OBJECTIVE: Brief cases designed for independent study were developed to allow third-year medical students some exposure to important concepts in emergency psychiatry during their required psychiatry clerkship. METHODS: Five independent study cases were given to University of Michigan third-year medical students during their psychiatry clerkship, and their performance on a pre- and posttest of knowledge of emergency psychiatry management was compared between students who did and did not use the independent study cases. RESULTS: All of the students improved in their knowledge of emergency psychiatric management, but the students who completed the cases had a significantly better performance on the postrotation quiz. CONCLUSIONS: Case-based independent study is an effective method to improve exposure to emergency psychiatry cases during a third-year medical student clerkship.