This is a two-year commitment that involves 3 afternoons in clinic per semester. The medical student is matched up with a preceptor in their first year of medical school and stays with them through the second year. The students spend time observing physicians with patients and practicing basic skills. Although the format varies, these meetings include time for students to present cases seen in the clinic and to guide students through interactive case-based discussions of common clinical problems. At the end of the rotation the mentor evaluates each student's performance in these small group sessions.
Students bring audiotapes of their interactions with their patients for review and further learning.
Assigned to one station, the facilitator evaluates each student as they meet with a standardized patient. The OSCE takes approximately five hours. This is a wonderful group of motivated, service oriented students who are a lot of fun to work with. Students are paired with a family physician for GPP who serves as their mentor for the program. Student members work with volunteer faculty physicians and staff to provide primary health care services and education to uninsured individuals and families in the Madison area.