/ Department of Physician Assistant Studies
Learning. Caring. Serving. Leading.
PAS 642 Behavioral Medicine
1.5Semester Hours

Course Description:The BehavioralMedicine rotation is designed to give students practical experience in the diagnosis and management of psychiatric patients in the clinical setting. Students will work to hone their ability to recognize psychiatric diagnoses in both the outpatient and inpatient settings with the goal of applying their knowledge and skills to the many other disciplines of medicine and clinical practice.

Course Goals:

  1. To apply the medical content and principles of behavioral medicine to the care of patients.
  2. To provide opportunities for each student to develop the core PA competencies in a supervised behavioral health setting.
  3. To expose each student to an experienced and competent medical provider role model for the care of psychiatric patients.

Course Director: / Office / Phone / E-mail
Diane Duffy, MD / FC 205 / 336-278-6848 /
Tracey Tonsor, PA-C / FC 207 / 336-278-6852 /

Learning Outcomes:

Upon completion of this course the clinical phase PA students will:

  1. Obtain and document an appropriate history relevant to the behavioral health, utilizing all available information sources, e.g. patient, family, community. (MK, IC, PC; B1.02, B1.03, B2.04, B2.05, B2.06)
  2. Perform and document appropriate physical examinations for the behavioral medicine patients. (MK, PC; B1.03, B2.07, B2.08)
  3. List and describe the common diagnosesin behavioral medicine. Demonstrate understanding of epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management including cognitive therapies/counseling strategies in addition to pharmacotherapeutics. (MK, IC; B1.03, B1.07, B2.04, B2.05, B2.07, B2.08, B2.09, B2.10)
  4. Interpret diagnostic tests, including screening questionnaires, laboratory results and imaging studies. (MK; B1.02, B1.03, B1.07, B2.05, B2.07, B2.08)
  5. Generate and implement an appropriate management plan, including treatment, follow-up plans, patient education and counseling. (MK, IC, PC; B1.07, B2.04, B2.05, B2.09)
  6. Discuss the appropriate use of medication related to such issues as: dosage, indications, contraindications, interactions, complications, metabolism, excretion, and mutagenicity. (MK, PC; B1.03, B1.07)
  7. Properly perform/assist and document any procedures under the supervision of the preceptor. (IC, PC; B1.02, B1.03, B2.04, B2.05, B2.07)

Teaching Methodologies: The content of this module will be presented through a variety of methods that include observation and participation at the clinical site, independent reading and participation in online activities developed to guide experiential learning.

Accommodations: Students requiring academic accommodations must follow the “Academic Support” policy in the Elon University DPAS Student Handbook.

Academic Honesty: All Elon PA students acknowledged their commitment to abide by the Elon Honor Code by signing the Honor Pledge during orientation. Students will sign an Honor Pledge (electronically or manually) each time an assignment is turned in or an examination is started to reaffirm their complete understanding of the Honor Code of Elon University and their affirmation that their work abides by that Code.(B1.05)

Required Textbooks:

  1. All first year required textbooks
  2. Specific additional textbooks and resources to be determined through collaboration between the student and course directors based on elective discipline.
  3. Ebert, Michael, Loosen, Peter, Nurcombe, Barry, Leckman, James. Current Diagnosis & Treatment Psychiatry (current edition). McGraw-Hill/Lange

Other Resources:

  1. *Moodle: Please check the course site frequently for new announcements, updated schedules, assignments and other course communication.
  2. Practicing physician assistants, physicians, allied health care providers and laboratory teaching aids.

Assessment Activities:

Multiple Choice Behavioral Medicine Exam(25%), Preceptor Evaluation (65%), Professionalism (10%).

Grade Scale and Grade Points:

Percentage / Letter Grade / Grade points
89.50-100
85.50-89.49
79.50-85.49
75.50-79.49
69.50-75.49
Below 69.50 / A
B+
B
C+
C
U / 4.0
3.3
3.0
2.3
2.0
0

There is no rounding of grades.

Note: For further information regarding academic standing in the Department of Physician Assistant Studies, please see the Student Handbook.

