Methods of Instruction

Clinical instruction consists of six weeks of experiential learning embedded within a general medicine ward team. The clerkship follows a 3+3 model, with students assigned to one clinical site for the first three weeks and a second site for the final three weeks; all students will rotate through MSH. During clinical rotations, students actively participate in daily patient care, including presenting patients on interdisciplinary rounds and collaborating with nursing, case management, pharmacy, and other team members.

Students will participate in eight hours of case- or problem-based didactics distributed across the six-week clerkship. Didactics are delivered as four 1-hour sessions held on the second and fifth Friday mornings of the rotation. Following didactics, the remainder of the day is protected as FlexTime.

In addition, students meet weekly with an attending preceptor in small-group sessions designed to discuss clinical cases outside the pressures of the inpatient setting. These sessions provide a supportive environment for reflection, clinical reasoning, and discussion tailored to students’ level of training and shared experiences.

Students also learn through simulation, first by interacting with a simulated primary care doctor on an AI-based platform. Students will participate in a half-day simulation session while at MSH that includes two cases of decompensating hospitalized patients. The simulation modality allows students to practice clinical assessment, differential diagnosis, and medical decision making in a realistic, low-stakes, interactive environment. Faculty facilitators provide real-time guidance and feedback throughout the session to support learning and clinical growth.