Medical Education

Curriculum
Clinical Skills in Block II

The Clinical Skills Program continues throughout both semesters of Block 2. Students acquire more advanced skills in all arenas as they build on the basic skills they acquired in Block 1. They work on advanced interviewing skills through encounters with hospitalized patients, individuals with specific diseases, and simulated patients. Advanced physical examination skills are also taught as students learn to examine in-depth the cardiovascular, pulmonary, musculoskeletal, and neurologic systems as well as to perform examinations of the breast, pelvis, and male genitalia. Students practice writing complete histories and physicals as well as focused progress notes as they master the skills necessary to document their findings in an appropriate format. Most significantly, greater integration of skills is expected as students progress through the program. Experiences in the Clinical Skills Program are scheduled to coincide with units in the basic sciences to facilitate the integration of skills with basic science knowledge.

The format for the course includes lectures and "laboratory" experiences. The laboratory experiences are primarily clinical encounters in hospital settings, nursing homes, or on campus.