Since our founding in 1923, our department has always been dedicated to the education of our medical students. We recognize that, no matter what specialty you ultimately enter, most of you will practice psychiatry one way or another. Our core psychiatry curriculum will provide you with the clinical understanding and tools for this reality. Our electives will give you the opportunity to hone your psychiatry skills and explore a variety of research and clinical issues. Psychiatry grows each year in the effective treatments that it offers patients, while it retains its essential interest in the individuality of their lives. You will become part of both the growth and the tradition of education in our field. We look forward to working with you.
Mind and Behavior (IDPT 5024) introduces the interplay between the biological, developmental, environmental, and psychological processes underlying human behavior, cognition, and emotions. Through active learning, a medical student is prepared to participate in the care of persons experiencing mental illness, to seek transformative knowledge in the neurosciences, and to advance health equity.
Course Director: Abraham Nussbaum, MD
Psychiatric Care Block (IDPT 7040)
After completing Basic Psychiatry in Phases I and II, students complete a 4 week Psychiatric Care Block in Phase III. We offer a diversity of experiences and a number of rotation sites, including Denver Health Medical Center, the Veterans Administration Medical Center, and Children’s Hospital Colorado. Students can select to work with children, adolescents, adults, and elderly patients on inpatient, outpatient and emergency settings. During this block, students also attend four weekly Reflective Writing small groups, providing a structured approach to help students to consider and grow from challenging clinical experiences. Students also attend four Wednesday afternoon Chief Rounds, which provide didactics on a broad range of clinically-relevant topic areas. Please click the associated links below to see a list of our rotation sites and the course syllabus.
In Phase IV, students can choose to pursue additional training in specialty or advanced care topics in Psychiatry. For those interested in pursuing Psychiatry as a career, we recommend completing either Advanced Adult Inpatient Psychiatry or Advanced Child & Adolescent Inpatient Psychiatry. Other rotations focus on a broad range of subspecialty areas such as addiction, Psychiatric emergencies, forensics, and eating disorders. Students may also choose to conduct research under the supervision of a faculty mentor (Research in Psychiatry). Please use the link below to see a list our phase IV courses.
Medical Student Education
13001 East 17th Place
Fitzsimons Building, Level 2
Aurora, CO 80045
Fax: (303) 724-7400
Sharon Campbell
Program Coordinator
Phone: (303) 724-7400
Email: Sharon Campbell
Tiffany Hamilton
Program Coordinator
Phone: (303) 724-7401
Email: Tiffany Hamilton
Joseph Sakai, MD
Director of Medical Student Education
Phone: (303) 724-7402
Email: Joseph Sakai