Clinical Sciences

The Internal Medicine Clerkship is 12 weeks long where students deal with the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of the diseases in adulthood, including the management of undifferentiated and multi-system diseases. Clinical problem-solving in internal medicine is based on the integrated pathophysiological, psychosocial, epidemiological and all other “bedside” information to address urgent problems, manage chronic illness and promote health, using the best scientific evidence to patient care. The Internal Medicine Clerkship is a student’s main opportunity to improve his or her fundamental skills of data collection, clinical reasoning and understanding of the pathophysiological process in clinical settings, and to become familiar with the common acute and chronic illnesses in adults, their diagnoses and treatment as well as with screening methods and preventive medicine activities.

The 12-week General Surgery Clerkship is designed to be an introduction to surgery and selected surgical subspecialties at our various teaching hospitals. Students are assigned to the inpatient surgical wards and outpatient clinics. The students are taught the approach to the surgical patient and participate in pre- and postoperative care as well as perform certain invasive techniques safely. By the end of rotation, students are expected to know the indications and the contradictions and the role of ancillary services in managing surgical diseases.

Obstetrics and Gynecology is a 6-week core rotation that provides students the opportunity to participate in comprehensive health care for women from childhood through the adolescence, reproductive and menopause years, and beyond. This clerkship offers both inpatient and outpatient clinical experience, and is integrated to provide students with an understanding of routine OB/GYN care performed in the physician’s office. The primary focus is obstetrical conditions and gynecological problems commonly encountered by the physician. Students will observe and perform selected procedures necessary to provide antepartum, post-partum, and pre- and post-operative care of gynecological patients. Students will be required to take call, attend conferences, and read suggested literature under the supervision of residents and attending physicians.

The Pediatric Clerkship is a 6-week course that addresses health care issues unique to infants, children and adolescents. It integrates biology, clinical and behavioral sciences with psychosocial, cultural, family, community and other influences on children’s health and well-being, within the framework of expected growth and development. The emphasis is placed on basic issues and commonly occurring illnesses, but other less common problems may sometimes need to be included. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the clinical activities of both general 18 19 and subspecialty pediatric services, to study the impact of the disease and treatment of the disease on growth and development, and on patient and family and community. They will also have the opportunity to participate in health supervision and recognition of common health problems, in the prevention of disease and injury and other activities relevant to pediatric issues. Those opportunities will be met by both inpatients and outpatients.

The Psychiatry Clerkship is a 6-week course. Students will have the opportunity to participate in the studies and treatment of various common affective, behavioral, cognitive and perceptual disorders. Students will achieve the competencies in the field of psychiatry through clinical hands-on experience, directly, or as a part of consult/liaison team, through patient encounters, through clinical teaching and a structured didactic program and under the guidelines and supervision of the residents and attending physicians. The students’ clinical experience will be supplemented by the directed readings, discussions with preceptors, completion of required written reports, case presentations, attendance at grand rounds, medical conferences, team meetings, floor rounds and assignments, didactic presentations and student readings appropriate to the care of the student’s own patients. Students will get the opportunity to participate in research projects and to present clinical and scientific information, both orally and in writing, to colleagues and other health professionals.

Family Medicine is a 6-week clerkship for third-year medical students. It encompasses continuing, comprehensive care of patients of all ages, both genders, and of their families as well. Family medicine integrates biological, clinical, social and behavioral sciences with psychosocial, cultural, family, community and other influences on people’s health. Under the guidelines and the supervision of faculty/preceptors and attending physicians, students achieve the competencies in the field of family medicine primarily through ambulatory clinical experience, with the main focus on the management of chronic diseases, health maintenance, and undiagnosed new problems. During this rotation, students integrate, expand and refine their clinical skills and become familiar with the coordinated health care provided by a family practitioner. Screening and prevention are very important parts of this rotation. Students may as well participate in research activities.