HOW A DAY LOOKS LIKE AT CIP!!
A typical day begins with a steaming cup of tea and a hearty breakfast from Didi and Gautam Da's mess, always served with a smile. After signing the attendance record, we must report to the wards by 8 am. We make our way to our assigned wards for the morning rounds. Wide roads surrounded by tall trees and blooming flowers are a visual delight to start your day with a fresh mind, and it’s a unique opportunity to observe and interact with patients among the campus's rich greenery.
We then head to the outpatient department (OPD), which opens at 9 am and has long registration lines with patients from all socioeconomic groups, and a majority of those patients are from the eastern zone. The OPDs are usually very busy, with the workups, the discussions, handling the emergencies, and the variety of cases - both typical and unusual—all provide great learning opportunities. The amazing part of this facility is that we treat the patients holistically by working in collaboration as a team of clinical psychologists, psychiatric social workers, and experts of other disciplines. We uniquely adapt the care of each patient using tests, medications, and therapies, enabling us to assess the mental disease holistically.
ACADEMIA!
Academic pursuits are very instructive and enriching here. These take place on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday and can include journal clubs and movie clubs on Saturdays with refreshments and lots of learning. They also include seminars on a variety of topics, case conferences, and brainstorming sessions among the house. The institute also hosts a good number of CMEs, providing students a rich opportunity for education from eminent faculty members across India. Students and residents at this institution have the chance to present papers at conferences, CMEs, and seminars organized by other reputable institutions, they also participate in quiz competitions, and even have the opportunity to treat rare cases with cutting-edge technology and write case reports, which gives you an advantage over others.
Life as a Clinical Psychologist
The institute also offers RCI affiliated MPhil, Clinical Psychology course and Phd Clinical Psychology with enthusiastic students joining from different corners of this country. The Clinical Psychology department is located in the Teaching Block, right in the centre of the campus. Students are required to report there every morning at 8:45 AM to sign their attendance registers receive guidance from the consultants and tutors. The trainee students are assigned to various wards where teams of seniors and juniors work together to fulfil various tasks in the ward. Under the direction and guidance of tutors and consultants, first-year students are concentrated more on assessments ranging from IQ to Personality, and thorough reports are generated. Students in their second year concentrate more on therapeutic interventions with patients, where therapies for various requirements are designed specifically for the patient in sessions lasting 45 minutes –1 hours. In addition, students conduct group meetings, group therapy, and other activities to help the patients. Students are also assigned to an independent Psycho-Social Unit, which serves the institute's functional needs for various psychosocial needs of outpatients and follow-up inpatients where posted students are constantly busy with assessments and therapies. Fulfilling the various requirements of their courses, students also participate in the institute's broad academic offerings by presenting and attending seminars, case conferences, and journal clubs, as well as conducting original research and publishing theses. Along with that, students also attend a variety of guest lectures hosted by the department, awareness campaigns, conferences, and CMEs organized by the institution. In terms of the comprehensive and multidisciplinary care that the institute provides, clinical psychology trainee students play a significant role in the team in providing care for the betterment of the patients.
Psychiatric Social Work at CIP
As a member of a multidisciplinary team, we play an eminent role in delivering clinical and non-clinical services. In clinical set up we generally do intake counselling where we interview the admitted patients, their family members/ informants, and explain the treatment plan to the family. Through collateral investigations and psychosocial assessments, we develop a patient-family specific multidisciplinary plans of care and come up with a psychosocial treatment plan, for complex and high-risk cases addressing to their psycho-social needs. There are range of services provided to the patients and their families like offering psychoeducation, therapy sessions, disability counselling and certificate, and arranging for available community support services in order to help family members with caregiver burden by helping them in obtaining both financial and medical services and reintegrate a patient back to the community. We also provide direct crisis intervention services when required.
After in-patient stay and getting symptoms improved, patients with mental illness may have concerns about their post-discharge life, finding themselves vulnerable with an unclear future. In such cases we help the patients obtain skill based trainings in in the occupational training center at the hospital in order to help with future employment and housing needs of the patient. We also help the patients get financial assistance from various government organizations, non- profit organizations and NGO’s. We help in discharge planning by assessing the patients need and involving families in the planning process. Through pre-discharge counseling we work on factors like lack of insight, lack of social support, and poor awareness about the illness, non-compliance to medication and irregular follow-up that contributes to non-compliance to treatment after discharge. We also help is cases with discharge problems where the patients have been abandoned by their caregivers by taking help of legal bodies and rehabilitating the patients.
Our non clinical work include — Promotion of Mental Health and fighting social stigma around mental health by conducting workshops at schools, community and other platforms, and organizing community based Mental Health Awareness Camp.
LIFE OUTSIDE THE CAMPUS!
You are mistaken if you think that life at CIP is all work and classes. The hostel facility is the ideal spot to unwind after work. The institute includes separate housing options for boys and girls, for married residents and their families. Single-occupancy rooms include an attached private balcony where the residents may relax with a cup of coffee and contemplate while the sun sets and the chirping birds find their homes. The hostel is shared by people from different disciplines, and everyone congregates there to celebrate big events and festivals.
One would frequently see matches among residents and students at the hostel's badminton court. In addition, we have a basketball court, a well-kept lawn, a recreation room area with table tennis and carrom, and expansive lawns for parking, strolling and jogging .
The hostel mess also merits special note, where everyone would congregate for lunch or dinner, where there would be laughter, conversations, and people helping each other with their work or cheering for a live cricket match on television, not to forget didi's kindness, grin, and the range of meal alternatives offered.
Now let's talk about the fantastic parties at CIP coordinated by all, where we would party until dawn in front of the hostel lawn. The beautiful part about this place is that everyone joins as one in the celebrations, including students, residents, Phd scholars, and even consultants, who can unwind from their hectic schedule. Ranchi has a lot to offer and is somewhat safer, despite the concerns of visitors who may have about it being a tier 2 city and their safety. In addition, there are a lot of adorable cafes, eateries, and restaurants to discover. On weekends or holidays, one can explore Ranchi's greenery, waterfalls, or go on long drives. For example, one can catch the sunrise or sunset in Patratu Valley, take a short hike up the Pithoria Hills, relax at the ITBP Hill, or explore the waterfalls near Hundru, Jonha, Sita, and Dassam Falls and many other places .
Finally, but certainly not least, if you are someone who is passionate and interested in learning about Psychiatry, it is one of the best places to be and you won't be let down in the end. However, be prepared to put in a lot of effort and have fun while doing it.!
