Clinical Neurosciences Clerkship (CNC)
MS-3

8 weeks       

Course Director
Jason Rosenstock, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry
rosenstockjb@upmc.edu

Course Director
Galen Mitchell, MD
Associate Professor
Department of Neurology
mitchellgw@upmc.edu

Course Co-Director
Douglas Kondziolka, MD
Professor
Department of Neurological Surgery
kondziolka@upmc.edu

Course Description

The Clinical Neurosciences Clerkship integrates experience in psychiatry, neurology, neurosurgery, neuropathology, and neuroradiology. The clerkship is structured within an 8-week block, with 5 weeks in psychiatry and 3 weeks in neurology. Clinical teaching takes place within inpatient and ambulatory settings.

Students also attend neuropathology workshops, psychiatric emergency–department visits, electroconvulsive-therapy sessions, and an AA/NA meeting. Students have the option of attending neurosurgery operating-room sessions. Integrated teaching sessions consist of psychiatry and neurology core material as supported by evidence-based medicine, involving topics that highlight clinical conditions common to these areas of medicine.  Students also participate in formative standardized patient encounters, to develop higher-level skills in psychiatric assessment and patient management.

Educational Methods

	Inpatient patient–care activities		Ambulatory patient–care activities		Workshops
	Structured readings		Standardized patient encounters		Lectures

Evaluation

The Psychiatry Block and the Neurology Block each contribute 50% to the final grade.

The Psychiatry Block evaluation is based on the following four components: inpatient experience evaluations (50% of the Psychiatry final grade), outpatient and psychiatry emergency–room evaluations (10% of Psychiatry final grade), a performance–based video exam (10% of the Psychiatry final grade), and the National Board of Medical Examiners subject exam score (30% of the Psychiatry final grade).

The Neurology Block evaluation is based on clerkship–preceptor evaluation (2/3 of the Neurology final grade) and the National Board of Medical Examiners subject exam score (1/3 of the Neurology final grade).

Grading: The clerkship is graded Honors, High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, Unsatisfactory.

Faculty Note

Course Director Jason Rosenstock, MD, is a recipient of the Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education and the Kenneth E. Schuit Award. Antoine Douaihy, MD, is a recipient of the Clerkship Preceptor of the Year Award. Charles Reynolds, III, MD, is a recipient of the Donald S. Fraley Award for Medical Student Mentoring. Petronilla Vaulx-Smith, MD, PhD, is a recipient of the Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education. In addition, Dr. Rosenstock, Dr. Vaulx-Smith, and Jules Rosen, MD, are members of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Academy of Master Educators.