July 10, 2007
Dear Student:
Welcome to your Clinical Clerkship in Medicine. The members of the
Department of Medicine and I want this to be an outstanding
educational experience for you.
During
the clerkship, you will be an important member of the Medical Ward
Team which is comprised of the attending physician, resident, interns
and medical students on the service. The website details our
objectives for your Clinical Clerkship, plus the
schedules and
materials which we feel will help you in your orientation to the
Medical Service.
During your clerkship in Medicine you will learn to perform a
careful and complete history and physical examination, identify the
patients’ problems, develop a differential diagnosis and impression,
as well as plan for diagnosis and treatment. You will become sensitive
and responsive to the needs of your patients, which must come first
with you.
Your attendance is required at work rounds, teaching rounds and the
conferences indicated on the schedule in the packet. Cecil's
Essentials of Medicine is our course text and recommended for your
daily reading on your patients' problems and to prepare for your final
exam. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine is recommended for
the in-depth reading. On the last Friday of the Clerkship, you will be
given a standardized national board type examination covering the
general field of Internal Medicine. You are expected to pass this test
in order to receive a passing grade in the Clerkship.
During each month you will go to one medical subspecialty clinic
each week that will take precedence over your ward activities. The
purpose of going to these clinics is to broaden your exposure to
outpatient internal medicine subspecialties.
Finally, it is very important to us that we create an environment
that fosters the development of life-long learning skills, reflection,
and exemplary professional behavior. To promote this, we require you
to create an educational portfolio that demonstrates your growth and
competence in Internal Medicine. The specifics of this
portfolio are
on our website and will be reviewed during your orientation and
provided in a separate packet.
We are determined to make this an outstanding educational
experience for you. If there are problems or questions, you should
contact the Clerkship Director, Dr. Heather Harrell at 265-0651. Also
please feel free to contact me or Dr. Gonzalez-Rothi, the Chief of the
Medical Services at the Veterans Administration, or the chief medical
resident at the Veterans Administration or Shands Hospital for
assistance.
Should you wish to convey concerns to someone outside the
Department of Medicine, you should contact a member of the Student
Advocacy Committee. The Office of Student Affairs can provide you with
the names of the members of this committee.
Welcome again.
With my best wishes.
Sincerely,
Edward R. Block, M.D.
ERB:kp
