Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Incorporating new neuroscience findings relevant to psychiatry into the medical school curriculum is challenging, especially at the level of clinical learning. In this pilot project, third-year medical student volunteers in their required 8-week clerkship participated in an e-mail-based experience relating contemporary neuroscience to psychiatry.

METHODS:

A faculty preceptor guided participants using one of the participants' patient work-ups as a platform to explore questions related to the neurosciences. Participants were surveyed for follow up.

RESULTS:

Eleven of 13 eligible students agreed to participate in the study during one academic year. Data is qualitative, consisting of the responses of the students and the formulations and feedback of the preceptor as the project proceeded.

CONCLUSION:

Participants were successful in identifying symptom complexes in the sample history and in exploring their questions in the literature and with one another. The protocol is well-suited to distance learning, is relevant to psychiatric education, and is flexible in its application.