This elective is for the BU medical student to actively engage in and learn more about emergency psychiatric care and crisis intervention. Students will improve their understanding of the mental health system and resources for patients who are experiencing psychiatric emergencies and crises. This elective provides an opportunity for the student to clinically manage patients presenting for acute psychiatric care and to experience some of the changes that are being made to the field of community crisis intervention to improve health equity in accessing high-quality psychiatric care. Students will learn about the range of services and resources that are available to support the acute psychiatric needs of patients, from the level of the Emergency Department to community focused interventions, with a particular focus on services for patients experiencing significant psychosocial stressors and health inequities. This elective takes place in the Emergency Department at Boston Medical Center and associated community crises centers. Students will work approximately three 10-hour shifts a week in the Psychiatric Emergency Department and two 8-hour shifts in associated community sites, all under the supervision of psychiatry attendings. In addition, students will work closely with psychiatry residents and social work staff. Students will have opportunities to interview patients, obtain collateral information, participate in disposition determinations, complete safety assessments, develop treatment plans, and write notes for the patients they treat in the Emergency Department and crisis intervention settings. Teaching will occur on a case-by-case basis. By the end of the rotation, students will have developed skills in managing acute agitation, utilizing verbal de-escalation techniques for patients in crisis, conducting in-depth suicide assessments, assessing patients with altered mental status, recognizing and treating emergent psychiatric conditions, and assessing psychiatric disposition needs. In addition to the three days per week managing patients in the Psychiatric Emergency Department, students will have the opportunity to spend two days each week working in select associated psychiatric crisis settings. Students will be able to select among sites including, the BMC Community Behavioral Health Center (CBHC), the Community Crisis Stabilization (CCS) unit at the Solomon Carter Fuller Building, Faster Paths, the ED Addiction Service, the Addiction Psychiatry Treatment Program (APTP), the Mobile Crisis Team, the Mental Health Court team, the Wellness and Recovery After Psychosis (WRAP) Program, and the Multi Visit Patient Program (MVPP). This elective will allow students to gain a better understanding of the full continuum of care and understanding of alternative levels of care for acute psychiatric crises.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.