Longitudinal Clinical Clerkship

faculty and students in stairwell

The Longitudinal Clinical Clerkship is a clinical elective taught by Peter Sullivan, MD, during the MD/PhD students' graduate program years. This course is sponsored by the OHSU department of Internal Medicine, division of Hospital Medicine. Students will work with Dr. Sullivan in OHSU's inpatient and outpatient clinics to gain and maintain clinical expertise while completing their PhD. 

Students begin this course the Spring term after they've passed their Step 1 examination. Students are expected to complete 30 hours of clinical time each term. Time and schedule can be flexible as long as the student completes the 30 hours per term and 240 hours at the end of 2 years of clerkship. Upon completing two years of the clerkship the student is moved to an audit status and is required to complete 15 hours per term for a total of 60 hours per year until the completion of their PhD.

Students must take the MD two-week Transition to Clinical Clerkship Experience (TTCE) the February before they transition to their PhD program as a pre-requisite to JCON 715.  While in their PhD program, taking TTCE will be optional during the February before they return to the MD program. Students delaying their Step 1 exam will still be required to take TTCE in February during their Step 1 study time and will not be registered for JCON 715 until they have passed the Step 1 exam.

MD/PhD students are required to maintain their BLS certification during their PhD program and must renew at no cost before their certification expires. If their BLS certification expires, the MD/PhD student will be personally responsible for the cost of the renewal course.

In order to meet the clinical clerkship requirements, students must select clinical experiences to participate in and log their hours. Please remember that it is each student’s responsibility to meet the minimum clinical hours per term.

Credit

MD/PhD students can apply up to 6 clinical credits for their required MD elective credits from this course. Students are required to audit the course after they have completed 240 hours of clerkship until they complete their PhD.

Objectives

  • Provide an ongoing clinical experience for MD/PhD students during their Graduate Studies years.

  • Teach and maintain the basic skills of patient communication, history taking, physical examination, and written & oral presentations (SOAP notes and complete H&Ps).

Goals

  • Obtain an accurate history, covering essential medical, personal and socioeconomic considerations.

  • Perform accurate physical examinations appropriate to patient presentation.

  • Construct and present a clinical assessment and treatment plan.

  • Construct a prioritized differential diagnosis for common presenting complaints.

  • Apply basic principles of clinical, laboratory and imaging tests for clinical screening and diagnosis, and critically evaluate their limitations.

  • Demonstrate the ability to critically evaluate and interpret scientific and medical literature and to apply findings to clinical situations.

  • Continually self-assess one's strengths and areas for improvement, and pursue a plan for improvement.

  • Accept and incorporate into clinical practice the feedback received from patients and colleagues.

  • Demonstrate skills necessary to support independent lifelong learning and ongoing professional development.

  • Demonstrate effective listening and speaking skills when communicating with patients and their families.

  • Demonstrate effective written and verbal communication skills with all members of the health care team.

  • Demonstrate respect for cultural and ethnic backgrounds of patients and their families and other members of the health care team.

  • Demonstrate compassion, sensitivity and respect for patients.

  • Demonstrate honesty and integrity in all interactions with patients, patients' families, and members of the health care team.

  • Demonstrate professional judgment in the use of electronic and social media.