Phase 2
Core Clerkships
Elevating Medical Education Through Experience
Phase 2 offers students a transformative opportunity to put their learning into practice. Through clinical clerkships, continued scientific exploration, and focused intersessions, students advance their journey through a rigorous and immersive medical education. This stage of the medical school curriculum prepares them not only for Phase 3 but for a lifetime of compassionate, skilled patient care.
Clerkships Bridge Medical Curriculum & Experience In Patient Care
Phase 2 of the David Geffen School of Medicine’s medical school curriculum immerses students in hands-on clinical training through core clerkships, continued scientific learning, and emerging topics. This phase represents a critical step in a student’s medical education, bridging foundational knowledge from Phase 1 with real-world application in diverse healthcare settings.
In Phase 2, students begin Intersessions and eight required core clerkships that provide foundational knowledge and exposure to key areas of clinical medicine. These clerkships form the foundation of an integrated medical education, helping students refine diagnostic reasoning, clinical decision-making, and patient communication skills.
Core Clerkships Providing Foundational Knowledge & Experiences
| Clerkship | Duration | Clerkship Chairs |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks | Max Berger, MD, MEHP |
| Family Medicine | 4 Weeks | Emily Miller, MD & Olivia Ishibashi, MD |
| Medicine | 8 Weeks | Tyler Larsen, MD & Mark Munekata, MD |
| Neurology | 4 Weeks | Cara Siegel, MD |
| OB-GYN | 4 Weeks | Aparna Sridhar, MD, MPH |
| Pediatrics | 4 Weeks | Amanda Kosack, MD & Deborah Lehman, MD |
| Psychiatry | 4 Weeks | Brandon Ito, MD, MPH |
| Surgery | 8 Weeks | Ian MacQueen, MD & Justin Wagner, MD, FAAP |
Diverse Clerkship Training Sites
A rich network of educational experiences at affiliate hospitals, community clinics, and practices all over Southern California. These diverse training environments ensure that students are exposed to a wide range of experiences, enriching their medical education.
Intersessions
Intersessions are designed to ensure students enter their clerkships with confidence in their core skills, delivered just-in-time. These mandatory curricular periods integrate longitudinal elements of the curriculum without disrupting clerkship duties. During these week-long intensive sessions, students consolidate their knowledge, skills, and abilities acquired in clerkships. They also reflect on their clinical experiences to inform their future practice and identify areas of interest for future research and advocacy.
Intersessions Course Director: Antonio Pessegueiro, MD