Medical Students

The UTHealth Houston Center for Interventional Psychiatry provides medical students with structured exposure to advanced psychiatric care, treatment-resistant mood disorders, and interventional treatment modalities within an academic medical center. Educational experiences are designed to support students at different stages of training and to foster interest in psychiatry, neuroscience, and academic medicine.

Medical student involvement emphasizes foundational learning, clinical observation, and mentorship, with appropriate supervision and scope of participation.

Core Educational Exposure (MS3 Requirement)

As part of the required psychiatry clerkship, all third-year medical students (MS3) spend at least one hour observing Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT). This structured exposure is designed to:

  • Demystify ECT through direct clinical observation
  • Provide firsthand understanding of modern ECT practice
  • Reinforce the role of ECT as a safe, evidence-based treatment for severe psychiatric illness
  • Introduce principles of interventional psychiatry early in medical training

ECT observation takes place within the UTHealth Houston ECT service, under faculty supervision, and includes opportunities for discussion and questions.

Additional Educational Opportunities

Beyond the required MS3 exposure, medical students may engage with the Center through:

  • Clinical electives or selective rotations, when available
  • Observation in outpatient interventional psychiatry clinics
  • Exposure to inpatient psychiatric care at the John S. Dunn Behavioral Sciences Center
  • Participation in case discussions, conferences, and educational activities

Opportunities vary based on year of training, institutional requirements, and availability.

Learning Objectives

Medical student education at the Center focuses on:

  • Understanding severe and treatment-resistant psychiatric illness
  • Introduction to interventional psychiatry, including:
    • Electroconvulsive Therapy (ECT)
    • Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS)
    • Ketamine-based therapies
  • Principles of psychiatric assessment, safety, and risk evaluation
  • The role of multidisciplinary care in complex psychiatric treatment
  • Exposure to measurement-based and evidence-informed clinical practice

Mentorship and Career Exploration

Medical students have opportunities to:

  • Learn from faculty specializing in interventional psychiatry and mood disorders
  • Explore career pathways in psychiatry, academic medicine, and research
  • Engage in scholarly or quality improvement projects when appropriate
  • Receive guidance on residency preparation and career development

Integration With Education Mission

Medical student education is integrated with the Center’s broader missions in clinical care, research, and training. Experiences are designed to:

  • Enhance understanding of contemporary psychiatric practice
  • Highlight innovation in the treatment of complex mental illness
  • Encourage thoughtful, compassionate, and evidence-based care

Through these educational experiences, the Center aims to prepare future physicians with a strong foundation in modern psychiatry and exposure to life-saving interventional treatments.