Student Track

Goals

To encourage students who enter medical school with an interest in primary care to reinforce their interest and receive special training in Family Medicine.

Background

Up to 50% of the entering freshman medical students have an interest in primary care. By the time the students are entering their 3rd-year clerkships their interest has declined to half of that and by graduation, less than 10% of the class selects Family Medicine. Nevada has a tremendous manpower shortage in primary care. This track serves as a mechanism for those students who have an interest in primary care as an entering student to foster continued interest. In addition, the goal is to help alleviate the manpower shortage.

Outline

• Selection: a committee of the family medicine clerkship director, chair of the family medicine department, Division of Interdisciplinary Medicine chair will comprise the selection committee. The first year students will apply for the track. The selection will be based on a desire to be in primary care.
• Introduction to Patient Care (IPC): a special session of IPC and how it applies to family medicine will be given during the student's first semester. Orientation to the Family Medicine Clinic will occur during this session.
• Starting the second semester the student will start their own clinics. They will have clinics at the same time other first year students would be at their community preceptor. The student will be assigned their own patients and will be under direct supervision of a family medicine faculty. The patients assigned will be full scope of family medicine. A pager will be given to the student. If the student's patient is admitted to the hospital then the student will be paged to see if they could be part of the admission. That will also apply to an obstetrical patient in labor.
• During the second half of the second year until graduation, the student will have their own clinics scheduled monthly, as long as the student is available.
• This will also occur during the 3rd year clerkship. For continuity, the 3rd year will be in Reno.
• Special didactic sessions will be given throughout the 4 year curriculum that will be specifically designed to augment education in primary care.
• The student will be expected to be active in the Family Medicine Interest Group.
• The student will attend the National Conference for Students and Residents in Family Medicine and will be a student delegate to the student congress.
• The student will also take the Family Medicine Scholars elective as a 4th year student.
• The student will be assigned a Family Medicine Advisor that will remain their advisor throughout their 4 years of medical school unless the student is no longer interested in a career in Family Medicine.
• After successful completion of the 4 year curriculum track the student will qualify for "Special Qualifications in Family Medicine" designation and will be awarded this at the Awards Ceremony prior to graduation.