Clerkship/Elective Syllabus Template

Clerkship/Elective Syllabus Template

The following items should be included in each syllabus and will be described below.

1.Cover Page

a. Title of the Clerkship/Elective– e.g. Medical Acupuncture

b. Course Prefix and Number e.g. (FCM 661Z.01)

c. Name(s) ofDirector(s)

d. Academic Year and semester for which this syllabus applies:

i.e. beginning e.g. Fall 2015

e. Length of the Clerkship/Elective in weeks

f. Clinical or non-clinical elective (1 credit = 40 hours)

*Specific for elective courses.

1a. Optional - A Table of Contents may be included if the syllabus is long or has appendices. Number pages for easy reference.

2.First Page – Key information for students

a. Where, to whom, and at what timeto report on the first day ofclass?

b. Restate names and titles of key persons administering this course withtheir contact information.

1. Office location

2. Phone number that students may use to contact the faculty members

3. Email address of key persons

4. Office hours and location (if location is different from b1.)

5. Online office hours if applicable

6. Clinical faculty

c. Include the clinical locations that students will report to (if applicable)

1. Name of site

2. Address

3. Map if needed

3. Clerkship/Elective rationale and description

Why is this Clerkship/Elective included in the curriculum? How does this course help students achieve the UNR Med Institutional Objectives for the MD program?

4.Competencies and objectives/Student Learning Outcomes (3-5)

• What you want students to be able to do as a result of this course?Upon successful completion of this course, students will be able to … (ie: Apply specific protocol in the operating room (scrubbing, gowning, gloving, prepping and draping); Perform detailed neurologic examination, and distinguish normal from abnormal findings; etc.)
• These should be able to be mapped to the Institutional Objectives
• Note: These objectives/outcomes must be assessed (ie: evaluations, quiz/exam, report/essay, patient logs, etc.).

Student Learning Outcome / Assessment
Apply specific protocol in the operating room (scrubbing, gowning, gloving, prepping and draping) / Direct observation and evaluation as noted by Preceptor.
Perform detailed neurologic examination, and distinguish normal from abnormal findings / Direct observation and evaluation as noted by Preceptor.
Patient presentation evaluation as noted by Preceptor.

5.Course methodologies/format used to accomplish the above objectives and competencies [SLOs]what kinds of activities will the student do during this elective?

Lecture/demonstration will be one day per week for 3 hours. This will take place at the UNR School of Medicine, Reno Campus. One to two days per week will be assigned for each student wherein the student will spend 4 hours at a clinical site practicing the ultrasound exams covered in that week’s lecture. Ultrasound exams will take place in local emergency departments within the context of care for individual patients. Additionally, students will have the opportunity to support ultrasound sessions in the years 1 and 2 curriculum.

6. Learning Materials and Resources

Please work with Mary Shultz, Director of Savitt Medical Library concerning books, journals, online materials needed for your elective. Where will students obtain the materials for your course?

a. textbooks or e-textbooks

b. required reading – articles, websites, recordings, video

c. Library staff and library reserve – references and/or e-reserve (Eres system)

7.Course Activities:Assignments, projects, learning modules, computer cases, with instructions and due dates.

Include how assignments should be submitted: in person, on paper, online, etc.

The Patient/Procedure logs paragraphs below needs to appear every year in all Clerkship syllabi:

Patient/Procedure logs: Students are responsible for entering information on a regular basis (at least once per week) into the One45 Patient/Procedure log module to document all core clerkship learning activities and patient encounters experienced during the clerkship rotation. This includes inpatient and outpatient activities, didactic sessions (lectures, rounds conferences, simulation activities, oral presentations, etc.). [GSS1]

Patient /Procedure logs will be reviewed at the mid-clerkship meeting and at the end of clerkship meeting, and if the log is not kept up to date the student’s final grade may be lowered at the discretion of the clerkship director.

