Department of Psychiatry

Office of Medical Student Education

Elective Courses in Psychiatry

Students interested in pursuing psychiatry should take a one-month subinternship early in the fourth year in order to become more familiar with Psychiatry. If the student is then certain of the commitment to specialize in Psychiatry, no additional Psychiatry electives should be taken. The student should obtain subinternship experiences in other medical specialties: i.e., Internal Medicine, Peds, Family Medicine, etc. All students interested in a career in Psychiatry should contact Alexis Geise, M.D., Director of Residency Training in Psychiatry or Michael Weissberg, M.D., Clerkship Director and Course Director, Human Behavior Course.

First and Second Year Electives
Fourth Year Electives

1st and 2nd Year Elective Courses

PSCH 6626 Introduction to Emergency Psychiatry
Students will meet in the first seminar to learn the principles of emergency psychiatry, with particular focus on the evaluation of suicidality and spousal violence. Students will then evaluate and write up a patient with a faculty member or psychiatry resident. Students will meet again after everyone has had their clinical experience, to discuss their findings. Scheduled at the students’ convenience. Spring 3-12 students. Course Director, Michael Weissberg, M.D.; Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

PSCH 6629 Hypnosis for Primary Care
Medical hypnosis has a wide application in primary care settings, but more primary care practitioners are unfamiliar with its use. Therefore, this course will teach students the basics of trance induction and its application for pain control, insomnia and relaxation. Two hours per week for three weeks. Winter min 4 students (no maximum). Course Director, Stephen Allen, M.D.; Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

PSCH 6620 Psychiatry in Great Literature
Writers of tales, drama, poetry and novels were the first thinkers to understand the “whole man” by taking into account his unconscious. In this course we will attempt to illustrate the workings of the unconscious, as reflected in normal development and personality formation, symbolization, fantasy, and psychopathology, using the characters and texts from the world’s great literature. To understand man, it is necessary to understand creativity as well as pathological conditions. We will read one literary work per month. No exams, no papers; just thinking. Once per month, Tuesdays, 7-9 p.m., dates to be determined. Fall, Winter, Spring max 15 students. Course Director, Robert Davies, M.D.; Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

4th Year Elective Courses

Prerequisite: Psch 7000

PSCH 8000 Subinternship in Psychiatry 4-6 wks Max: 4
This elective is an opportunity to have direct patient care responsibility in psychiatry. Students select a primary focus from various areas of psychiatry such as adult inpatient, child outpatient, emergency room, inpatient consultation at University Hospital, VA, and community psychiatry. Students receive supervision and participate in rounds and teaching conferences. Each student has a clinical advisor who meets weekly to provide additional supervision. Clinical work is stressed rather than didactic conferences. Students are to contact Carole Evans, Course Coordinator two weeks prior to beginning the course to arrange hospital site. Course Director, Michael Weissberg, M.D.; Associate Course Director, Robert Davies, M.D. Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

PSCH 8001 The “Big Six” Substance Dependence Problems 2-4 wks Max: 2
Students learn approaches to 6 common substance problems for primary care doctors. They are the (1) help-seeking substance-involved patient, (2) the help-refusing substance-involved adult, (3) the management of addiction in patients with pain disorders, (4) management of substanceinvolved adolescents, (5) approaches to nicotine dependence in patients with tobacco-induced medical illness, and (6) dealing with substance-involved medical colleagues. Students work in several different substance treatment programs, have numerous tutorial sessions with various substance experts, and review assigned readings. Students write a brief paper on the 6 clinical problems. Course Director, Thomas J. Crowley, M.D. Course Coordinator, Elisa Upwood, ext. 303-315-0162.

PSCH 8100 Course Work Away In Denver 2-8 wks
Department approval must be obtained. All arrangements must be made one quarter in advance. Students are required to discuss their course evaluations with their individual instructor and ensure that the written evaluation is mailed to Dr. Weissberg, c/o Carole Evans, Mail Stop C-254. Dr. Weissberg will assign the final grade. Course Director, Michael Weissberg, M.D.; Associate Course Director, Robert Davies, M.D. Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

PSCH 8200 Course Work Away In Colorado 2-8 wks
Course description and requirements same as PSCH 8100.

PSCH 8300 Course Work Away Outside Colorado 4-8 wks
Course description same as PSCH 8100.

PSCH 8400 Course Work Away Outside U.S. 4-8 wks
Course description same as PSCH 8100. The student must receive prior approval from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Planning consultation is available through the Medical Student International Program.

PSCH 8600 Research in Psychiatry 2-12 wks Max: 3
Research electives in various areas of Psychiatry including child and infant. Course Director, Michael Weissberg, M.D.; Associate Course Director, Robert Davies, M.D. Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411. The student must receive prior approval from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

PSCH 8610 Research in Drug and Alcohol Abuse 2-12 wks Max: 2
Dr. Crowley and the faculty of the Division of Substance Dependence are continually engaged in research on problems of drug dependence. Areas of their recent interests include description and mechanisms of the development of adolescent drug dependence, genetics of early-onset drug dependence, role of conduct disorder and attention deficit hyper-activity disorder in development of drug dependence, role of abuse and neglect experiences in drug dependence, methods to stop the spread of HIV among addicts, and examination of new medications for treatment of drug dependence. Based on students’ interests and current opportunity, participants will work in one of these areas. Literature reviews, data collection, analysis, and writing of scientific papers are all emphasized. Course Director, Thomas J. Crowley, M.D. Course Coordinator, Elisa Jones, 303-315-0162.

PSCH 8630 Research in Psychiatry Outside Colorado 4-12 wks
Departmental approval must be obtained and all arrangements made one quarter in advance. The student must also receive approval from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Course Director, Michael Weissberg, M.D.; Associate Course Director, Robert Davies, M.D. Course Coordinator, Carole Evans, 303-315-8411.

PSCH 8640 Research in Psychiatry Outside U.S. 4-12 wks
Course description and requirements same as PSCH 8630.