Fourth Year Elective Rotations

Students are asked NOT to contact any preceptors directly
regarding a 4thYear Elective in Medicine or IM
until approved to do so by the Clinical Clerkship Support Staff.

• Students submit the ELECTIVES SITE REQUEST FORM to Erika Goodell in the Clinical Clerkship Support Office (G043) located in the basement of McKim near the Post Office. The form is checked and submitted to the AIM or FM Clerkship Director for approval. The form will ask if the student has a doctor they would like to request, or if they want the Clinical Clerkship Support Office to assign a preceptor already in the system.
  
  
• There is a limited budget allocated for these clerkships. They are granted on a first-come, first served basis.
  
  

  • Upon approval through Erika, the student then calls and works directly with the preceptor to set up the elective. Call your preceptor again shortly before the rotation to arrange arrival times and other important information. If you have problems contacting the preceptor's office, call Erika Goodell at 924-8713 or email at egg2a@virgnia.edu.
    
    
  • You will receive a  packet of information about your site including two evaluation forms. One is for the preceptor to fill out about the student which is returned to the Office of Student Affairs. The second evaluation form is for you to complete about the preceptor. This should be returned to the Clinical Clerkship Support Office to Erika Goodell where it is used to support faculty appointments. We are interested in your feeddback.  Feedback will not be discussed with the preceptor until their evaluation of you has been received.
    
    
  • There may also be travel directions, housing information, and a reimbursement form in your packet of information. Please be sure you understand this paperwork and let the Clinical Clerkship Support Office know if anything is unclear. Not all sites are eligible for housing support. Check with our office if you are unclear about whether or not you qualify for reimbursement. Note that no refunds are possible without a RECEIPT.
    

  • Guidelines for Students Working in Office Practices

    1. Students are encouraged to participate in all activities of the practice.
       Assume an active, interested role as a partner in the group practice. Participate not only in the office evaluation of patients, but also in administrative and economic planning, hospital rounds and emergency room visits night and weekend call (to be scheduled), laboratory testing, and home and nursing home visits
       
    2. In the office, students are encouraged to work independently as well as observe the preceptor. When working independently, let the following steps be a guide:
       
       • see patient alone, introduce yourself, informing the patient that you are a medical student, working with the patient's permission,
       • perform a focused interview and physical examination, determined by the patient's symptoms and concerns, formulate a differential diagnosis, decide on the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies needed,
       • tell the patient that the preceptor will return with you to review the situation,
       • present the patient's history and physical examination, reevaluate the patient with the preceptor,
       • discuss the assessment of the problem and the recommendations with the patient,
       • order appropriate tests and write prescriptions with he preceptor's approval,
       • write a progress note and have the preceptor approve it,
       • see the patient in follow-up, if possible and
       • pay attention to your schedule and the patient's - try not to keep patients waiting.
         
    3. When observing the preceptor:
       • observe the preceptor's style of interaction and interview techniques,
       • participate in the interview when appropriate,
       • participate in the physical examination with the preceptor,
       • perform and interpret diagnostic tests,
       • participate in and discuss the decision making with the preceptor.
         
    4. Students are encouraged to be independant learners. Get involved in the care of patients and read about the problems that you see.
       • note in a log patients who were difficult or interesting for you,
       • talk with your preceptor about preventive medicine, cost containment, insurance and billing, staff relations, being on call, balancing the professional and personal aspects of your life, and so on.

    Evan B. Heald, MD, AIM Clerkship Directorebh3a@virginia.edu
    Peter Ham, MD Family Medicine Clerkship Director klm2e@vifginia.edu
    Darci Lieb, Clerkship Administrator AIM-& FM (434) 924-2194lieb@virginia.edu
    Barbara Rogers, Clerkship Coordinator, AIM-(434) 982-4329 blr3q@virginia.edu
    Leslie Stewart, Clerkship Coordinator, FM-(434) 982-2516 mls5d@virginia.edu
    Minerva Hill, Clinical Clerkship Support - (434) 924-9609 mrj4z@virginia.edu

• Upon approval through Erika, the student then calls and works directly with the preceptor to set up the elective. Call your preceptor again shortly before the rotation to arrange arrival times and other important information. If you have problems contacting the preceptor's office, call Erika Goodell at 924-8713 or email at egg2a@virgnia.edu.
  
  
• You will receive a  packet of information about your site including two evaluation forms. One is for the preceptor to fill out about the student which is returned to the Office of Student Affairs. The second evaluation form is for you to complete about the preceptor. This should be returned to the Clinical Clerkship Support Office to Erika Goodell where it is used to support faculty appointments. We are interested in your feeddback.  Feedback will not be discussed with the preceptor until their evaluation of you has been received.
  
  
• There may also be travel directions, housing information, and a reimbursement form in your packet of information. Please be sure you understand this paperwork and let the Clinical Clerkship Support Office know if anything is unclear. Not all sites are eligible for housing support. Check with our office if you are unclear about whether or not you qualify for reimbursement. Note that no refunds are possible without a RECEIPT.
  

• Guidelines for Students Working in Office Practices

  1. Students are encouraged to participate in all activities of the practice.
     Assume an active, interested role as a partner in the group practice. Participate not only in the office evaluation of patients, but also in administrative and economic planning, hospital rounds and emergency room visits night and weekend call (to be scheduled), laboratory testing, and home and nursing home visits
     
  2. In the office, students are encouraged to work independently as well as observe the preceptor. When working independently, let the following steps be a guide:
     
     • see patient alone, introduce yourself, informing the patient that you are a medical student, working with the patient's permission,
     • perform a focused interview and physical examination, determined by the patient's symptoms and concerns, formulate a differential diagnosis, decide on the diagnostic and therapeutic strategies needed,
     • tell the patient that the preceptor will return with you to review the situation,
     • present the patient's history and physical examination, reevaluate the patient with the preceptor,
     • discuss the assessment of the problem and the recommendations with the patient,
     • order appropriate tests and write prescriptions with he preceptor's approval,
     • write a progress note and have the preceptor approve it,
     • see the patient in follow-up, if possible and
     • pay attention to your schedule and the patient's - try not to keep patients waiting.
       
  3. When observing the preceptor:
     • observe the preceptor's style of interaction and interview techniques,
     • participate in the interview when appropriate,
     • participate in the physical examination with the preceptor,
     • perform and interpret diagnostic tests,
     • participate in and discuss the decision making with the preceptor.
       
  4. Students are encouraged to be independant learners. Get involved in the care of patients and read about the problems that you see.
     • note in a log patients who were difficult or interesting for you,
     • talk with your preceptor about preventive medicine, cost containment, insurance and billing, staff relations, being on call, balancing the professional and personal aspects of your life, and so on.

  Evan B. Heald, MD, AIM Clerkship Directorebh3a@virginia.edu
  Peter Ham, MD Family Medicine Clerkship Director klm2e@vifginia.edu
  Darci Lieb, Clerkship Administrator AIM-& FM (434) 924-2194lieb@virginia.edu
  Barbara Rogers, Clerkship Coordinator, AIM-(434) 982-4329 blr3q@virginia.edu
  Leslie Stewart, Clerkship Coordinator, FM-(434) 982-2516 mls5d@virginia.edu
  Minerva Hill, Clinical Clerkship Support - (434) 924-9609 mrj4z@virginia.edu