8. Grading/assessment criteria for assignments, clinical work, and duties of the elective

Grades Allowed:

• Honors/ High Pass/ Pass/ Fail for transcript notation
• Evaluator Concerns will be placed in the student record for internal use when creating the Medical Student Performance Evaluation [Dean’s Letter] for Residency application or for Student Promotion and Conduct Committee use.
• A temporary grade of Incomplete may be given when at the close of this courseassigned work is not complete or a student does not achieve the benchmarks for a passing grade in a grading component. An incomplete generated by failure of a courselevel grading component will result in a grade not higher than a Pass.

Clerkship/Elective Specific Information for Students

a. Any assessmentswith dates

b. Professionalism expectations

c. Feedback and clinical performance

d. Case presentations – oral and written

e. Other modes of evaluation – SP, SIM,Computer cases, participation, attendance, small group evaluations, etc.

The final grade is determined by attendance, presentations, and evaluations. Attendance: Required 3 hour class per week and one day clinical placement per week.

Presentation: Students will be responsible for giving a presentation to their classmates every other week on the ultrasound exam currently being covered.

Evaluation: Student’s proficiency in point-of-care ultrasound exams will be evaluated by direct observation by ED physician/clerkship director.

9. Course calendar(may be separate) – an example for one rotation will do

a. Didactics/lecture

b. Task trainer/SIM sessions

c. Small group sessions – Case-based and team-based

d. Special presentations

e. Standardized Patient exercises

g. Examinations

h. Holidays

i. Please do not post group schedules publically on the web with student names included (a FERPA rule).

10.Policies

UNR Med policies are posted on the Office of Medical Education website: and in the UNR Med Student Handbook:

a. Attendance

• Students must attend and actively participate in all scheduled activities as noted in their syllabus

• Students must complete all assessments.

b. Late workTo be determined by the Clerkship/Elective Directors, you choose.

c. Absence (See Student Handbook)

The following constitute excused absences:

Serious illness of self or immediate family member

Death of close family member or family issues

Emergencies and accidents

Students who are ill are encouraged to take appropriate time off and seek medical care. After three days, a medical note is required.

Attendance at conferences requires advance notice and planning; it is usually granted only if a student is presenting scholarly work at that meeting.

The policy for religious holidays can be found at

d. Missed tests or significant experiences

The student will meet with the Clerkship/Elective Director(s) within (time frame?) in order to create a plan to make up work that is essential to their grade.

11. Protocol for remediation of unsatisfactory performance at the conclusion of aClerkship/Elective if available

We need to say what would happen if anyone failed this or had professionalism issues.

The first line of contact for academic concerns or professionalism issues will be the Clerkship/ElectiveDirector(s) listed on the cover of this syllabus. Also, you may contact Ranna Nash, Learning Specialist, with the Office of Student Affairs.

Students falling below minimum standards or receiving a grade of “Incomplete” will be required to begin a formal remediation program. Students will work with their Course Director to develop a specific remediation plan that includes activities and timelines. The plan will be submitted to the Office of Medical Education for review and then referred to the Student Promotion and Conduct Committee (SPCC) for approval. The student and Course Director will present the remediation plan to the SPCC and additional follow-up will be determined by the complexity of the remediation plan

12. Academic Success Services

UNR MED provides support for all medical students through the Academic Learning Center. For Year 1 students there are Supplemental Instruction (SI) sessions for anatomy, biochemistry and physiology subjects throughout the Year 1 blocks. Successful second year medical students will conduct these sessions periodically throughout the blocks and dates and times will be communicated to the class by email and posted on the Learning Center website. These interactive sessions are designed to assist students at all levels of learning through review of the most relevant material being presented in the blocks. The SI leaders also provide supplemental learning resources during the sessions.

One on one tutoring for all medical students is also offered through the UNR MED Academic Learning Center. Students requesting tutoring must make an appointment with the Learning Specialist in order to be assigned a tutor.

