On forth year, American MD Program students rotate through a set of required core clerkships in Internal and Family Medicine, General Surgery, Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Psychiatry and Neurology, etc.
Clinical Clerkship refers to the practice of medicine by American MD students during their final year of study. Clerkships give students experiences in all parts of the hospital setting, including the operating rooms, emergency department, and various other departments that allow learning by viewing and doing.
During this training, US MD students are required to rotate through different medical specialities and treat patients under the supervision of physicians. Students elicit patient histories, complete physical examinations, write progress notes, and assist in surgeries and medical procedures. The work hours are that of a full-time job, generally similar to that of residents. Students may also be required to work on weekends and to be on call. For medical students, clerkships occur after the basic science curriculum, and are supervised by medical specialists at a teaching hospital or medical school.
The intent of the clinical clerkship is to teach our students the fundamentals of clinical examination, evaluation, and care provision, and to enable the student to select the course of further study. During the clinical clerkship, the medical student will interact with real patients much as a physician does, but their evaluation and recommendations will be reviewed and approved by more senior physicians.