GMED 741S Internal Medicine Clinic Continuity Elective

Credits: 8
This elective encourages students to delve deeper into the complexities of primary care for complicated patients, giving special attention to shared decision making, motivational interviewing, and team-based care. The student will have continuity of patients and of preceptors throughout this experience, along with ample time for chart review and additional education, training and investigation as needed.

We propose that students will follow 15-20 complex patients from 4-5 providers. Over an 8-week period, students will attend all primary care appointments and also specialist visits as feasible. The student will participate in telephone encounters in conjunction with care managers, be they Nurses, Pharmacists or Social Workers. The student will add value to the care of the patient while simultaneously learning how to promote patient wellness, improve health outcomes, and improve coordination of care across the healthcare continuum.

The student will work closely with all members of our clinic, including providers, medical assistants, panel coordinators, and care managers. In addition, based on availability of willing participants, the student will work with pre-identified patient-mentors who will help to enrich the experience and teach the students the importance of patient-centered care. The student will be assigned a Core Preceptor who will help guide the student and ensure meaningful encounters and exposure. The student will be evaluated on the competencies listed below, and hopefully gain scholarship experience by writing up a case presentation or a narrative on the focused exposure to complex patients.

Graded: Pass/No pass
May be taken only once for credit