How can you make your current psychiatry interest group better? How can you start one efficiently and effectively if your school does not yet have a PsychSIG? Just needing some new ideas for activities? PsychSIGN can help you!

The first step to organizing a Psychiatry Student Interest Group is to identify classmates who may be interested in joining. A number of strategies might be useful. A widely distributed email advertising an initial activity is often the best way to get the word out about your new group and attract new members. In addition, the Director of Medical Student Education in Psychiatry may know of students leaning towards psychiatry who could help in planning the first meeting.

Some specific ideas from Arthur Hughes (former Region 5 Co-Chair):

• Dinner meetings: our biggest turnout occurred when the event was held at the home of the Psychiatry Residency Director/Faculty sponsor of PSIG. This was held annually toward the beginning of the MS1 academic year. In late August 2006, we had a turnout of 12-15 which was relatively large. 70% of the group was MS1. Also, several MD/PhD students showed up describing an interest in clinical Psychiatry/Neurobiology research.
• Lunch meetings: we hold these around 3 times per year. These are held at noon in the lecture halls where MS1s and 2s have lecture. This is very convenient for them as they have lecture up to 12noon and then resume at 1pm. They can have a free lunch and do not have to drive or walk to get it!
• MS1 Orientation Week: send 1-2 residents to man a booth during this week as incoming students will have a few days to entertain different career options before being immersed in the basic science curriculum.
• Reel Psychiatry Movie series: every few months our group has a get-together where we watch movies with themes involving Psychiatry. In years past, we have watched movies from popular culture such as What About Bob? (1991) with Bill Murray and Richard Dreyfuss. This year incoming students expressed an interest in more “hardcore” psychiatry films. A faculty member who focuses mainly on psychoanalysis will host the event and will provide the movie from his own personal collection.

Also, be sure to email your PsychSIGN Regional Chair for guidance and to register your PsychSIG with us. See the About page for contact information.

One of the most important considerations in structuring a PsychSIG is that the most active members tend to be second- and fourth-year students. We recommend that the group be led by a second year who is closely advised by fourth year students who have been involved in the group. In terms of division of labor, which is key to all student organizations, we are currently in the process of organizing regional committees responsible for membership, planning, communications and recognition of special contributions to the field. Contact your regional chair for an update on these committees as they may be able to help you.

Since class schedules vary greatly from class to class (i.e., 1st years may have exams when 2nd years have a relatively light week; 3rd years are in clinical rotations and have schedules completely different from the first two years), first and second year representatives are helpful in scheduling meeting times that will attract the greatest number of pre-clinical students. It is often hopeless to get 3rd years to show for SIG meetings at our school but if you can find an MS3 rep he/she would certainly be beneficial.

There are many groups that can offer you help with recruiting, programming and funding. Start with local resources such as your Dean of Students, your Department of Psychiatry and your alumni association. Local branches of the national psychiatric organizations such as the American Psychiatric Association, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Association of Community Psychiatrists and the National Alliance on Mental Illness are often enthusiastic to help new groups get off the ground.

Also, link your PsychSIG to other specialty SIGS. Psychiatry is unique in that it permeates nearly every field of medicine. Living transplant donors have to be evaluated preoperatively by psychiatry; almost any hospitalized patient can develop delirium; family physicians write scripts on a daily basis for SSRIs; and, pediatricians have expressed an emerging need for child-adolescent psychiatrists. The most obvious connections are with Neurology, Emergency Medicine, Family Practice, and Pediatrics. Linking your PsychSIG to the interest groups of the aforementioned medical fields would perhaps attract interest from students who would otherwise not consider the specialty of psychiatry.

• Link speaking event topics to current events in the field of psychiatry: There are numerous fascinating news events involving actions of those with psychiatric problems—Andrea Yates drowning her own children, Tom Cruise belittling the entire field of psychiatry, etc. While many students look at psychiatry as an odd field that they want nothing to do with, they still watch the news and would be intrigued to find out more about the clinical science behind these infamous actions.
• Out of the Shadow (2006): This is a documentary that aired on PBS back in Spring about a woman filming/documenting the life of a family member who suffered from schizophrenia. You can read a synopsis and purchase a copy, if so desired, at outoftheshadow.com. This would be an excellent film for discussion at a movie night.
• Shadowing opportunities for MS1s and 2s: As first and second year students often get very little clinical experience, opportunities for them to shadow psychiatrists (faculty and/or residents) would no doubt seem appealing. This would help students see the clinical benefit of the basic science courses or at the very least show them what lies ahead after completing the first two years.
• Healthier/diverse food options: At our school, pizza is ubiquitous at medical school meetings. Many SIGs are making an effort to provide sandwiches, salads/vegetables, or other healthier options. At the very least, some variety of foods should be offered so as to titillate the taste buds of students.

• ADMSEP Cultural Video Media
• ADMSEP Films Which Demonstrate Psychopathology