Following the first two years of training, students begin their clinical clerkships in the M3 year. In each clerkship, students develop competencies specific to the discipline as well as to the practice of medicine in general. Care of hospitalized and ambulatory patients give students their first experience with both the time commitment and the emotional demands of the physician's life. The Essentials of Clinical Practice and Professionalism course was established to assist third year students in preparing for their clerkships by providing training that will help them excel. Students may also take any of the required Specialties in the M3 year following completion of the required prerequisites, or may choose to fill their unscheduled time with electives. Click here for the list of required and recommended textbooks for the core clerkships and Neurology.