Family Medicine Residency Program Clerkship Information

MAXIMUM # OF STUDENTS ROTATING ON SERVICE AT ONCE:  Varies
LENGTH OF ROTATIONS:  Two (2) to six (6) weeks
WILL TAKE STUDENTS FOR TWO WEEKS ONLY:  Yes
LEVEL OF STUDENTS ACCEPTED:  3rd or 4th year
TIME OF YEAR OFFERED:  Flexible start dates throughout the year.  0ffered primarily to medical students with an Army obligation (HPSP, USUHS).  Students interested in Tripler, as a future residency site should make their request early and give preference to rotations between June and October in the year prior to internship.  Students from other uniformed services and civilian students are welcomed on a space-available basis from November to May.
PRIOR APPROVAL FROM DEPARTMENT REQUIRED:  Yes.  Contact the Tripler Army Medical Center (TAMC) Graduate Medical Education (GME) Student Coordinator directly for approval.  Tripler Army Medical Center GME student coordinator will coordinate with the Family Medicine student coordinator to ensure that requested dates are available.

OBJECTIVES/DESCRIPTION OF CLERKSHIP:

• The objectives of the Family Medicine clerkship are:
  • to introduce the student to the breadth and depth of family medicine;
  • to refine his/her skill in caring for patients of all ages;
  • to expose the student to common family practice procedures such as vasectomy, colposcopy, MSK injections, POCUS, minor skin and gynecologic procedures;
  • to promulgate family practice values of continuity of care, compassion, holism, and cost effectiveness, and
  • to evaluate and be evaluated by students interested in applying for a Family Medicine residency.
• The clerkship is divided between inpatient and outpatient settings – one and three weeks respectively for a four-week rotation.  For longer rotations, the time division can be arranged individually depending on interest and availability.  In the clinic, students are exposed to a full range of family medicine patients from prenatal and infant care to geriatrics.   Students work with staff or resident preceptors and are given feedback on their performance daily.  On the inpatient service, students evaluate patients from the Family Medicine Clinic, Labor and Delivery, and Emergency Room for admission to the hospital.  Under the direction of staff and resident physicians they care for these patients throughout their hospitalization.
• Didactics are an essential part of the clerkship.  Overnight admissions oral case presentations are presented at morning report each day at 7:15 A.M.  Academic afternoons (Wednesdays) feature lectures on the core curriculum of Family Medicine, military-unique topics, and Grand Rounds, jointly held with the departments of Internal Medicine or Pediatrics.

• The objectives of the Family Medicine clerkship are:
  • to introduce the student to the breadth and depth of family medicine;
  • to refine his/her skill in caring for patients of all ages;
  • to expose the student to common family practice procedures such as flexible sigmoidoscopy, vasectomy, colposcopy, treadmill stress testing, minor skin and gynecologic procedures;
  • to promulgate family practice values of continuity of care, compassion, holism, and cost effectiveness, and
  • to evaluate and be evaluated by students interested in applying for a Family Medicine residency.
• The clerkship is divided between inpatient and outpatient settings – one and three weeks respectively for a four-week rotation.  For longer rotations, the time division can be arranged individually depending on interest and availability.  In the clinic, students are exposed to a full range of family medicine patients from prenatal and infant care to geriatrics.   Students work with staff or resident preceptors and are given feedback on their performance daily.  On the inpatient service, students evaluate patients from the Family Medicine Clinic, Labor and Delivery, and Emergency Room for admission to the hospital.  Under the direction of staff and resident physicians they care for these patients throughout their hospitalization.
• Didactics are an essential part of the clerkship.  Overnight admissions oral case presentations are presented at morning report each day at 7:30 A.M.  Academic afternoons (Wednesdays) feature lectures on the core curriculum of Family Medicine, military-unique topics, and Grand Rounds, jointly held with the departments of Internal Medicine or Pediatrics.

FREQUENCY OF CALL:  Each student will take Family Medicine night call with a resident once during the rotation.  There are no required weekend duties.
REQUIRED READINGS:  Students are recommended to read a selection of recent articles that will be provided.
OTHER REQUIREMENTS:  Students are encouraged to present at least one case during morning report.
HOW ARE STUDENTS EVALUATED?  During clinic weeks, students are evaluated daily by their preceptors.  The following areas are specifically addressed: enthusiasm, patient rapport and communication, quality of history and physical examination, and appropriateness of diagnostic and therapeutic plans.  On the inpatient service, the staff and senior resident evaluate the student's overall performance and provide input to the Medical Student Coordinator.  A multiple choice test based on required readings is also given at the end of the rotation.  The Medical Student Coordinator compiles the final evaluation.
TO ARRANGE CLERKSHIP:  Please go to Tripler Educational Rotations and follow the instructions contained therein to arrange a clerkship rotation.