INTRODUCTION to the THIRD YEAR

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INTRODUCTIONto theTHIRD YEAR

• CLASS OF 2010
• February 6, 2008
• Office of Student Affairs
• Stritch School of Medicine

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CLERKSHIP TRACK SYSTEM 2008-2009

• Third year course requirements and options

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MEETINGS GOALS

• To de-mystify the process of clinical scheduling
• To build positive anticipation
• To allow you to plan

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OBJECTIVES

• To describe the clinical calendar
• To explain the CTS and year 3 requirements and
  options
• To review the track assignment process
• To give you some guidance on ranking tracks
• To provide an overview of the site assignment
  process

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Todays Meeting

• NOT intended to prepare you for your role and
  responsibilities as a junior clerk
• NOT intended to tell you what to expect on the
  floor

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Third Year Calendar

• Four Quarters/12 months total
• Each Qtr 12 weeks
• One week vacation between quarters (end of Sept,
  December, March and June)
• Christmas holiday break shorter than Yrs 1 2
• Participation in clerkships on day 1 and final
  exam date mandatory (plan travel accordingly)

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Handout Contents

• Calendar of Important Events/Dates
• Third Year Calendar
• CTS General Info
• Lottery s
• Chart of Clerkship Tracks
• Chart of Students per Rotation by Dept
• Past CTS Lottery Results
• Track Ranking Form

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CTS General Information

• Third Yr CTS governs the order students take
  their required clerkships
• Tracks assigned via a lottery process
• Changes possible but very limited
• CTS does NOT include site placement

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CTS Chart I
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CTS FEATURES

• Starts with orientation a clinical skills
  workshop course prior to clerkship start
• 16 tracks permit randomized sequence across
  clerkships
• 8 or 9 Students per track permits enrollment to
  be distributed evenly

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Enrollment Distribution
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Third Yr Core Clerkship Requirements

• Medicine (12 wks)
• Surgery (12 wks)
• Fam Med (6 wks)
• OB-Gyn (6 wks)
• Pediatrics (6 wks)
• Psychiatry (6 wks)

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Required Clerkship Sequencing

• Any core clerkship may occur first
• None are prerequisite to any other
• Sequencing not directed toward specific career
  paths
• Each track guarantees all 6 core clerkships
• Peds/OB FM/Psy coupled

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Third Year Elective Option

• Available to a limited number of students
• Limited to certain specialties
• Details later in program

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Other Yr 3 Requirements

• PCM3 Seminars (Approx 8 offered/ dates TBA)
• Representative Topics (subject to change)
• Business, Professionalism Justice I II
• Physicians Hospitals
• US Health Care System
• Difficult Physician-Patient Relationships
• Complementary Alternative Medicine
• Genetics
• Professional Development
• End of Life Care I II

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Other 3rd Yr Requirements (Continued)

• Medical Humanities
• Ethics Grand Rounds (four required for
  graduation)
• Ethics Case Paper (due in first week of fourth
  year, July 2009)

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CTS Lottery Rules and Process

• Lottery numbers computer generated
• You cannot sell or trade your number!
• Track rank form is last page of handout
• Rank Form due Wednesday, March 12th in
  Registration Records Office (Rm. 220)
• Assignments posted in late March

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Lottery process (continued)

• Rank all tracks
• Once the lottery is drawn, trading of complete
  tracks is allowed for one week
• Individual clerkships can be traded - see CTS
  General Info for rules
• Changes in sequence also may be possible by
  petition to O.R.R.

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Ranking Tracks...

• Different tracks fit different individuals needs
• You can do well in any track
• Every core Dept. is prepared for rookies
• All trainees are new in July (UG and Grad)
• Clinical skills knowledge are evaluated on
  sliding scale during the year

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Ranking (continued)

• Summer Youre learning the ropes
• Fall Winter Work well for interest areas
• Spring Planning fourth year courses performance
  should show solid growth ability start Step 2
  prep??

