Placement in the Curriculum and Prerequisites:  Year 4, Completion of Core Clerkships.

Purpose:  This mandatory, one-week course is designed to prepare the graduating medical student for residency and will act as a bridge between medical school and residency. The goal of the course is to expose the medical student to general concepts that will provide the foundation for a more seamless transition from their M4 year to their intern year. The course will employ multiple types of didactic sessions including: small and large group discussion, standardized patient encounters / Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), team based learning exercises, role playing and role modeling, online tutorials and modules.

This course is an adjunct to the current Clinical Connections and Competences already offered in the medical school. It is designed to be a culmination of four years of medical school and will engage the students in integrating and expanding upon concepts learned in multiple previous courses as they prepare for their intern year of residency.

Competencies:  In the process of completing this course, the student will be able to:

• identify and appropriately triage common clinical scenarios, interpret appropriate lab tests and basic radiographic imaging.
• utilize best clinical practice models in managing critically ill patients.
• describe and expand on key aspects in ethically and professionally difficult situations.
• propose and execute advanced techniques in communication with challenging patient encounters
• demonstrate understanding of major challenges in the health care system including economic, legal, and quality.
• construct a framework for teaching students and giving appropriate feedback as well as receiving feedback from supervisors
• identify and explore techniques for effective time management strategies and skills for coping with stressful situations.
• formulate strategies for effective inter-professional communication.
• utilize electronic and library resources to integrate evidence based medicine into daily clinical practice

Instructional Features:

Major Topics:
o Cost Conscious Health Care Practices
o Basic Principles in Medical Litigation
o Resources and integration of Evidence Based Medicine
o Pharmacology: Basic management + Admission/Discharge Reconciliations –
o Management of commonly encountered clinical scenarios
o Identification and Management of common immediately life threatening illnesses
o Evaluation of appropriate laboratory and radiographic testing and interpretation
o Hand off of care scenario training and debriefing
o Interprofessional Communication: Calling and Answering a consult
o Interprofessional Communication: Professionalism and ethically difficult situations
o Doctor – Patient Communication: Difficult patient encounters and empathic communication skills
o Teaching students and giving feedback + Receiving feedback
o Strategies for effective time management + complying with duty hours
o Personal coping with stressful situations and dealing with mistakes

Assessment Methods:
Evaluation is based upon the direct observation in small group discussions and exercises, using checklists identifying levels of competency (pass/fail), and standardized patient evaluation and feedback.  Students must be present at all sessions, and grades for the course are either satisfactory or unsatisfactory.

To receive a Satisfactory grade in the the course, students must adhere to the following professionalism guidelines:
​

1. a) Attend all sessions.
2. b) Be on time for all sessions.
3. c) Complete all assignments on time.
4. d) Be professional at all times.
5. e) Complete all evaluations.
   
   ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:
   Program Number: CLER 671
   Location: UIC
   Program Coordinator: Larry Moran [email protected]
   Program Co-Directors: Rik Stringham, MD – [email protected], Michelle Barnes, MD – [email protected], Annette Zacharia, MD – [email protected]​
   Phone: 996.7849
   Duration: 1 Week
   Night Call: No
   Weekends: No
   Students Accepted:  65 per session/3 sessions per year
   Housestaff Used as Faculty: Yes
   Lectures/Conferences/Faculty Contact:
   Laboratory/Independent Study:
   Outpatient:
   Inpatient:
   Total Hours/Week: 40
   Reporting Instructions: Students will be emailed in advance of the start date with specific instructions for the first day.

Updated: 12/12/22