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Education Opportunities

For Medical Students:

First Episode Psychosis Clinic (FEC) Elective – This is a 4-week elective at the First Episode Clinic for medical students. The FEC provides services to individuals following an initial episode of psychosis. As part of the elective, students will have the opportunity to:

  • Participate in ongoing evaluation and treatment of existing patients, including making differential diagnoses of psychotic disorders.
  • Provide presentations and network with local inpatient units to recruit patients into the FEC.
  • Participate in diagnostic evaluations both offsite and at MPRC.
  • Perform preliminary intake evaluations.
  • Provide case presentations supporting definitive diagnoses.
  • Participate in motor evaluations for patients referred to our Motor Disorders Clinic (MDC), which provides patients with consultation on antipsychotic-induced movement disorders.

Ultimately, students will become familiar with the key treatment issues for this population. They will also become familiar with the process of presenting brief clinical summary (curbside) presentations to SRD physicians, which includes presenting key differentials and treatment plan outlines. Students will attend journal clubs and research seminars presented by faculty and visiting scientists, as well.

For Psychiatry Residents:

First Episode Clinic (FEC) Elective – This is a 3 to 6 month long PGY-IV FEC Elective for psychiatry residents. The FEC provides services to individuals following an initial episode of psychosis. FEC patients are seen weekly by therapists and bi-weekly by psychiatrists in the context of obtaining a longitudinal treatment-driven assessment that would be used in a consensus diagnosis at 3 or 6-month time points. As part of the elective, residents will do the following:

  • Screen and evaluate referrals that have undergone a putative first onset of psychosis or are experiencing psychotic symptoms.
  • Work with FEC patients in the clinic on clinic days (once a week).
  • Assume responsibility for medication management with supervision from SRD Attendings.
  • Participate in best estimate (consensus) diagnosis where diagnosis is confirmed and long-term treatment plans made.
  • Refer new onset psychosis patients that rule out for schizophrenia spectrum disorders or a bipolar disorder with psychotic features to appropriate community mental health centers or clinicians.
  • Participate in presentations on the FEC at community mental health centers and crisis/ER.

Residents will need to be able available for one full day and 2 half days for the duration of the elective.

For UMB Graduate Students:

Joint MPRC Neurogenetics Lab/Program in Genetics and Genomic Medicine: Research Laboratory Elective Rotation – This is a research laboratory elective rotation for graduate students (Masters or PhD level). The goal of the elective is to familiarize students with genetic studies in schizophrenia related disorders. Students will be introduced to the endophenotype approach to uncovering the effects of genetic markers of liability in schizophrenia. Students will rotate through an electrophysiological lab (e.g., oculomotor lab, prepulse inhibition of startle reflex (PPI), or P50 sensory gating labs). Students will also spend some time in the genetics lab to perform DNA isolation, genotyping and gene expression on various technological platforms. Interested students are encouraged to choose a subproject that they could develop into a thesis or dissertation project. The program combines individual mentored basic and clinical research with educational experiences. General educational activities include MPRC’s internal course on schizophrenia, journal clubs, meetings with invited outside senior researchers, grant writing workshops, and individualized career development.

Interested students should contact the director, for more information.