Student Programs:
The Department of Family Medicine at USU offers students a wide variety of clinical and non-clinical experiences throughout all four years of instruction.
Pre-clinical years
Faculty pursue mentoring roles with students by participating in the Human Context of Health care Course, Clinical Pathology, Introduction to Clinical Medicine I-III, and the Bushmaster/Kirkeshner exercise. The Family Medicine Interest Group also provides a forum for pre-clinical students to be exposed to the specialty of family medicine.
Human Context in Health Care:
This course is designed to introduce the clinical approach in health care through readings, panel presentations, and discussion groups. It examines the role of context-the individual life experience, beliefs and values-of both physician and patient in determining the quality of care provided, demonstrating how these factors influence care independently of the nature of the patient's illness and the specialty of the physician. Presentations emphasize the crucial role of the physician's self-awareness in facilitating effective patient care.
Clinical years
Third Year:
Students complete a required, six week long third-year clerkship in Family Medicine at one of 11 possible locations in the CONUS. All clerkship locations are co-located at full-service hospitals conducting residency training in family medicine. This environment, coupled with a student curriculum that emphasizes the provision of compassionate, comprehensive care has resulted in this clerkship being regarded as the finest of the third year.
Course Description
The six week USU Clerkship in Family Medicine is designed to provide students with a solid background in the principles and practice family medicine, regardless of their future specialty choice. Our overriding goal is to prepare students to function effectively in the family medicine setting. The clerkship will initiate, foster and develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes that are essential to our medical specialty that performs continuing, comprehensive, compassionate and personal care provided within the contexts of family and community.
The educational content of the Family Medicine Clerkship emphasizes the evaluation and treatment of patients with common clinical problems and conditions. During the first week of the clerkship, students participate in one week of interactive, group learning experiences at the USUHS campus. Students then spend the following 4 � weeks in one of eleven clinical settings working under the direct supervision of training and faculty family physicians. On the final day of the rotation, the students return to campus for their end of rotation exams.
Pamela M. Williams, MD
MAJ USAF MC
Clerkship Director
Contact information: pawilliams@usuhs.mil or 301-295-3632
LINKS
1. Student handbook (includes description and contact info for clerkship sites)
2. Sample week 1 schedule
3. Sample week 1 reading schedule
Fourth Year:
Formal (sponsored) fourth-year electives are available in Family Medicine, Alternative Medicine, Behavioral Health, and Sports Medicine. The department has also served as sponsor for student developed electives in humanitarian, tropical, and rural medicine. The department also endorses electives offered by other departments due to their relevance to Family Medicine, such as geriatrics, operational medicine, and wilderness medicine.
Family Medicine Ambulatory Experience (Pass/Fail): Students participate in the care of outpatients in the FP clinic, including acute problems as well as chronic and long-term problems. Participate in morning report, the FP lecture series, and after clinical conferences. Access to videotaping patient interviews will be available at some sites to focus on improving interviewing skills and learning family dynamics.
Family Medicine Full Service Elective (Pass/Fail): Students are assigned to FP staff who provides ongoing supervision. This allows the student to work at his/her level of competence & interest. Majority of experience will be outpatient, but student will be able to make inpatient rounds. Call will be taken every fourth night and will include an opportunity to provide obstetrical services. Chart reviews & patient discussions daily. Participation in morning report, FP lecture series and after clinic conferences is expected.
Alternative Medicine Elective (Pass/Fail): Students are familiarized to various complementary and alternative medicine practices. Emphasis on areas of interest will be determined in advance of the rotation. The month will be spent with experimental clinics, readings, and didactics.
Family Medicine Sub-internship (Letter Grade): Students will function as an intern in the FP inpatient team. Evaluate, admit, work-up & follow inpatients w/various medical, surgical, pediatric & ob/gyn diagnosis. Attend morning report & lecture series for students & interns. Attend behavioral science seminars w/interns. Participate in after clinic conference to discuss w/faculty & residents.
