Internal Medicine

Goals»

During the third year 12-week Internal Medicine Clerkship the medical student will rotate as a clinical clerk on inpatient internal medicine wards and outpatient clinics with a goal of evaluating 30 or more patients in an inpatient and/or ambulatory clinic setting and attend a series of core classes as well as departmental conferences and morning reports. As a result, the student will develop basic competencies in evaluation and management of adult patients, build a core knowledge of common diseases seen in Internal Medicine, and acquire clinical skills, professional attitudes, and humanistic qualities needed for the care of Internal Medicine patients.

Objectives»

Given a set of diagnostic categories for Internal Medicine disease processes, the opportunity to evaluate a minimum of one real or simulated patient from each of these disease categories with completion of a comprehensive history, physical examination, assessment, and treatment plan, and core classes that complement these experiences with patient simulations and/or patient based discussions, students will be able to:

KNOWLEDGE
Describe and define:

• The basic disease processes commonly seen in Internal Medicine patients as included in the following diagnostic groups: cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal, endocrine, hematology/oncology, rheumatology, neurology, general medicine.
• The pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of these diseases.
• Bioethics of care to include informed consent and advance directives

SKILLS
Demonstrate the ability to:

• Perform and accurately record a complete history and physical examination.
• Communicate effectively with both colleagues and patients to include discussing with the patient (and family as appropriate) ongoing health care needs, using appropriate language and avoiding jargon and medical terminology.
• Construct a problem list with an appropriate differential diagnosis for each diagnostic problem using the data collected in the history and physical examination.
• Maintain adequate written records on the progression of illnesses of each patient to whom they are assigned.
• Correctly perform basic clinical procedures such as venipuncture, blood culture, arterial blood gas, electrocardiogram, nasogastric intubation, urethral catheterization, peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, and digital rectal examination.

ATTITUDES
Demonstrate professional attitudes in their approach to the care of patients by:

• Use of a non-judgmental and patient-centered manner, showing concern for the patient and the patient's family, and assuming responsibility for the care of the patient in keeping with their level of experience and training.
• Ongoing efforts to improve clinical knowledge and skills through effective use of available learning resources and life-long self-directed learning.