Key points
- Year 4 psychiatry is the Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health, with two lecture units: MBPS 4537 (I) and MBPS 4539 (II), each 26 hours and 2 credits.
- Unit I builds the foundations: psychopathology, psychopharmacology, psychiatric disorders, psychological therapies and psychiatric emergencies.
- Unit II is about clinical skills: history, mental state examination, formulation, investigations and managing acute mental illness.
- Assessment: continuous assessment 30%, logbook 10%, end-of-clerkship examination 60% (MCQ and SAQ, plus OSCE and viva).
- Prerequisite: successful completion of Year 1, 2 and 3 MBChB.
From the Psychiatry and Mental Health MBChB Curriculum, Mount Kenya University School of Medicine. The weekly teaching plan is in the Year 4 Psychiatry course outline.
Units and credits
| Unit code | Unit title | Credits | Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| MBPS 4537 | Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health I | 2 | 26 |
| MBPS 4539 | Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health II | 2 | 26 |
| MBPS 4513 | Clinical rotation for junior clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health I | 2 | 26 |
| MBPS 4535 | Clinical rotation for junior clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health II | 2 | 26 |
| MBPS 4537 | Clinical rotation for junior clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health III | 2 | 26 |
| MBPS 4538 | Clinical rotation for junior clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health IV | 2 | 26 |
The curriculum lists the two lecture units in trimester I, the first two clinical rotations in trimester II and the last two in trimester III.
MBPS 4537: Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health I
Purpose: to equip learners with foundational knowledge and skills to understand the psychopathology of common psychiatric disorders.
Expected learning outcomes
- Understand the psychopathology of common mental disorders.
- Understand psychopharmacology in psychiatry.
- Formulate a diagnosis by exploring differential diagnoses of common mental illnesses.
- Become familiar with the medical treatment commonly prescribed to psychiatric patients.
- Apply research principles in mental health.
- Explain the principles of psychopharmacology and non-pharmacological interventions.
- Show awareness of the cultural, social and legal aspects of mental health in Kenya.
- Appreciate the importance of mental health promotion, stigma reduction and community psychiatry.
Course outline
| Topic | What it covers |
|---|---|
| Introduction to psychopathology | Phenomenology and classification; theoretical models; normal and abnormal thoughts; signs versus symptoms versus syndrome; causes, prognosis and comorbidity; disorders of thought, perception, mood and affect, psychomotor behaviour, speech, memory and cognition; DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 |
| Introduction to psychopharmacology | Pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; neurotransmitters and dopamine pathways; antidepressants, anxiolytics and hypnotics, antipsychotics, mood stabilisers, ADHD medication; special populations; adherence and polypharmacy |
| Psychiatric disorders | Schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders; catatonia; bipolar and related disorders |
| Psychological therapies and non-pharmacological interventions | Supportive therapy, psychoeducation, CBT, behaviour therapy, IPT, psychodynamic, family and group therapy, motivational interviewing, mindfulness, relaxation, occupational therapy, community and cultural approaches |
| Psychiatric emergencies | Suicidal behaviour, violence, acute psychosis and mania, severe depression, delirium, substance-related emergencies, agitation, catatonia, special populations and other crises |
MBPS 4539: Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health II
Purpose: to equip students with knowledge, skills and attitudes in diagnosing common psychiatric disorders.
Expected learning outcomes
- Recognise psychiatric emergencies and start first-line management.
- Take a patient history, especially the chief complaints and history of presenting illness.
- Diagnose common mental illnesses such as major depressive disorder and schizophrenia.
- Perform the mental state examination.
- Order basic laboratory and imaging investigations.
- Formulate a diagnosis by exploring differential diagnoses.
- Apply the principles and practice of mental health in managing patients.
- Conduct an interview and a comprehensive physical examination in a way that builds a therapeutic alliance.
- Take part in managing common mental health disorders.
- Take part in common procedures in mental health.
- Use preventive and rehabilitative measures and carry out health promotion in mental health.
Clinical processes
- Take a history from patients, relatives and other relevant sources, with corroborating information.
