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Clinical Clerkship General Description

The clinical clerkship program is under the supervision of the faculty of the Michigan State University College of Osteopathic Medicine, cooperatively managed by the campus clinical departments, the Associate Dean for Academic Programs, and the clerkship coordinators at designated training centers. The initial 19 months of the student's clinical clerkship program is conducted in one of 20 community-based training centers under the supervision of the on-site Director of Medical Education. During the 19 month base hospital training program, students undertake clinical training in the major medical and surgical disciplines, with primary focus on core clerkships in General Medicine, Surgery, Anesthesiology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Emergency Medicine as well as six months in ambulatory settings in the Primary Care Ambulatory Clerkship. Another core clinical clerkship is taken in Psychiatry under the supervision of community-based trainers. Each clinical clerkship rotation is directed toward the student developing clinical competence (knowledge, procedures/skills, clinical problem solving, and professional attitudes and behaviors) in the diagnosis and management of fundamental medical problems associated with the particular medical discipline.

Degree Requirements

SELECTIVES* (Other than the service-specific requirements listed above.) Selectives are rotations completed at one of the MSUCOM base hospitals, an MSU/COM internship training hospital or with MSU/COM on-campus faculty (location is the key).

ELECTIVES*- Elective rotations can be taken at the hospital/office of student's choice (with MSUCOM approval).

* WITHIN YOUR SELECTIVE AND ELECTIVE ROTATIONS:

1. A minimum of 12-weeks must come from the Medicine Choice List*
   A minimum of 8-weeks from the Surgery Choice List**
   The additional 14 may be from either list
2. Students may take up to a total of 12 weeks of the same rotation regardless of the location.

***Students are required to complete and pass the core rotation (PSC 608) prior to approval and enrollment of a selective/elective (PSC 609, 610).

Pediatrics-General Subspecialty MAY BE TAKEN A TOTAL OF 12 WEEKS ONLY (whether General or Subspecialty or a combination of both) for credit from the appropriate Medicine and/or Surgery.

BASE PERIOD: The base period is 19 months. You must be in your base hospital for this entire time, with the exception of your 6 months of Out–Time, PCAC choice rotation, and your assigned Psychiatry clerkship. All core rotations must be completed within the base period.

OUT-TIME: Opportunity during your base hospital period to do rotations at six other hospitals. These rotations will be selective or elective depending upon where you do them. Each student has 4 months of out-time ("O") scheduled into their base hospital period prior to AOA internship selection.

The student is responsible for making individual "out-time" scheduling arrangements with the hospital (MSU/COM base hospitals & hospitals outside the base system). In addition, the student must complete the appropriate MSU/COM application form (i.e. online Base Hospital Application Form), and follow up with approval from the appropriate administrative personnel at the hospital and the Student Services Office for confirmation of the rotation.

The application form for all non-based hospitals must be printed, top part completed by student, and mailed or faxed to the appropriate Medical Education Office, Clinic, or Physician's Office to implement the process. If approved, form will be sent to the Student Services Office for final confirmation.