You are required to complete a minimum of 15 new patient write-ups for the clerkship and you may submit as many as you like in the portfolio for feedback. The final requirement for the portfolio is to select your 4 best write-ups which will be part of your final clerkship evaluation and grade. The Clerkship Directors or their designees (portfolio advisors) determine competency. The evaluation checklist reviews the requirements for competency. You also will be given written feedback that is both positive and corrective and an overall rating. If you are not satisfied with your overall evaluation, you are free to submit additional write-ups throughout the clerkship until you demonstrate competence.
There is no requirement to type your write-ups. You are expected to do a write-up (and write daily progress notes) on every patient you admit. You are strongly encouraged to review these with your attending physicians* and residents. However, you can choose which ones you want to turn in as representative of your highest competency level.
The format used for H&P’s is the traditional one taught in EPC. I have included detailed instructions for your review. If for some reason your attending has a problem with the way you are taught to do a write-up, please refer him/her to me so that you do not get penalized (or find your self writing two versions, which is not acceptable for you).
This should not create any additional work for you but should give you more active and consistently constructive feedback. You should plan on writing up the history, physical exam, lab data, and problem list portion of the write-up immediately after seeing your patient. It is expected that you will need to do some reading to formulate your differential, assessment, and plan. You can write this portion of your write-up later in the evening. It is to your advantage to have this finished by rounds the next morning in order to give an informed presentation and look like a star.
In addition to formal instructions, we have provided multiple examples of write-ups below to help you understand the expectations.
Minimum of 4 write-ups turned in required
* If you want your attending to give you feedback on your write-ups, you need to give them a copy that they can take home with them as realistically they will not have time to sit down with the chart to evaluate it.
