PRACTICUM EXPERIENCE PLAN (PEP)

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 

X

Differentiating between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions 

X

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

X

Performing and interpreting a mental status examination 

X

Performing and interpreting a psychosocial assessment and family psychiatric history 

X

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

X

Diagnostic reasoning skill in:

Demonstrate knowledge of psychopathology of mental illnesses through discussion for different age groups and mental illnesses

X

Developing and prioritizing a differential diagnoses list

X

Formulating diagnoses according to DSM 5-TR based on assessment data 

X

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

X

Psychotherapeutic Treatment Planning:

Provide psychoeducation to individuals and/or any caregivers

X

Promote health and disease prevention techniques

X

Self Assessment skill:

Develop SMART goals for practicum experiences 

X

Evaluating outcomes of practicum goals and modify plan as necessary 

X

Documenting and reflecting on learning experiences

X

Professional skills:

Maintains professional boundaries and therapeutic relationship with clients and staff

X

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

X

Identifies ethical and legal dilemmas with possible resolutions

X

Demonstrates non-judgmental practice approach and empathy

X

Practices within scope of practice

X

Selecting and implementing appropriate screening instrument(s) and interpreting results:

Demonstrates selecting the correct screening instrument appropriate for the clinical situation 

X

Implements the screening instrument efficiently and effectively with the clients

X

Interprets results for screening instruments accurately

X

Identifies the need to refer to another specialty provider when applicable

X

Accurately documents recommendations for psychiatric consultations when applicable

X

I possess complete psychiatric evaluation abilities, confidently recognizing clinical signs and symptoms of psychiatric disease, and independently completing mental status tests, psychosocial evaluations, and family psychiatric histories. The DSM-5-TR diagnosis I make based on assessment data shows that I have strong diagnostic reasoning abilities and a solid comprehension of psychopathology across age groups and mental diseases. I can also design psychotherapy treatment, provide psychoeducation, promote health and disease prevention, and work with multi-disciplinary teams. My professional talents show in my therapeutic connections, ethical and legal issue remedies, and non-judgmental empathy. While I am mostly confident in my ability to distinguish pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions, develop and prioritize differential diagnoses, and implement screening instruments, I recognize the need for supervision in these areas, demonstrating my commitment to ongoing learning and improvement. I believe in my talents and am committed to providing excellent mental health treatment.

Recognizing my existing skill set, I aim to improve my ability to distinguish pathophysiological and psychopathological problems, establish and prioritize differential diagnoses, and use screening tools. I'm pretty confident in these areas, but more supervision will help me improve. I also want to improve my capacity to evaluate and understand age-related physiological and psychological problems independently. I embrace continual learning to improve my knowledge and clinical abilities to practice confidently and independently throughout the range of mental diagnosis and treatment planning. I also appreciate the need of improving my documentation and reflection methods to better understand my practicum objectives and self-assessment. By taking a proactive approach to these areas, I want to grow personally and professionally in mental health.

1. Goal: Enhance Proficiency in Differential Diagnosis Skills

a. Objective: By the end of the first quarter, I will engage in bi-weekly supervision sessions with an experienced clinician to strengthen my ability to differentiate between pathophysiological and psychopathological conditions, achieving a 20% improvement in independent decision-making.

b. Objective: Over the practicum duration, attend relevant workshops and seminars focused on advanced diagnostic reasoning, ensuring a comprehensive understanding of normal/abnormal age-related physiological and psychological symptoms, resulting in a 15% increase in confident decision-making in this domain.

c. Objective: Collaborate with peers and mentors to review and discuss complex cases, seeking diverse perspectives to broaden my knowledge base and contribute to the development of a robust, prioritized differential diagnoses list for each case.

2. Goal: Strengthen Implementation of Screening Instruments

a. Objective: Within the first two months, participate in supervised sessions to enhance my ability to select the most appropriate screening instrument for various clinical situations, achieving a 15% increase in confidence and accuracy.

b. Objective: Implement screening instruments under supervision, aiming for a 20% improvement in efficiency and effectiveness in client interactions by the end of the third quarter.

c. Objective: Independently interpret and document screening instrument results for at least 15 cases by the end of the practicum, demonstrating a 25% increase in accurate interpretation and actionable recommendations.

3. Goal: Improve Reflective Practice and Documentation Skills

a. Objective: Develop and implement a plan for weekly self-reflection on clinical experiences, documenting insights, challenges, and areas for improvement, with a goal to consistently dedicate at least 30 minutes per week for reflective practice.

b. Objective: Attend a workshop on effective documentation techniques within the first three months, applying the acquired knowledge to improve the clarity, thoroughness, and organization of my clinical documentation, with a target of achieving a 20% enhancement.

c. Objective: Regularly review and discuss my documented goals, outcomes, and modifications with a supervisor, seeking feedback to refine my reflective and documentation practices, aiming for a 15% improvement in the quality of documentation and goal evaluation.

4. Goal: Foster Independence in Diagnostic Reasoning Across Age Groups

a. Objective: Develop a personal study plan to enhance my knowledge of the psychopathology of mental illnesses across different age groups, dedicating a minimum of two hours per week to self-directed learning, resulting in a 25% improvement in understanding.

b. Objective: Independently lead case discussions on diverse age-related mental health issues within a group setting, achieving a 20% increase in confidence and competence in formulating diagnoses based on DSM-5-TR criteria.

c. Objective: Collaborate with experienced clinicians to assess and formulate diagnoses for at least 20 cases across different age groups, aiming for a 15% increase in independence and accuracy in diagnostic reasoning by the end of the practicum.