Professional organizations for Medical Students:
Contributed by:
Gerald P. Whelan, MD, FACEP, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Gerald P. Whelan, MD, FACEP, Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates
Who is a Medical Student?
Medical Students are students training to become physicians. In the United States, undergraduate medical education consists of four years of study in an allopathic (MD degree) or osteopathic (DO degree) school of medicine.
What does a Medical Student do?
In most U.S. medical schools, students spend the first two years of study primarily in classrooms, seminar sessions, and laboratories, and only enter the clinical setting for basic training in medical history taking or physical examination or as observers.
Generally, beginning in the third year of medical school, Medical Students participate in clerkships in various clinical departments and medical and surgical specialties. During these clerkships, sometimes called externships, subinternships, or rotations, they continue to function primarily as students, but their role is more hands-on at the bedside or in an operating room setting.
What education, training, and experience must one have to function as a Medical Student?
Entry into medical school requires completion of a bachelor’s degree, which may be in virtually any discipline offered at an accredited college or university.
Medical Students are not permitted to begin clinical clerkships until they have successfully completed the first two years of medical school, during which they study basic sciences, including anatomy, physiology, pathology, and pharmacology. Some schools require their students to pass the USMLE Step 1 or COMLEX-USA Level 1 Basic Science examination before proceeding into their third year. They should also have at least an introduction to the clinical skills of medical history taking and physical examination before entering the clinical setting.
How and by whom is a Medical Student supervised?
Ultimate responsibility for Medical Students rests with a clinical faculty member who is designated as the clerkship director. However, on an ongoing basis Medical Students are supervised by members of the clinical physician teams to which they are assigned. This may be the attending physician, but more often it will be the resident physicians with whom the student works closely.
What are the typical day-to-day activities of a Medical Student?
Medical Students’ day-to-day activities depend on the clinical department or area to which they are assigned. Much of their time is spent “shadowing” the resident physicians to whom they are assigned. Under direct supervision, they may perform or assist in some procedures.
Although Medical Students will generally participate in rounds and educational conferences along with residents, there may also be special educational conferences and activities designed specifically for students. For that reason, they may not be as consistently available or visible in the clinical areas or clinics as residents.
During clerkships, Medical Students’ schedules may vary and reflect to some degree the schedule of the residents to whom they are assigned, although students’ schedules are rarely as demanding. However, Medical Students on some rotations will be expected to be on call for some nights.
Must a Medical Student be licensed or certified to function in his or her role as part of the health care team?
Since Medical Students do not provide any patient care other than under direct supervision, they do not need to be licensed or certified. The only requirement for them to function in their role in clinical settings is that they be in good standing with and assigned by their medical schools.
What types of patients would benefit from the care of a Medical Student?
Since Medical Students do not provide unsupervised care, it is difficult to speculate on the benefits patients experience from being exposed to them. However, many patients are receptive to having a role in the training of future physicians and experience some satisfaction in helping them learn to be good doctors.
In some cases, because Medical Students are not as busy as resident physicians, they can spend a bit more time communicating with patients. Often, these communications can result in better care and patient satisfaction. It is critical, however, that patients be aware that the individual they are communicating with is a Medical Student. It is imperative that Medical Students clearly articulate their role as students when they first meet a patient.
How and when does a Medical Student become involved in the care of a particular patient?
Medical Students essentially “come with the team” or go where they are assigned. Often patients with particularly classical or unique findings, or with other aspects that provide special learning opportunities, will be identified to Medical Students for their particular attention.
