Mastering the Psychiatric Interview: Do’s- Don’ts & Clinical Techniques
A strong clinical interview is the foundation of effective psychiatric care. In Episode 1.2 of Psychiatry Boot Camp, Dr. Dana Raml, Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, guides viewers through the art and science of psychiatric interviewing.
From the moment a patient walks into your clinic, your ability to ask the right questions, build trust, and organize key information can define the quality of care you provide. This episode breaks that process down into practical, teachable steps for learners and clinicians alike.
🧠 What You'll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The essential do’s and don’ts of psychiatric interviewing
✔️ How to build rapport and a therapeutic alliance early in the interview
✔️ Strategies for managing patient anxiety, guardedness, or disorganization
✔️ A structured approach to eliciting psychiatric history
✔️ Techniques for organizing and documenting patient information
✔️ When to use open-ended vs. closed-ended questions
✔️ The role of empathy, tone, and body language in the interview process
Whether you're a psychiatry resident, medical student, or practicing clinician looking to sharpen your skills, this episode will offer you practical tools to improve your clinical conversations and diagnostic accuracy.
🎯 Why Clinical Interviewing Matters:
The psychiatric interview is unlike any other clinical encounter. It’s not just about gathering symptoms—it's about understanding a person’s life, context, and internal experience. Effective interviewing enhances diagnostic clarity, treatment adherence, and the overall patient experience.
Dr. Raml highlights how even small shifts in language, tone, or body posture can radically change how safe a patient feels—and how much they choose to share.
This episode teaches you to listen with structure and ask with purpose, transforming the interview into a meaningful exchange instead of a checklist.
👩⚕️ Meet the Expert – Dr. Dana Raml:
• Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at UNMC
• Passionate educator and clinician with a focus on learner development
• Known for blending structured teaching with human-centered care
• Actively involved in psychiatry residency training and mentorship
Her grounded, practical teaching style is ideal for early-career clinicians seeking confidence and clarity in patient encounters.
📚 Support Our Trusted Partners:
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💬 Who Should Watch This Episode:
• Psychiatry residents and medical students learning to interview
• Nurse practitioners and physician assistants in behavioral health
• Early-career therapists and counselors
• Experienced clinicians seeking to refresh their fundamentals
This episode is also great for educators looking for a resource to help teach core clinical interviewing skills.
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📢 Want More Practical Skills?
Check out our upcoming episodes on suicide risk assessment, differential diagnosis, and medication management. Psychiatry Boot Camp is your go-to series for high-yield, real-world learning.
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