Curriculum Phase II

Phase 2 Clinical Curriculum: Core Clinical Clerkships

The third year begins with a two-week course, Clinical Foundations, focused on the basics of clinical care, including a review of the physical examination, BLS, basic radiology, write-ups and presentations, with an emphasis on professionalism and ethical standards. Clinical Foundations is followed by 48 weeks of core clerkships, each of which includes an orientation period to prepare students with the clinical skills needed in the specific rotation.Click on the Clerkship to view their educational course objectives. 

• Ambulatory Internal Medicine (4 weeks)
• Family Medicine (4 weeks)
• Inpatient Internal Medicine (8 weeks)
• Neurology (4 weeks)
• Obstetrics & Gynecology (6 weeks)
• Pediatrics (6 weeks)
• Psychiatry (4 weeks)
• Surgery (12 weeks)

Three longitudinal courses continue throughout the year:

• Longitudinal Preceptorship -- Students spend two afternoons a month with a community-based outpatient preceptor to improve skills in clinical assessment and explore possible career choices.
• Radiology -- Core topics in radiology are included in the didactic sessions for each of the clerkships and include an emphasis on the use of imaging as diagnostic and treatment modalities.
• Systems Based Health Care (SBHC) -- Small groups of students meet twice a month to develop an understanding of the dimensions of the health care system and implications for patient care, access to care, and interprofessional collaborative practice.

Continuity Experience -All students participate in a continuity experience where they have continuity with a preceptor, clinical educator, and/or continuity with a clinical site and select patients.

Phase 2 ends with a required Clinical Performance Examination (CPX) in which students must demonstrate competency in history taking, physical examination, patient/physician interaction, and information sharing skills.