Teaching consultation psychiatry through computerized case simulation.

The PsyConsult Adventure Simulation program presents a case simulation of consultation in a general hospital. Exploring this computerized case helps trainees prepare for the complexities of consultation that they will face on the hospital wards. The simulation provides a distinctive approach, modeling the process of an actual consultation and allowing trainees to explore on their own initiative. It presents general techniques of psychiatric consultation as well as specifics of diagnosis and treatment. The program demonstrates the feasibility of using case simulation with a personal computer system as a supplement to bedside teaching of consultation psychiatry.