Summer internship in Psychology at Moolchand Medicity

An internship for students of Psychology was held from 28 May to 2 June 2018 at the Moolchand Hospital. It was attended by Devanshi Mehndiratta, Sana Mendiratta, Ayushi Gupta, Kaveri Duharia, Vanya Nautiyal, Jahnnobi Roy and Khushi Shukla of class XI.

The first day commenced with the introduction of case studies by Ms. Tanya Mittal, child specialist. She briefly defined Psychology and discussed the role of psychologists. She also analysed a few sample case histories to facilitate better understanding.

Our next session was with an occupational therapist. She had many colourful and interesting toys with her. We were instructed to observe the behaviour of 2 children with ADHD who were present in the room and to take note of the therapies she used to enable them to channelise their energy. Day One ended on a satisfying note with a doubt-clearing session.

On the second day, we attended a session conducted by our own School alumnus, Arunima, now a college intern at the same hospital. She discussed the breathing pattern chart and the daily activity schedule chart. The breathing pattern chart is given to patients with anxiety and anger control issues- the extreme play of phobias, etc. It helps psychologists keep track of the client's behaviour and progress. We learned all about extraordinary cases and the new technology that has helped psychologists deal with fears and phobias of patients..

The third day began with the introduction of the fun side of Psychology. Our mentor was a child psychologist at the hospital, who practices hypnosis. She told us about the " Pig Personality Test" and the "Rorschach Inkblot Personality Test". The latter is a psychological test in which a subject's perception of an inkblot is recorded and then analysed using psychological interpretation, complex algorithms or both.

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The fourth day focussed on the dos and the donts and the critical points to focus upon during a client session. We were provided a blank form called the "Screening Proforma" in which psychologists write down solutions to their clients problems. Our mentor explained the meaning and use of different terms-for instance, an anecdotal record. We comprehended the importance of the form and mastered the tactics of obtaining information out of guarded patients, chiefly by making them feel at ease. Thereafter, we were given more case histories for study. At the end of the session, our doubts were cleared.

On Day 5, we met the special educator at the hospital, who highlighted the importance of special education. He said that the conducting of tests and dealing with people with learning disabilities were tasks that require patience and will power. We were asked to witness the learning disability tests being conducted and to observe the child taking the test..

A presentation on EQ and its importance was made by one of the college interns. It showed that extensive research was being done by researchers to gather more information about EQ. We also learnt about MSE (Mental Status Examination) and the 2 spectrums of disorders neurotic spectrum and the psychotic spectrum. The mentors explained the difference between the two and explained various methods to identify the type of disorder the client is suffering from. They described the process of collecting samples of thoughts and identifying problems through speech.

Dr. Jitendra Nagpal, popular child psychiatrist at the hospital, enquired about our experience during the internship. He recommended books and topics to augment our knowledge. He lay special emphasis on the new laws and the changes made to accommodate children and people with disabilities. He discussed the Persons with Disabilities Act (PWD) 1995, which is an act for equal opportunities, protection of rights and full participation. He also talked about the POCSO, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act 2012, which was established to protect children against offences like sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and pornography. He concluded by discussing he tendencies of patients and how there is a premorbid, morbid and post-morbid state. He touched upon the causes which lead people to such state.

Our internship concluded with this last set of discussions and we received our certificates. It was a great learning experience for all of us.

Devanshi Mendiratta (11-B) and Jahnnobi Roy (11-D).