The Learning Specialist can also provide additional resource materials, and assistance with study strategies, time management skills and USMLE and NBME exam preparation. Please visit the following website for more information:

If you have any questions please contact our Learning Specialist, Ranna Nash by email: or telephone: 775-682-8355.

13.Professionalism guidelines

a. Academic dishonesty

Here are the statements contained in the UNR MED Student Handbook. They are very similar to those recommended in the UNR “Syllabus Requirements.”

Academic Dishonesty

In accordance with UNR policy, academic dishonesty is defined as:

Cheating, plagiarism, or otherwise obtaining grades under false pretenses. Plagiarism is defined as submitting the language, ideas, thoughts or work of another as one’s own; or assisting in the act of plagiarism by allowing one’s work to be used in this fashion. Cheating is defined as (1) obtaining or providing unauthorized information during an examination through verbal, visual or unauthorized use of books, notes, text and other materials; (2) obtaining or providing information concerning all or part of an examination prior to that examination; (3) taking an examination for another student, or arranging for another person to take an exam in one’s place; (4) altering or changing test answers after submittal for grading, grades after grades have been awarded, or other academic records once these are official.

Also included under the heading of “cheating” is the submission of any work as your own that you did not create or perform. This includes, but is not limited to: homework assignments, written projects, and patient history or examination findings.

Cheating on any academic test will result in automatic failure of the course.

Students will be referred to SPCC. Disciplinary action up to and including dismissal may be recommended by the SPCC.and presented for approval by the UNR MED Dean. If SPCC approves continued active student status, the student will be placed on probation. If the student is permitted to repeat the course, the highest grade he/she can receive is a C. A second infraction related to academic dishonesty will result in dismissal.

b. Patient Care

Patient care infractions include falsifying or knowingly omitting pertinent information, lying regarding patient care, and/or conscious HIPPA violations: Students will be referred to SPCC. Disciplinary action up to and including dismissal may be recommended by the SPCC and presented for approval by the UNR MED Dean. If SPCC approves continued active student status, the student will be placed on probation. A second infraction related to patient care will result in dismissal. The Student Promotion and Conduct Committee shall have the ability to override these guidelines.

14. Statement of Disability Services

During the admissions process, qualified candidates with disabilities will be considered without regard to their ability status by the UNR MED Admissions Committee in accordance with UNR MED’s Essential Functions Requirements. Appropriate accommodations to help the candidate successfully meet the requirements for graduation from UNR MED must be planned and discussed with the appropriate committees prior to matriculation. Disabilities occurring after matriculation will be dealt with on an individual basis by the Student Promotion and Conduct Committee (SPCC) in accordance with the Essential Functions Requirements to best meet the needs of the candidate and the school.Candidates must understand and accept their roles as health care providers within their communities.

UNR MED retains the right to review and approve or decline any or all requests for accommodation. If you have a disability that necessitates accommodation to meet UNR MED’s Essential Functions Requirements, then you must provide, at your own expense, appropriate documentation from a qualified professional describing the disability and setting forth any reasonable accommodations necessary to ensure that you are able to meet the Essential Functions.

15. Statement on Audio and Video Recording

Surreptitious or covert video-taping of class or unauthorized audio recording of class is prohibited by law and by Board of Regents policy. This class may be videotaped or audio recorded only with the written permission of the instructor. In order to accommodate students with disabilities, some students may be given permission to record class lectures and discussions. Therefore, students should understand that their comments during class may be recorded.

16.Appendices–

a. Duty Hours – see Appendix A

b. Student Mistreatment Policy – see Appendix B

c. Institutional Objectives Checklist

d. Discipline specific curriculum topics for NBME exam or from STFM, APGO, COMSEPP, ADMSEP, ABIM, or ASE

e. Honor Pledge

f. Reference materials, including library e-reserves

g. Procedure/clinical skills checklists

h. Forms used for grading

i. Articles to read

j. Other

Appendix A

MEDICAL STUDENT CLINICAL WORK HOURS POLICY

1. Purpose and Background

To ensure the quality of the learning experience for the students at the University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine (UNR Med), students should have sufficient time to pursue self-directed learning activities and to meet personal needs. Additionally, the clinical educational program involves the students in direct patient care activities. As such, a limitation on the number of hours a student may participate in clinical activities is necessary to create a proper learning environment, ensure patient safety and student wellness.

