This introduction is offered once yearly at several sites, including the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, which typically hosts approximately one-half of the second year class. At present, each campus sponsors one section of the course. Longitudinal in structure, the course meets for one day a week over an eight month period. It is, by nature, interdepartmental. Dr. Leon Goldman serves as director of the surgical portion of the course on the East and West Campus.
Surgical faculty serve as preceptors, teaching the fundamentals of history taking and examination.
Surgery's involvement is most intense during the last six weeks, when one week is devoted to surgical lectures and demonstrations conducted by the faculty. Core Clerkship in Surgery Dr. Michael Cahalane The Department of Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center is one of three major teaching and research units of Harvard Medical School's Department of Surgery. Approximately one-half of all Harvard students take their Core Clerkship in Surgery at the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. General surgery education is augmented by experience in anesthesia, and the surgical subspecialties. Last July, a third month of required surgery was added to the core clerkship, in order to address the need for all students to have exposure to surgery's subspecialties.