Desired Clinical Skills for Students to Achieve

Confident (Can complete independently)

Mostly confident (Can complete with supervision)

Beginning (Have performed with supervision or need supervision to feel confident)

New (Have never performed or does not apply)

Comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills in: 

Recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric illness across the lifespan

Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions 

Performing and interpreting a comprehensive and/or interval history and physical examination (including laboratory and diagnostic studies) 

Performing and interpreting a mental status examination 

Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history 

Performing and interpreting a functional assessment (activities of daily living, occupational, social, leisure, educational).

Diagnostic reasoning skill in:

Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list

Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5 based on assessment data 

Differentiating between normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms/changes

Pharmacotherapeutic skills in:

Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for medication plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, finances, the process of informed consent, symptom management)

Evaluating patient response and modify plan as necessary 

Documenting (e.g., adverse reaction, the patient response, changes to the plan of care)

Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:

Recognizes concepts of therapeutic modalities across the lifespan

Selecting appropriate evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for psychotherapeutic plan (e.g., risk/benefit, patient preference, developmental considerations, financial, the process of informed consent, symptom management, modality appropriate for situation)

Applies age-appropriate psychotherapeutic counseling techniques with individuals, families, and/or groups

Develop an age-appropriate individualized plan of care

Provide psychoeducation to individuals, family, and/or groups

Promote health and disease prevention techniques

Self-Assessment skills:

Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences 

Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary 

Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences

Professional skills:

Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff

Collaborate with multi-disciplinary teams to improve clinical practice in mental health settings 

Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions

Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy

Practices within scope of practice

Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s), interpreting results, and making recommendations and referrals:

Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation 

Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients

Interprets results for screening instruments accurately

Develops an appropriate plan of care based upon screening instruments response

Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable

Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable

I have confidence in self-assessment and goal development. In addition, I am confident in comprehensive psychiatric evaluation skills, psychotherapeutic treatment planning, and in self-assessment skills.

I need to improve my diagnostic reasoning skills and pharmacotherapeutic skills, which require supervision. In addition, I need further development in my professional abilities and in selecting and implementing the proper diagnostic instrument.

1. Goal: Improve diagnostic reasoning skills by the end of the practicum

a. Objective: Come up with and prioritize a minimum of three differential diagnoses lists based on evaluation information, with less need for supervision.

b. Objective: Accurately formulate at least two psychiatric diagnoses according to DSM-5 guidelines, with less supervision.

c. Objective: Increase “confidence in normal and abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms differentiation.”

2. Goal: Enhance pharmacotherapeutic skills by the end of the practicum

a. Objective: Progress towards selecting proper evidence-based clinical practice guidelines for medications with less supervision, considering the consequences, patients’ preference, and development factors.

b. Objective: Gain more independence in the evaluation of patient responses and in modification of medication plans as appropriate.

c. Objective: Improve documentation of medication-related information, including adverse reactions and plan of care changes, with fewer errors and supervision.

3. Goal: Strengthen screening and referral skills by the end of the practicum

a. Objective: Become more proficient in the independent selection of the proper diagnosis tool appropriate for clinical situations.

b. Objective: Increase efficiency and effectiveness in implementing screening tools with clients.

c. Objective: “Develop the skills to identify the need for referrals to specialty providers when applicable and accurately document recommendations for psychiatric consultations with decreasing supervision.”

4. Goal: Enhance professional skills and ethical practices by the end of the practicum

a. Objective: Maintain professional boundaries and therapeutic relationships with clients and staff independently, consistently demonstrating professionalism.

b. Objective: Collaborate effectively and proactively with multi-disciplinary teams in various clinical practice situations, actively contributing to improvements in mental health care.

c. Objective: Demonstrate a deep understanding of ethical principles and legal guidelines, consistently identifying ethical and legal dilemmas and providing sound resolutions.