Integrated Clinical Attachments Integrated Clinical Attachments in Year 3 involve student attachments to the main medical and surgical ward services and associated ambulatory clinics in the major teaching hospitals or in affiliated district hospitals. The precise arrangement of these terms varies at each clinical school, reflecting the different pattern of service delivery operating at each site. However, a number of related services are 'clustered' in a given block to form a coherent clinical experience. Students also gain some experience in sub-specialty disciplines, e.g., Dermatology, Sexual Health Medicine, Ophthalmology. Topics are drawn from all four curricular theme areas.
Time is provided for self-directed learning.
About half of each student's week is spent directly involved in the clinical activities of the service to which they are attached. A progressive increase in clinical attendance and responsibility occurs over the total 32 week duration of these attachments. A supervisor is appointed for each student over the four weeks of a typical attachment. A protocol of scheduled tasks must be completed over the duration of the attachment, permitting assessment of the student's mastery of the knowledge and clinical skills relevant to the field concerned. The rotations and 11 weeks each, including time for assessment and review.