Transition to Clinical Care
Phase II begins with a two-week Transition to Clinical Care (TCC) course in which students acquire the skills to function effectively in the clinical environment. Focus is on communication skills, clinical documentation, case presentation skills, learning environment, academic success, patient care quality, humanism, and other clinical skills.
Primary Clinical Clerkships
The TCC course is followed by Primary Clinical Clerkships, which are aligned in four 12-week blocks:
- Block 1: Medicine (8 weeks) and Primary Care (4 weeks);
- Block 2: Pediatrics (6 weeks) and Ob-Gyn (6 weeks);
- Block 3: Surgery (8 weeks), Anesthesia (2 weeks) and Emergency Medicine (2 weeks);
- Block 4: Psychiatry (6 weeks), Neurology (4 weeks) and Radiology (2 weeks)
Blocks 1 through 3 are each capped by a wellness week, during which students may take time to relax and recharge with family and friends or participate in self-directed activities. Following the fourth clerkship block, students begin their dedicated Step exam prep period.
Core clerkships require the successful completion of the NBME subject exams for a pass grade. Each core clerkship has a specific set of clinical skills and clinical conditions that students must encounter and document electronically. Students are given access to electronic cases and materials to augment their clinical experience.
During the fourth clerkship block, students take the summative Clinical Performance Exam, which they must pass.