- Do a physical and mental state examination, and distinguish psychosis from delirium.
- Formulate a diagnosis using the biopsychosocial model and make a management plan.
- Record findings and present cases.
Routine investigations
- Routine tests to confirm or rule out medical conditions, prescribed medicines or illicit drug use as causes of psychiatric conditions: complete blood count, urine toxicology, kidney and liver function, thyroid function and autoimmune tests.
- Imaging and procedures: CT scan, MRI, EEG and ECG.
Managing acute mental illness
Apply the best evidence, stabilise the mental state, then make a comprehensive management plan. Consult and refer where necessary, use drug and psychotherapy options, and give psychoeducation to the patient and the family support system.
Clinical rotation components
Psychiatric history taking, mental status examination, formulation and management planning; screening tools such as PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MINI; crisis intervention and emergency protocols; communication with patients and families; documentation and case presentation; multidisciplinary team meetings; inpatient, outpatient, emergency and community settings; mental health promotion; ethical and legal considerations; reflective practice with a logbook; and cultural competence.
Teaching and assessment
| Details | |
|---|---|
| Teaching methods | Lectures, seminars, clinicopathological conferences, bedside teaching, simulated patients, grand rounds, emergency calls, tutorials, group discussions, e-learning, ward rounds and self-directed learning |
| Practicals | Clinical rotations, skills lab (percussion, palpation, auscultation) and the mental state examination |
| What to bring | Stethoscope, torch, patella hammer and other examination tools |
| Continuous assessment (30%) | Written tests, assignments, clinical assessment, long cases and vivas |
| Logbook (10%) | A log of procedures performed, assisted in and observed, showing the competencies achieved |
| End-of-clerkship examination (60%) | MCQ and short answer questions, plus clinical skills assessed with OSCEs and vivas |
Reading list
Core texts
- American Psychiatric Association. DSM-5-TR. 2023.
- Kaplan and Sadock's Synopsis of Psychiatry: Behavioural Sciences and Clinical Psychiatry. 2021.
- Schatzberg's Manual of Clinical Psychopharmacology, 10th edition. 2024.
- Semple D, Smyth R. Oxford Handbook of Psychiatry, 4th edition. Oxford University Press; 2019.
- Tasman's Psychiatry, 5th edition. Springer Nature; 2024.
- Ndetei DM, Othieno CJ, Sebit MB, Kilonzo G, Owiti FR. The African Textbook of Clinical Psychiatry and Mental Health. AMREF, Nairobi; 2006.
- Opondo PR. An Introduction to Psychiatry in Africa. Nuria Kenya.
- AFRIMEB publications, including Contemporary Psychiatry in Africa and Your A-Z in Mental Health.
Kenyan guidelines
- Ministry of Health. National Clinical Guidelines for Management of Common Mental Disorders. 2025.
- Ministry of Health. The National Protocol for Treatment of Substance Use Disorders in Kenya. 2017.
Online resources: American Psychiatric Association, Royal College of Psychiatrists, NIMH, WHO, CDC, Medscape, UpToDate, Google Scholar, African Journals Online and Psychiatry Online.
Practice questions
1. How many credit hours is each Year 4 psychiatry lecture unit? Each is 2 credits and 26 hours.
2. What are the unit codes of the two Year 4 lecture units? MBPS 4537 (Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health I) and MBPS 4539 (Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health II).
3. How is the clerkship assessed? Continuous assessment tests 30%, logbook 10% and the end-of-clerkship examination 60%.
4. Which screening tools does the rotation name? PHQ-9, GAD-7 and MINI.
5. Which routine tests may be ordered to look for medical causes of a psychiatric presentation? Complete blood count, urine toxicology, kidney and liver function tests, thyroid function tests and autoimmune tests, with imaging such as CT scan, MRI, EEG and ECG where needed.
References
- Mount Kenya University, School of Medicine. Psychiatry and Mental Health MBChB Curriculum (Year 4: MBPS 4500 Junior Clerkship in Psychiatry and Mental Health).