Introduction to Behavioral Medicine

Catalog description

Behavioral Medicine extends and deepens the understanding of neurological basic science principles provided in Nervous System. The four-week course covers human development as it relates to normal and abnormal intellectual development and psychological well-being, and explores the biopsychosocial model, including the ability to describe and discuss the mechanisms, clinical presentation, and treatment of common psychiatric disorders (e.g., anxiety, mood disorders, substance abuse, psychoses, compulsive disorders, and personality disorders). In conjunction with the Profession of Medicine course, students develop familiarity with the foundations of effective mental status- and psychiatric examinations, as well as psychological and neuropsychological evaluations. The course covers the indications and pharmacological profiles of medications that are commonly used to treat psychiatric disorders, introduces nonpharmacological treatments for psychiatric disorders, and introduces students to the roles and importance of multi-disciplinary teams in neurological and psychiatric rehabilitation. Clinical cases are presented in a team-based learning format to provide reinforcement of basic science concepts as they relate to clinical applications.