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Indiana University School of Medicine
Indiana University School of Medicine
MD Education Program

Internal Medicine Clerkship

The Internal Medicine Clerkship is an eight-week rotation with opportunities for third-year medical students to gain ambulatory and community-based experience as well as inpatient experiences at diverse patient-care facilities.

Training Objectives

Upon completion of the Internal Medicine Clerkship, medical students are able to complete the following tasks. These training objectives align with the IU School of Medicine MD Curriculum Competencies and Institutional Learning Objectives. This alignment enables faculty and students to understand how current student learning prepares them for the next stage in training and for their ongoing practice and maintenance of certification.

Perform and report (verbally and in writing) a relevant, problem-focused history and physical examination for an adult patient in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. Data sources may include the patient, caregiver, EMR, care facility or pharmacy.  (Achieve “Reporter” function in the RIME framework.)

Formulate and justify a complete problem list for an adult patient. (Achieve “Reporter” function in the RIME framework.)

Formulate and justify a prioritized differential diagnosis (based on the interpretation of gathered data) for each undiagnosed problem for an adult patient in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Attempt “Interpreter” function in the RIME framework.)

Formulate and justify an assessment of known diagnoses and/or chronic conditions (based on the interpretation of gathered data) for an adult patient in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Attempt “Interpreter” function in the RIME framework.)

Formulate and justify a plausible diagnostic and/or therapeutic plan based on the most current medical knowledge and reconciled with an adult patient’s values and beliefs. (Attempt “Manager” function in the RIME framework.)

Differentiate normal and abnormal structure, function, growth and/or development in an adult patient in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Achieve “Reporter” function in the RIME framework.)

Explain the common etiologies, presenting symptoms or functional deficits, and expected progression of injuries or diseases routinely encounter in adult patients in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Achieve the “Reporter” function in the RIME framework.)

Explain the common etiologies, presenting symptoms or functional deficits, and expected progression of injuries or diseases routinely encounter in adult patients in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Achieve the “Reporter” function in the RIME framework.)

Describe the diagnosis, prevention, treatment or management of common of diseases, injuries and functional deficits in adult patients in either the acute care or ambulatory settings. (Attempt “Manager” function in the RIME framework.)

Analyze and evaluate diagnostic and therapeutic options using principles of evidence-based medicine. (Attempt “Educator” function in the RIME framework.)

Identify risk factors for disease, preventative interventions and/or evidence based screening methods and indications tailored to an adult patients specific characteristics, values and beliefs.

Pose and/or respond to clinical questions by independently seeking, analyzing and synthesizing evidence-based answers to advance clinical decision-making. (Attempt “Educator” function in the RIME framework.)

Seek, accept and apply specific feedback to clinical practice and personal development.

Identify the role and contributions of and establish respectful, effective relationships with the various members of the multi-professional health care team.

Identify a patient’s social context and analyze how it relates to their current state of health.

Identify and complete medical reconciliation as an accepted standard for the prevention of iatrogenic harm.

Demonstrate responsiveness to the whole patient by advocating for the patients’ and teams’ needs over their own and treating patients in a fair, unbiased, nonjudgmental manner.

Demonstrate responsibility for one’s own learning through daily preparation, full participation in learning activities, initiative in patient care, and timely completion of clerkship requirements.

Act in a professional manner by demonstrating compassion, respect, honesty, integrity and punctuality.

Adhere to ethical and legal principles in all interactions.

Communicate effectively with members of the health care team by clearly establishing shared expectations, reporting data from clinical encounters, and highlighting clinical questions or concerns.

Communicate effectively with patients and/or caregivers/families by listening attentively, allowing opportunities for questions, and maintaining appropriate eye contact.

Recognize the need to modify communication styles based upon the needs of a patient, caregiver, family member or a member of the multi‐professional clinical team.

Construct oral presentations and/or written documents to represent an organized, focused account of the student-patient interactions including details obtained and reconciled from caregivers, pharmacies or health records.