Doctoring 1 Preceptorship - 2007-2008
We hope you will consider being a UCLA Doctoring 1 preceptor! Here is some information about the program. Many students report the preceptorship as the highlight of their first year, as it is the only scheduled time they go into the clinic and interact with patients.
Goals of the Program
- To give students the opportunity to go out into clinical settings to see patients and the practice of medicine with a faculty mentor.
- To expose students to primary care that is humanistic, patient-centered, continuous, and, where possible, family-oriented.
- To provide students with the opportunity, where possible, to interview patients, to practice taking vital signs and to practice the physical examination.
Student Observations of the Medical Practice
Students are expected to spend the entire assigned afternoon (3-4 hours) in your office. They are expected to dress professionally with white coats and blue nametags. You may choose to include them in hospital rounds, home visits and other activities if mutually agreeable.
Patient Interviews
Whenever possible, we would like the students to interview at least one patient during each of the eight visits (NOT a complete history and physical – any encounter will do, even for a few minutes), and for you to observe at least a portion of one of their interviews twice during the year. All interviews that are not observed should be presented to you. Please give them constructive feedback on any observed interviews and on the case presentations. We have explained to the students that they will be primarily observing at first and that the nature of your practice may not allow for much one-on-one interviewing. As much as possible, though, include the students in your decision making process and discuss cases with them.
Vital Signs and Physical Examination
Whenever possible, let the students take blood pressures and allow them to practice the physical exam. They will have completed three session of a four session an introductory course in the physical examination before the preceptorship begins, and they will be eager to practice their skills. Explain any unusual findings to them and let them listen to heart sounds or feel an abdominal mass if it seems appropriate. You may want to enlist your nurses in helping the students practice their blood pressures.
Evaluation
Students are expected to attend eight preceptorship sessions over the course of the year. They will present a card at each visit for your signature to document their attendance. If you or your student cannot meet on a scheduled day, it is ultimately up to the student to arrange another time with you, although their schedules are not terribly flexible. It is acceptable for one of your colleagues to substitute for you if possible. We will ask you to evaluate the student at the end of the year with a pass or fail grade and a brief narrative description of their performance.
Medical Student Curriculum
Before their first visit with you in January, the students will have learned about the basics of the medical interview (chief complaint, history of present illness, family and social history) and they will have begun to learn how to write chart notes. Students will have had a seven-session basic physical exam course and are eager to practice these exam skills. In their Doctoring course, the will have learned about Advance Directives, some issues in geriatrics, and how to counsel a patient about smoking cessation. In their basic science classes, they will have studied introductory topics such as immunity and cancer, as well as the respiratory, cardiovascular and renal systems.
During January and February, they will study the GI, endocrine and reproductive systems. They will also learn about taking a sexual history and a dietary history, they will work with an adolescent patient, and they will learn about counseling on diet, cholesterol and safe sex practices. It would be ideal if they could see some diabetic patients during this time.
From mid-March to mid-April, they will be studying the musculoskeletal and peripheral nervous systems, including sports injuries and arthritis. Patients with disabilities, drug and alcohol abuse, pain management and domestic violence will be covered. Students will attend an AA meeting during this time. Finally, they will study the central nervous system, study the neurological examination, and will make visits to pediatric and geriatric clinics.
Schedule [doc]
If there are any logistical problems with the preceptorship experience, please contact Bahij Austin, the preceptorship coordinator, at baustin@mednet.ucla.edu or (310) 825-1048. You may also contact Dr. Susan Stangl at sstangl@mednet.ucla.edu or (310) 206-0976.