2. Revision History

1. 3/4/09: Revision No. 1.0: New policy

2. 7/1/13: Revision No. 2.0: Rev to reflect new work hours (Timothy Baker, M.D.)

3. Stakeholders

1. Medical Students

2. Residents

3. Faculty

4. Clerkship & Elective Staff

4. Policy

1. It is the policy of the UNR MED to align our duty hours policy with the Accreditation Committee on Graduate Medical Education Common Program Requirements for resident duty hours for Postgraduate Year 1 (PGY-1) residents.

2. Specifically, medical students, no matter their level of training shall:

1. Be limited to a maximum of 80 hours per week.

2. Be limited to a maximum of 16 hours of continuous duty.

3. Be permitted to take home call at the discretion of the Clerkship Director. During home call, if a student is called to come into the hospital, hours spent both in travel to and from the hospital as well as time spent in the hospital will count toward the duty hour limits.

4. Be limited to a maximum of six overnight shifts in a row.

5. Be provided with sufficient time for rest and personal activities between required educational/clinical activities. Optimally, this should be a 10-hour period of time, but must be a minimum of eight hours.

6. Be provided a minimum of one day in seven free from all educational and clinical responsibilities. This may be averaged over a four-week period, but may not be spread between two distinct clerkships or rotations.

7. Be excused from clinical rotations at 11 pm when participating in required daytime educational and clinical activities the following day.

5. Definitions

1. Duty Hours: Refers to any time spent in the hospital, clinic or other patient care site in patient care, documentation of patient care, attending mandatory clerkship/elective and/or other University of Nevada, Reno School of Medicine activities. Duty hours do not include time spent studying, preparing, and/or reading. Time spent in transportation to and from clinical sites does not count toward duty hours unless it occurs during home call.

2. 4-Week Average: Refers to a single rotation. Days off may not be averaged over multiple rotations.

6. Responsibilities & Procedures

1. Clerkship Directors must inform students of the Medical Student Clinical Work Hours policy.

2. Students may be required to track their clinical work hours at the direction of the Office of Medical Education and/or the Clerkship Directors.

3. Students must inform the Associate Dean for Medical Education in Reno or the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs in Las Vegas immediately, and in writing, of any violations of this policy.

4. The Office of Medical Education will inform the appropriate Clerkship Director of violations.

5. Clerkship Directors will give quarterly reports to the Year 3-4 clerkship coordinators committee regarding violations of the work hours policy.

Appendix B

MEDICAL STUDENT MISTREATMENT POLICY

1. Purpose and Background
2. The University of Nevada School of Medicine (UNR MED) is committed to an environment of mutual respect. All members of the medical school community are expected to maintain a positive learning environment in which students, faculty, staff and residents treat each other with respect. Members of the community, including institutional leaders, will not tolerate harassment, intimidation, exploitation and/or abuse.
3. This policy is intended to define inappropriate conduct in relationships with students. It also describes the mechanism through which medical students can report violations without fear of retaliation. This policy ensures access to educational programs that prohibit student mistreatment. For the purposes of this policy, community is defined as all sites where University of Nevada School of Medicine students receive training.
4. Revision History
5. 5/14/14: Original (ASA)
6. Stakeholders
7. Students
8. Faculty
9. Affiliated Institutional Staff
10. Staff
11. Residents
12. Policy
13. Promoting a Positive Learning Environment: The University of Nevada School of Medicine provides ongoing educational and developmental opportunities to promote a positive learning environment respectful of all individuals.