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You might consider

• The ebb and flow of rigor type of work
• More challenging/more inspiring sequencing
• With whom do you study/share study resources
• Personal issues (partners schedule, commitments)
• Avoiding crowd mentality about perfect tracks
• Talking to your advisor

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Myth There are easier/ harder rotations

• Reality
• It differs by season (everything may be difficult
  in the summer)
• It differs by site, pt. load, acuity level
• It differs because of team work ethic style
• It differs by your own motivation what you put
  in to each clerkship

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Good advice

• Be prepared to make the most of every rotation -
  even those that seem sub-optimal
• Plan to stay focused and involved every month -
  you cant turn commitment and enthusiasm on/off
  during 3rd yr and be successful
• Dont pick a track around your ski trip dates or
  good weather activities

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Focus on big picture

• The track sequence is NOT critical.
• Dont get hung up about when every clerkship
  falls
• Pick one or two key points relevant and important
  to your own needs and work those features into
  your top track picks

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Special Situations to consider in Yr 3 scheduling

• Touch base with Dean Wronski if you are
• in the military scholarship program
• seeking to transfer to another school
• anticipating a yr 2 remediation schedule
• dealing with other significant academic
  commitments or concerns
• attempting to juggle personal priorities and
  school.

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Lottery chances based on lottery number

• Past track placements
• 70 - 80 of the class typically receives 1st, 2nd
  or 3rd choice track
• Students with lower lottery numbers have
  captured top choice tracks in the past
• Faculty advisors and SAS advisors are good
  resources for advice

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Site Assignment Process

• Clerkships must be taken at sites specified by
  SSOM
• Sites assigned by lottery, with Wild Card option
  
• Peds, Psych, Fam Med, OB-Gyn and Medicine (for 1
  of the months)
• Assignments done by placement
• Surgery 2 of the 3 Medicine months
• TRACK LOTTERY NUMBER DOES NOT APPLY TO SITE
  LOTTERIES

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Site Assignments...

• July assignments made approx. in May
• Students submit site preference once made,
  assignments are BINDING
• Subsequent lotteries occur about 3 - 6 weeks
  prior to start of each clerkship
• Follow policies governing site placements
  (provided in late March)

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Site Assignments...

• You will need good, reliable personal
  transportation. Your daily schedule may not
  permit car pooling.
• Your decrepit 1997 car will not exempt you from
  being assigned to more distant sites.

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Third Year Elective Option

• Purpose to offer exposure to certain specialties
  for students considering these disciplines as a
  career
• Electives offered for specialties that dont
  exist in required clerkship program

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Elective Fields

• Otolaryngology Diagnostic Radiology
• Neurology Emergency Medicine
• Neurosurgery Orthopedics
• Ophthalmology Pathology
• Urology Physical Med Rehab
• Anesthesia Plastic Surgery
• Dermatology Radiation Oncology
• (Some of these also may be options within the
  Surgery clerkship)

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Eligibility Ground Rules

• Good standing/no clerkship deficiencies
• Applications must be filed available in November
• Must be taken in 2nd half of 3rd year
• Limited space in each elective
• Must be taken within Loyola, not away

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Where does the elective fit?

• Bumps a 3rd year clerkship or part of a 3rd year
  clerkship to the summer of year 4
• 4 wks of surgery (gen surgery) OR
• 4 wks of medicine (in-pt medicine) OR
• One six week required clerkship (fam med, peds,
  OB, psych)

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(Dont say you werent told)

• Exams must be taken at their assigned time
• No exceptions (Christmas cheap airfare dates
  included!)
• Exams float may be in A.M. or P.M.
• Daily attendance in Yr 3 4 is MANDATORY
• Day one on each clerkship is crucial
• Sat/Sun attendance may be expected on some
  services at some sites
• On-Call every 4th night, often less frequently

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Other Important Info

• Booklist will be published
• Third year clerks will need both long and short
  white coats worn according to the service
  assignment

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E-documents to follow

• Site assignment procedures wild card process
• List of course directors and staff, sites,
  specialty services

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Important Dates

• March 12th Track Rank Form due
• Late March Assignments posted
• Approx May 2008 Submit site choices for July
  assignment (stay connected with SSOM email!)

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Important Dates

• Wed., 6/25/08 Fri., 6/27/08
• 3rd Yr Orientation/Clinical Tools Workshops
• (Attendance required)
• Monday, June 30th
• Clerkships start (Attendance required)

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Questions?

• Advice/suggestions Faculty Advisors
• Best wishes as you plan for Year Three!
• Office of Student Affairs