Primary Care Clerkship
Welcome to the Primary Care Clerkship!
This four week required clerkship is intended as a brief, but intensive, introduction to the world of the generalist physician. You will the opportunity to work with physicians who practice the biopsychosocial, patient-centered philosophy that is central to primary care. These four weeks will allow you the chance to study these approaches in detail, learn a great deal about the broad range of clinical problems encountered by the generalist, and gain a broader perspective on the role of medical care in people's lives. This 4 week clerkship is structured to emphasize clinical experience. The student will spend the majority of their time in 1-2 outpatient offices with either an Internist or a Family Medicine Physician. It is a unique opportunity to work directly with an attending for an extended period. The student will see multiple patients daily and often will be the first contact. It is a good time to refine not only history taking and oral presentation skills but also their physical examination skills . They will get a chance to take part and observe the role of telephone medicine and the emerging role of EMR (electronic medical record) and e-medicine. Supplementing the clinical experiences are didactic sessions every Wednesday. These are generally interactive case based discussions but also include lectures focusing on disease prevention and web based modules. The students will also take part in a CSA for feedback on their history taking, physical examination and clinical write up skills. During the clerkship they will also do a more formal presentation on a topic of their choice for their peers. We have constructed the clerkship curriculum to emphasize, in particular, communication skills, clinical decision-making skills, a commitment to lifelong learning, and health promotion and disease prevention. 
Jennifer Bierman, MD
Primary Care Clerkship Director | 
