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An innovative part of our curriculum is also called the Initial Clinical Experience,
also known as the ICE program.It is a course component of the patient
position in society.
Many medical schools don't offer clinical experience
until the 3rd and 4th year but at our school the ICE program occurs within the
first two years of medical school.
Our students are quite advanced with their communication,
as well as clinical skills prior to beginning their third year
clerkships. Each student is paired up with an internist
or family practitioner, an OBGYN, a pediatrician
and a surgeon. The students are scheduled to be with their preceptor 1/2 day per
week,
which is about four hours. The placement of
each discipline in the first hundred weeks is strategic in
order to integrate the classroom science with the bedside medicine.
For example if they are learning about Reproductive Medicine in their small or
large group learning sessions,
they will review the pelvic anatomy in structure lab and then visit the OBGYN
in the office to either see a pregnant female
or a female coming in for a gynecologic visit. So it is
all integrated, which really helps the students make that link
between the science in the classroom and the clinical bed-side medicine in the office.
The ICE program follows an apprentice model, so the students are able to
maintain their relationship with their preceptors
throughout the first two years in medical school. The preceptors that are chosen for ICE
have a passion for teaching. They are experienced physicians in their own
discipline
and are excited to pass on their knowledge to students who are eventually going to be
the physicians of
tomorrow. A key component of the ICE program
is that it is a hands-on experience and is not a shattering program.
The students are able to see patients on their own, which gives them a sense of
ownership and responsibility. Not only do they learn clinical medicine,
but they are able to develop their communication skills, bedside manners
and learn how to run a practice. It's a very wholesome experience and the students find
ICE to be very valuable and exciting.
My name is Dr. Taranjeet Ahuja, I am the co-director for the initial clinical
experience.
If you need more information please visit our website.