University of Pittsburgh
Combined Clinical Years

Adult Inpatient Medicine Clerkship (AIMC)
MS-3

8 weeks

Thomas Painter, MD

Course Director
Thomas Painter, MD
Professor
Department of Medicine
paintertd@upmc.edu

Erika Hoffman, MD

Course Co-Director
Erika Hoffman, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Medicine
hoffmaneb@upmc.edu

Melissa McNeil, MD

Course Co-Director
Melissa McNeil, MD
Professor
Department of Medicine
mcneilma@upmc.edu

Paul Rogers, MDAdam Yates, MD

Course Co-Director
Paul Rogers, MD
Professor
Department of Critical Care Medicine
rogerspl@ccm.upmc.edu

Course Co-Director
Adam Yates, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Emergency Medicine
yatesam@upmc.edu

Course Description

This 8-week interdisciplinary clerkship is divided into two blocks of 4 weeks each. During each block the student is assigned to an inpatient rotation at a local hospital. On the first day of each block students participate in case-based workshops led by faculty in Emergency Medicine and Geriatric Medicine. During this inpatient rotation, students are assigned their own patients and apply their clinical skills under resident and faculty supervision. Students learn how to take an accurate and pertinent history, conduct a physical examination, recognize patterns of illness, and acquire approaches to disease management. All students participate in four critical care medicine simulation sessions at the WISER Center, where they have hands-on experience evaluating and treating acute cardiopulmonary conditions.

The goals of the course are that students should become able to:

  1. refine history taking and physical exam skills
  2. generate an appropriate differential diagnosis
  3. appropriately order and interpret laboratory studies
  4. understand the pathophysiology of the patient's disease process
  5. devise and carry out treatment plans
  6. interact with all appropriate health care providers in the care of the patient

Clerkship locations include UPMC Montefiore, UPMC Shadyside, and the VA Pittsburgh Healthcare System.

Educational Methods

Inpatient patient care Case-based workshops Simulation sessions    
Lectures Student teaching attending conferences        

Evaluation

Each 4-week Clinical Block contributes 40% of the clerkship grade. The Clinical Block grades are from the evaluations of the ward attending (50% of the block grade), the student teaching attending (25% of the block grade), and the resident (25% of the block grade). The final written examination is a National Board of Medical Examiners subject exam that constitutes 20% of the clerkship grade.

Grading: The clerkship is graded Honors, High Pass, Pass, Low Pass, Unsatisfactory.

Faculty Note

Thomas Painter, MD, is a recipient of the Kenneth E. Schuit Master Educator Award. Melissa McNeil, MD, is a recipient of the Excellence in Education Award for Small Group Facilitator and the Donald S. Fraley Award for Medical Student Mentoring. Paul Rogers, MD, is a recipient of the AAMC Robert J. Glaser Distinguished Teacher Award, the Kenneth E. Schuit Master Educator Award, and numerous Clinical Golden Apple Awards. Joe Suyama, MD and Erika Hoffman, MD are recipients of the Clerkship Preceptor of the Year Award. In addition, Dr. Painter, Dr. McNeil, and Dr. Rogers are members of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Academy of Master Educators.