout the VA Palo Alto campus, including the intensive care units, Acute Traumatic Brain Injury Rehab Unit, Spinal Cord Injury Unit, Polytrauma Transitional Rehabilitation Program and Integrated Extensive Treatment Program. Clerks will learn how to disentangle medical and psychiatric symptoms and use both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments. They will also have the opportunity to collaborate with the VA Immersive and XR Network and the National Center for PTSD Tech into Care, integrating cutting-edge digital technologies as non-pharmacological interventions in their treatment plans.

In addition to this inpatient work at VAPAHCS, clerks participate in some half-day outpatient clinics at Stanford. The clerkship will try to assign specialty clinics based on the clerk’s interests, including obsessive-compulsive disorder, child/adolescent, bipolar disorder, geriatric and general psychopharmacology clinics (see below).

The core clerkship at the VAPAHCS is ideal for Stanford medical clerks who are eager to explore innovative approaches in psychiatric care, work with diverse veteran and active-duty cohorts, and integrating pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions, including digital technologies, into clinical practice.

Stanford Subspecialty Outpatient Clinics in the Psychiatry Core Clerkship

The subspecialty outpatient clinics (half-day) at Stanford will provide core clerks with exposure to a wide variety of mental health conditions seen in a typical outpatient practice. In most clinics, clerks can expect to be assigned 1-3 patients that may include new intakes and follow-up patients. New visits are typically 90 minutes and follow-up appointment are 30 minutes. For the assigned patients, clerks will lead the interview, present to the attending, write the progress or H &P note, and provide any needed additional follow-up in conjunction with the resident and attending psychiatrist. Clinics may either be remote, In person or a hybrid of the two. Clerks may select from these clinics depending on their interests and clinic availability.

Depression Clinic 

(Dr. DeBattista and resident)

The clinic sees patient within the spectrum of depressive disorders from persistent depressive disorder to severe and resistant major depression. Patients with anxiety and other disorders are also seen in the clinic. The Depression clinic focuses on pharmacotherapy interventions including newer and novel strategies for resistant depression including esketamine, psychedelics, and newer generation antidepressants. Clerks will learn about the current classes of antidepressants and other intervention in the treatment of depression.

 

Bipolar Clinic

(Dr. Wang and resident)

The Bipolar clinics does comprehensive evaluations and follow up visits for patients in the bipolar spectrum including patient with bipolar 1 and bipolar 2 disorder. The clinic provides experience in the use of mood stabilizers and adjunctive treatments for patients in various phases of bipolar disorder including mania, hypomania and bipolar depression.

INSPIRE Clinic

(Dr. Ballon and resident)

The Inspire Clinic provides patient centered care for individuals experiencing psychosis. . The clinic provides medication management, cognitive behavioral therapy, social work support, and other interventions for patients with schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders. Clerks will learn about the role and antipsychotics and psychosocial interventions for schizophrenia. 

 

Evaluation Clinic 

(Dr. DeGolia and resident)

The Evaluation Clinic provides comprehensive evaluations on new patients seen in the psychiatry department. Clerks will sit with the attending on one side of a two- way mirror while the intern or resident are interviewing a new patient on the other side. The attending will run a commentary on the interview and discuss diagnostic and other issues arising during the interview. At the completion of the interview the student will typically be asked to present the patient with the intern/resident and attending present. Subsequently, the team will discuss diagnosis and treatment options including medications, psychotherapy, and other interventions. Clerks will learn the diagnostic assessment of various disorders.

ECT/TMS

(Drs Raj, Bhati, Kim. Sommer, Salaheldin, DeBattista, Deng)

The interventional psychiatry program at Stanford treats patient with serious depression and other disorders that have been in response to standard medications and psychotherapy. Clerks will assist in set-up and administration of patients undergoing electroconvulsive therapy and Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. Student will learn the indications, treatment course, and side effects of these interventions. 

 

Residents’ Continuity Clinic 

(Drs Van Roussel, Brooks)

This training clinic offers patients comprehensive evaluations and up to one year of management for all psychiatric conditions. Treatment includes medication management and brief psychotherapy for up to one year. In this clinic, clerks will refine diagnostic interviews and learn about the long -term management of a variety of psychiatric disorders.

 

Addiction Medicine Dual Diagnosis Clinic 

(Drs. Lembke, Polignano and fellows

This clinic manages patients with dual diagnosis: patient have both substance use disorders and other psychiatric disorders.

Other clinics in which clerks may participate

Include the Geropsychiatry, Obsessive-compulsive Disorder, Neuropsychiatry, Positive Care (HIV), LGBTQ Mental Health, Neurodiversity (Autism Spectrum), and a variety of child and adolescent (eating disorders, autism, and mood disorders) clinics, if available

Other Clerkships
(Selective I, Selective II, Electives, and Continuity Clinic Clerkship)

Other Clerkships in the third and fourth years of medical school offer clinical instruction in inpatient and outpatient interdisciplinary settings, designed to teach students how to conduct a diagnostic assessment and to use standardized diagnostic criteria and psychiatric treatments.  Doing a sub-internship in Psychiatry (Selective II) is highly recommended for medical students considering matching to a psychiatry residency.

Selective I Clerkships 4.8: Selective Clerkship Requirement | MD Program | Stanford Medicine

Selective II Clerkships 4.8: Selective Clerkship Requirement | MD Program | Stanford Medicine

Elective Clerkships

Continuity of Care Clerkship in Psychiatry

Visiting Clerkships

Psychiatry Student Interest Group, known as PsychSIG, is a group run by medical students who have identified an interest in the field of Psychiatry, with the guidance and support of both a faculty and resident liaison.

