Clinical Skills Course

Catalog description

The Clinical Skills Course will assist the medical student in patient care by providing a foundation of clinical skills taught longitudinally through the clinical year to complement those taught during the required clerkships. The initial focus will be on history and physical examination skills to generate a differential diagnosis. Procedural skills, including arterial blood gas sampling, nasogastric tube insertion, and intravenous line start will be taught using simulated models. Interpretation and characteristics of diagnostic tests, including electrocardiograms and laboratories studies, will be emphasized. Advanced clinical reasoning skills and evidence-based medicine will conclude the course. Both large-group lectures and small-group sessions with applied practice will be used to instruct students. Credits: Fall Term 3, Spring Term 0.5; Summer Term 0.5. Jenny Van Kirk, MD, and staff