Eating Disorders

Catalog description

This direct patient care M4 elective takes place at McCallum Place, St. Louis's premier eating disorder treatment center. Students will gain hands-on experience in the assessment and management of eating disorders, including anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa, OSFED, ARFID, and binge eating disorder, as well as comorbid medical and psychiatric conditions.Under the direct supervision of Dr. Lauren Flynn, participants will engage in clinical work in residential and partial hospitalization levels of care—developing skills in clinical decision-making and determining appropriate treatment settings for individual patients. In addition to mastering diagnostic criteria for commonly encountered eating disorders, students will deepen their understanding of associated medical complications and evidence-based management strategies. The elective also introduces students to psychotherapeutic modalities used in eating disorder treatment, with opportunities to observe and discuss their application. Finally, students will explore the role, benefits, and limitations of psychopharmacologic interventions in this patient population.