We strive to offer a safe place to ask questions, receive support, feel camaraderie, and engage in leadership activities.  We hope to make PsychSIG a visible and sustainable part of the Stanford School of Medicine landscape and would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining!

Our goal is to provide an early community to medical students who are considering a career in Psychiatry. We believe cultivating such a community at the medical student training level is important in order to offer exposure to role models and examples of different career paths, stimulate curiosity and enthusiasm about the field, and support students through the process of deciding on a residency specialty and undertaking the application process.

PsychSIG aims to have a presence at major school events such as the activities fair and second look weekend. Additionally, we typically hold a welcome event in the fall followed by smaller dinners and events throughout the year. We welcome new medical students to become involved in the leadership of PsychSIG and to propose their own ideas for events or initiatives.

We strive to offer a safe place to ask questions, receive support, feel camaraderie, and engage in leadership activities. We would love to hear from you if you are interested in joining!

If you are interested in joining our mailing list, please look us up on Stanford's Mailing List tool using the keywords PSYCSIGN

Follow us at Psych SIG instagram: @stanfordpsychsig

PsychSIGN Psychiatry Student Interest Group Network

Contact Us

Margarita Ramirez Silva, PsychSIG Co-Lead
mmrsilva@stanford.edu

Taimur Kouser, PsychSIG Co-Lead
tkouser@stanford.edu

Ellie H. Beam, Residency Liaison
ebeam@stanford.edu

Ruby E. Reed (“Lillie”), PsychSIG Co-Lead
rereed@stanford.edu

Shammah I. Ike, PsychSIG Co-Lead
siike@stanford.edu

Chelsea Li, PsychSIG Co-Lead
celi@stanford.edu

Christina Miranda, PsychSIG Co-Lead
cmirand@stanford.edu

Anita Kishore, Faculty Liaison
https://profiles.stanford.edu/anita-kishore

Research Opportunities

MedScholars 
see MedScholars electronic posting of laboratory opportunities. The Assistant Director, Medical Student Research & Scholarship is Celina Ng celinang@stanford.edu

T32 Medical Student (MS1 and MS2) Research Training Summer Fellowships in Clinical Psychiatry
This fellowship is designed for those who are interested in pursuing careers in psychiatry. Positions are available for up to two summers. Candidates should have an identified area of interest and potential Stanford mentor. Research activities include involvement in ongoing research projects and, ideally, development of independent projects with the Stanford mentor’s guidance. Stipends for NIMH training fellowships are approximately $5,000 for the summer. These positions are open to Stanford University 1st and 2nd year medical students. The applicant must (1) be a U.S. citizen or a Green Card holder AND (2) be in a Stanford University Medical School MD or MD/PhD program. Candidates must contact Stanford faculty in their area of interest before applying.

To ask questions contact Dr. Alan Schatzberg afschatz@stanford.edu  

To apply, send the following in one email to Dr. Schatzberg:

  • Statement of specific research interests including interest in any particular Stanford Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences faculty member
  • Curriculum vitae
  • One letter of recommendation

Organization

Medical Student Award

American Psychiatric Association (APA)

APA/APAF Medical Student Programs

APA/APAF Medical Student Programs provide medical students who are interested in serving underserved communities the experiential learning, training, and professional development they need to be leaders in the field of psychiatry. These grants give medical students opportunities to travel to APA Meetings (Annual Meeting and IPS: The Mental Health Services Conference), receive mentorship from psychiatrists and leaders in the field, and more. Learn More

Travel Scholarship for Medical Students to National Meetings Learn More

American Association for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (AACAP)

AACAP Jeanne Spurlock, MD, Research Fellowship in Substance Abuse and Addiction for Minority Medical Students
Supported by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and AACAP’s Campaign for America’s Kids (CFAK) (award contingent upon funding)
This fellowship provides up to $4,000 for 12 weeks of research training in substance abuse and addiction under a mentor with experience in the type of research that is being proposed, and whose work includes children and adolescent participants. The program also covers travel and four days of lodging for award recipients to attend. Learn more

AACAP Summer Medical Student Fellowship in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
Supported by AACAP’s CFAK
This fellowship provides up to $3,500 for 12 weeks of clinical or research training under a child and adolescent psychiatrist mentor.

Association for Academic Psychiatry

 Medical Student Essay Award
Created to honor outstanding academic promise. Learn more

Association of Women Psychiatrists

 Leah J. Dickstein, M.D., M.A., Medical Student Award
This award was established in the year 1992 to recognize a female medical student who best exemplifies the spirit of creativity, energy, and leadership that Doctor Dickstein herself epitomizes and seeks to foster in others. Learn more

Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry

 Karl Jaspers Award
This award is given for the best paper related to the subject of philosophy and psychiatry sponsored by The Association for the Advancement of Philosophy and Psychiatry (AAPP). Eligibility includes medical students, graduate students in philosophy, psychology and related fields, and residents and fellows in psychiatry. Learn more

Charles DeBattista
debattista@stanford.edu
Director, Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

Matthew Jacobs
jacobsm@stanford.edu
VA Site Director, Medical Student Education in Psychiatry 

Daniel Kim
dsjkim@stanford.edu
SHC Site Director, Medical Student Education in Psychiatry

Quynh Dang
qdang@stanford.edu
Coordinator, Medical Student Education in Psychiatry 

Alan Louie
louiemd@stanford.edu
Director of Education Impact

David Smith
davsmith@stanford.edu
Co-director, Pre-Clerkship Curriculum in Psychiatry

Yasmin Owusu
Co-director, Pre-Clerkship Curriculum in Psychiatry
Assistant Dean, Academic Advising