Today was the first time we got to go on the hospital wards (psychiatric or otherwise) as medical students. Up to this point when we've donned our white coats and ties/female-nice-clothes (usually not both), patients have been brought to us. It was rather exciting and a dash frightening to be in this new environment. People tend to assume you know what you're doing if you look the part, and looking the part is just about all we are capable of at this point.
In group of about ten, we watched a psychiatric attending interview a patient. Perhaps the starkest indication of our naive inadequacy was our cursory assessment of this patient. He seemed to be doing very well and as the interview concluded we felt pretty optimistic about his prospects. The moment the he left the room, the doctor turn to us and said, "Sadly, the prognosis is not good for him." The disappointment was palpable. Ah well. There were two third years in the room who seemed far more with-it, so give it some time.
TIL: Borderline personality disorder gets its name from being in the middle of the spectrum from psychotic to neurotic disorders.
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