Ambulatory Medicine

Catalog description

The Ambulatory Medicine Rotation provides students with the opportunity to experience patient care in a primary care setting. Each student will complete this four-week rotation with a Primary Care Physician (PCP) in one of the following specialties: Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, or Obstetrics and Gynecology. In the hospital setting, clinical students are often responsible for a small number of patients at a time. However, in an ambulatory environment, students will encounter a higher patient volume within a time-limited format. Patient visits will include acute/problem-oriented care, chronic disease management, preventive care, wellness visits, and minor procedures. This rotation highlights the four core features of primary care: First Contact, Comprehensive, Continuous, and Coordinated Care. Primary care differs significantly from work in emergency departments or hospital-based settings. In ambulatory care, the approach to diagnosis and management is guided by a different pretest probability, and the physician-patient relationship is foundational. Primary care providers, including physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants—Balance the need to rule out serious conditions while focusing on the most probable diagnoses. Initial diagnostic testing is often more limited, with treatment decisions based on clinical reasoning. Follow-up visits allow providers to assess treatment effectiveness and determine the need for further testing. Because medical problems often evolve over time in outpatient care, continuity is essential in managing patient outcomes. By rotating with a primary care physician in one of these four specialties, students will gain firsthand experience in the challenges and rewards of ambulatory medicine. This rotation will help them develop clinical reasoning, patient communication, and diagnostic skills in the outpatient…