Upon completing the mental health placement, the Physician Associate student will be able to obtain and record a psychiatric history, conduct and record a mental status examination, and make a tentative diagnosis within the major categories of mental health disorders. The student will be able to diagnose and propose treatment for psychiatric conditions common in acute and primary care settings, and will be able to respond appropriately to psychiatric emergencies.
It is important to remember that the primary purpose of this experience is to prepare Physician Associate students to deal professionally and confidentially with mental health presentations they may encounter in a variety of healthcare settings. The focus is therefore on common and important mental health conditions and their management.
View all Close all
The student will be able to obtain a mental health history, including a general medical history, sufficient to be able to diagnose and propose management, including risk assessment and referral, for patients with psychiatric presentations.
In addition to a general physical examination, the student will be able to perform an effective mental status examination using an appropriate format/structure commonly used in Mental Health service.
The student will use laboratory and diagnostic studies in addition to common psychiatric screening tools to appropriately support or modify tentative diagnostic impressions.
The student will demonstrate an awareness and understanding of pharmacologic therapy, the indications, contraindications, major side-effects/adverse reactions and correct dosing schedules for medications commonly used in mental health care.
The student will analyse information obtained from the history, physical examination, laboratory tests and other diagnostic procedures to formulate a comprehensive, prioritised differential diagnosis, using the ICD or DSM classification systems, to accurately determine or modify the diagnosis, formulate an appropriate proposed treatment plan, and refer patients on as appropriate. They will demonstrate the ability to record clinical information systematically, clearly, and thoroughly.
The student will be able to assess patient presentations in alignment with the GMC’s PA Registration Assessment (PARA) content map , and propose appropriate management plans. Within mental health, Physician Associate students are expected to be able to assess and manage the following presentations:
- Abnormal eating or exercise
- Acute confusion
- Addiction
- Anxiety, phobias and obsessive behaviour
- Behaviour/personality change
- Delusions
- Elation/elated mood
- Fatigue
- Hallucinations
- Learning disability
- Loss of libido
- Low mood/affective problems
- Memory loss
- Mental capacity concerns
- Pressure of speech
- Self-harm
- Sleep problems
- Somatisation/medically unexplained symptoms
- Substance misuse
- Suicidal thoughts
- Threats to harm others
PA students should also demonstrate the ability to recognise and propose management of the following conditions:
- Eating disorders
- Delirium
- Dementia
- Emotional and child/elder abuse
- Emotional and personality disorders
- Mental health problems in pregnancy/post-partum
- Mood disorders
- Acute psychosis
- Substance misuse and addition