Internal Medicine Core Clerkship

Catalog description

VISITING: Closed to visitors. TYPE OF CLERKSHIP: Required. DESCRIPTION: Teaches the natural history, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of medical illness. Emphasis is placed on acquiring the understanding, skills, and attitudes desirable in a scientific and compassionate physician. Students record histories, physical examinations, and laboratory data for patients for whom they are responsible and present their findings, together with their diagnoses and treatment plans, at rounds and conferences. Developing sound clinical reasoning skills is continuously emphasized. An essential aspect of the clerkship is the students' gradual assumption of direct responsibility for, and full-time involvement in, patient care with the house staff and faculty team. To take advantage of the differences in patient populations and teaching staffs of the four hospitals, students spend three weeks at either SUMC or PAVAMC, and three weeks at either SCVMC in San Jose or KPMC in Santa Clara. The resulting six week experience is an integrated curriculum designed to cover the essentials of internal medicine. The Department of Medicine supervises a random draw-based assignment to two of the four locations shortly before the beginning of each odd-numbered clerkship period. A passing grade will require both a satisfactory performance at both clinical sites and passing the NBME Subject Exam at the end of 6 weeks. PREREQUISITES: None. PERIODS AVAILABLE: 1-12, full time for 8 weeks, 18 students per period. CLERKSHIP DIRECTOR: John Kugler, M.D., [email protected] and Poonam Hosamani, M.D., [email protected]. CLERKSHIP COORDINATOR: Nancy D'Amico, [email protected]. REPORTING INSTRUCTIONS: Where: Varies, students will be notified prior to the first day; Time: TBA. CALL CODE: 4. OTHER FACULTY: Staff. LOCATION: SUMC, PAVAMC, SCVMC, KPMC.