Psychiatry Clerkship and the COVID-19 Pandemic: Lessons Learned at Penn State College of Medicine

Objectives: To present experiences with an alternative psychiatry clerkship curriculum during the pandemic and potential initiatives for medical education in the future. Methods: The psychiatry clerkship curriculum at Penn State College of Medicine was revised from a block rotation to a longitudinal integrated model in 2020 in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Educational activities were separated into indirect patient care and direct patient care experience. Outcomes were measured via end of course evaluations and compared to the data from the previous year. Results: The percentage of students who “agreed” or “strongly agreed” with “faculty/preceptors provided effective teaching” was 96% (N = 98) compared to 97% (N = 95) in the previous year, and the percentage who “agreed/strongly agreed” with “the feedback I received from attendings/ residents helped me improve my patient care skills during the rotation” was 95% (N = 97) compared to 98% (N = 95) previously. The percentage of students who “agreed/strongly agreed” with “I was able to establish a meaningful relationship with at least 1 preceptor/ attending during this rotation” was 94% (N = 98) compared to 97% (N = 95) previously, and the percentage who “agreed/strongly agreed” with “I was able to play a significant role in patient care during this rotation” was 88% (N = 98) compared to 91% (N = 94) previously. Also, 90% of students (N = 98) versus 93% (N = 95) from the year prior rated the quality of their educational experience during the clerkship as “4” or “5” on a Likert scale. Discussion: The pandemic disrupted traditional undergraduate medical education and required adaptations to the clerkship curriculum to provide meaningful learning experiences. Integration of virtual patient care and telehealth services into medical education will serve to develop well-rounded physicians prepared for the future of health care.