On 31 October 2025, a group of enthusiastic medical students from Texila American University (TAU) undertook a purposeful educational visit to the psychiatric facility in the Mahaica‑Berbice Region of Guyana. This outing formed part of their community-health and mental-health curricular component, offering them a first-hand look at the mental-health landscape within Guyana’s Region 5, and fostering deeper awareness of psychiatric care, stigma reduction, and inter-professional collaboration.
Purpose of the visited the Psychiatric Centre in Mahaica
The primary aims of the visit were:
- To expose TAU medical students to the operational realities of psychiatric services in a community setting in Guyana, including the challenges and opportunities unique to mental-health care in the region.
- To meet with mental-health professionals and observe how care is delivered, including outpatient services, counselling, and community engagement.
- To reflect on how future medical practitioners from TAU can contribute meaningfully to mental-health promotion, psychiatric referral, and holistic care in Guyana and beyond.
Highlights from the Day
- The students were welcomed by the mental-health team at the facility, which provided an overview of the local service model, including how the facility fits into the national-level strategy of decentralizing mental health care across Guyana.
- A tour of the facility allowed students to see the consultation rooms, therapeutic spaces, and observe some of the community-oriented outreach efforts in Region 5.
- A panel of staff comprising nurses, counsellors and psychiatrists (or psychiatric-trained clinicians) shared insights into the major issues they encounter resource limitations, societal stigma, the importance of integration with primary care, and the critical role of follow-up and community reintegration of patients.
- The students participated in a Q&A session, posing thoughtful questions about mental-health policy, the impact of the Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Act in Guyana, and how to collaborate effectively with other health disciplines.
- The visit concluded with a reflective discussion among the TAU students, moderated by a faculty member, focused on how their learning could influence their future practice — not only in terms of diagnosing and treating psychiatric illness, but also in promoting mental‐wellness, preventive strategies, and patient-centered care.
Significance and Implications
This visit underscores several important themes:
- Mental-health care as an integral part of medical training. Exposure to psychiatric services helps future doctors understand the importance of mind–body connections, and the reality that mental health is a vital component of holistic health.
- Addressing stigma and promoting compassion. Guyana, like many places, faces stigma around mental illness. By engaging directly with a psychiatric center in Mahaica, students gain empathy and insight, which will serve them when encountering mental-health issues in any setting.
- Community and systems perspective. The national mental-health strategy for Guyana emphasizes decentralization and integration of care across regions. Visits such as this one equip students to think beyond the hospital walls and consider how services reach patients where they live.
- Interdisciplinary learning. Psychiatric care involves nursing, counselling, social work, psychiatry and primary-care links. TAU’s students learned about collaborative care models, an essential skill for modern medicine.
- Preparedness for service in Guyana and the broader Caribbean. As TAU continues shaping medical professionals who may serve in Guyana or the region, such field experiences build local relevance, cultural competence, and awareness of resource-sensitive practice.
TAU extends its sincere thanks to the staff of the psychiatric center in the Mahaica-Berbice region for their warm welcome, openness, and willingness to share their expertise. We also thank the medical-education staff at Texila American University for organizing this meaningful engagement, and the students who participated with professionalism and curiosity.
