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. The resulting eight week experience is an integrated curriculum designed to cover the essentials of internal medicine.
Emphasis is placed on efficient, cost-effective medical care in a variety of settings.
Prevention, behavioral aspects of care, and cultural competence will be stressed. Students will visit a variety of sites for alternative delivery of health care. Morning education sessions will also be conducted at SUMC and afternoons will be spent attending patients in a family practice office in the Bay Area. Students also learn assessment, become familiar with health maintenance as it applies to children, develop sensitivity to the interrelationships of children with their families and environment, and learn diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to common pediatric problems. Students also participate in diagnosis and treatment of pediatric and adolescent problems.