Grading Criteria:

  1. Demonstrate acquisition of a strong medical science knowledge base as demonstrated on the End of Rotation exam.
  2. Demonstrate satisfactory self-directed learning skills, clinical reasoning skills, interpersonal communication, a commitment to patient-centered care, professionalism and practice-based learning as evidenced by satisfactory performance on the preceptor evaluation.
  3. Demonstrate a commitment to learning and professionalism by actively participating in all clinical activities and exceeding the professional behavior standards and minimum requirements for clinical rotations available in the Elon PA Student Handbook.

Instructional Objectives:

Behavioral Medicine Objectives:

  1. History
  2. Elicit a history and medical review of symptoms that may present as psychiatric disease
  3. Develop a risk factors profile
  4. Develop skills that will enable recognition of normal and deviation from normal
  5. Evaluate suicidal risk
  1. Perform and interpret the results of a complete mental status examination including:
  2. Appearance and behavior
  3. Thought process and perceptions
  4. Coherency and relevance
  5. Thought content
  6. Perception
  7. Cognitive factors
  8. Orientation
  9. Attention and concentration
  10. Memory
  11. Information and vocabulary
  12. Abstract reasoning
  13. Judgment
  14. Perception and coordination
  15. Discuss the normative and expected behaviors in children and be able to recognize abnormal behavior and counsel parents.
  16. Describe the features of common mental health problems in adolescence, including school failure, attention deficit, disordered body image, eating disorders, depression and suicide.
  17. Describe an approach to counseling an adolescent regarding sexual activity, substance abuse, and personal safety.
  18. Interview an adolescent patient, using the HEADSS method, to ask sensitive questions about lifestyle choices that affect health and safety (e.g. sexuality, drug, tobacco and alcohol use) and give appropriate counseling.
  19. Discuss the characteristics of early, mid and late adolescence in the terms of cognitive and psychosocial development.
  20. Describe and discuss the assessment and management of psychiatric emergencies (e.g. suicide, acute psychosis, drug overdose, violent behavior).
  21. Discuss conflicting ethical principles related to the care of the psychiatric/geriatric patient.
  22. Discuss the legal process and implications of committing a patient to a psychiatric hospital/long-term care facility.
  23. Describe and discuss public health issues related to psychiatry/geriatrics, such as:
  24. Epidemiology of mental health problems
  25. Mental health problems of the homeless
  26. Access to care
  27. Rural vs. urban location
  28. Cultural influences
  29. Socioeconomic environment
  30. Risk-taking behaviors (e.g. substance abuse, seatbelt and helmet use)
  31. Spouse/child/elder abuse
  32. Epidemiology of adolescent suicide
  33. Geriatric considerations and aging of the population
  34. Discuss the appropriate use of medications in the psychiatric/geriatric patient related to such issues as dosage, indications, contraindications, interactions, complications, metabolism and excretion.
  35. Describe the following common psychiatric/geriatric problems, including pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment and follow-up:

TOPIC LIST
Mood Disorders / Schizophrenia and / Substance Abuse Related
Major depressive disorder / Psychotic Disorders / Disorders
Bipolar disorder / Schizophrenia / Alcohol Abuse/dependence
Cyclothymia/dysthymia / Delusional disorder / Drug abuse/dependence
Adjustment disorder / Schizoaffective disorder / Tobacco Abuse/Dependence
Anxiety Disorders / Schizophreniform disorder / Attention Deficit Disorder and
Generalized anxiety disorder / Paraphilias and Sexual Dysfunction / Disruptive Behavior
Panic disorder / Hypoactive sexual desire disorder / Disorders
Post-traumatic stress / Sexual aversion disorder / Attention deficit hyperactivity
Disorder / Exhibitionism / Disorder
Phobic disorders / Fetishism / Conduct disorder
Personality Disorders / Pedophilia / Oppositional defiant disorder
Antisocial / Sexual masochism / Somatoform/Fictitious
Avoidant / Voyeurism / Disorders
Borderline / Eating Disorders / Somatization disorder
Dependent / Anorexia nervosa / Hypochondriasis
Histrionic/Narcissistic / Bulimia nervosa / Body dysmorphic disorder
Obsessive compulsive / Factitious disorder
Paranoid / Malingering
Schizoid

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