An Innovative Course for the Clinical Years: A Look Back at the Last Decade

In the traditional 4-year medical school model, the final 2 years are the clinical years. These years bear challenges and experiences distinct from the preclinical part of medical school.

We implemented a longitudinal, multifaceted, 2-year course involving advising, Objective Structured Clinical Examination, and discussions to help students at a private, Midwestern medical school navigate the clinical years, ensure graduation competencies are met, and prepare for residency. Participants were third- and fourth-year medical students from 2013 to 2022. The course, titled "Continuous Professional Development," was run by a core group of faculty representing a variety of specialties.

At the end of each academic year, students completed evaluations on the components of the course and the course as a whole. Feedback was generally positive, with students rating the one-on-one advising and short sessions related to clerkship and residency transitions particularly beneficial.

Students value educational content specifically tailored to their clinical experience. While having a single course responsible for multiple programs and sessions appears to be uncommon for undergraduate medical education, our course shows that it is possible and can be done effectively with a relatively small cohort of faculty.