The purpose of this clinical rotation is to provide the physician assistant student with practical exposure to psychiatric patients in the inpatient, outpatient and emergency room setting, with an emphasis on the recognition, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric illness. It is designed to augment, strengthen and refine the student’s knowledge and skills learned in the didactic phase . This clinical rotation allows students to actively participate in the care of patients with chronic and acute psychiatric conditions, and function as an integral member of the health care team while under the direct supervision of attending physicians, housestaff physicians and physician assistants. The student will be responsible for performing directed history and physical examinations, diagnostic procedures and medical, and psychiatric management (under supervision) of patients. This is a two-week clinical rotation with 80 contact hours. The other two weeks will be spent on a Geriatric clinical rotation. 50% of the examination will be based on the Psychiatry Objectives. The remaining 50% will be based on the Geriatrics Objectives. (1.5 credits) Beginning with the Class of 2015: This is a four-week clinical rotation with 160 contact hours. (3.0 credits)