Addendum - This policy has been revised, effective August 15, 2024. The revised COM Clinical Learning and Patient Care Policy is located in the addendum section of this catalog.
The purpose of this policy is to create clear standards regarding student supervision during the student's participation in the Clinical Clerkship Program during the student's 3rd and 4th year of attendance at COM. Clinical supervision of medical students is fundamental to safeguarding standards, professional expertise and the delivery of quality patient care. These standards will enable students to develop knowledge and competence, assume supervised responsibility and enhance patient safety in complex situations as well as to ensure osteopathic medical student safety.
CHSU's COM requires clinical supervision of osteopathic medical students as an integral part of patient care and will ensure that appropriate and experienced practitioners are selected for this role. The supervising physician will be ultimately responsible for ensuring medical student and patient safety during the student's clinical clerkships. Students in clerkship rotations are unlicensed and as a result supervising physicians must be engaged in all aspects of patient care including oversight of patient histories and physicals, ordering labs and any form of imaging, prescribing, or during the performance of diagnostic and/or therapeutic procedures. Prior to beginning their clerkships, students will be notified to whom they directly report.
The Clinical Clerkship Program is designed to provide the student with knowledge in the following core areas: internal medicine, surgery, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, behavioral medicine, and family medicine. The program has been organized to allow students completing their clerkships to have the greatest degree of educational exposure in a practical and clinical environment. Additionally, the clerkship allows students to develop expertise in the areas of patient diagnosis and management. Students will participate in a well- structured and systematic training experience in each particular clerkship, with experiences in Inter-Professional Education with health care colleagues in pharmacy, nursing and PAs. Students will comply with all requirements related to patient care as established by the host institution.
Clinical Education
The Office of Clinical Education of CHSU will identify, verify and document the qualifications of each supervising preceptor. CHSU COM and each participating hospital will identify the personnel involved in the clerkship teaching programs, including administrative personnel. Scheduling and coordination of clerkship assignments will be through the Office of the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs. Delivery of clerkship content, structure, and evaluation will be the responsibility of the supervising preceptors and appropriate departments of the hospital and approved by CHSU COM. On-site California Health Sciences University inspections by the Associate Dean of Clinical Affairs (or appointee) will be done periodically to ensure adequate student support and oversight is available at each clerkship site. The following are requirements for student clerkships:
- Each clinical rotation will have an identified preceptor of record who acts as the responsible physician for the clerkship.
- A licensed provider must supervise students at all times.
- Students shall assume responsibility for and perform their assigned duties in accordance with CHSU and the training institution regulations.
- Students shall not be permitted to accept financial compensation or any form of gratuity for any part of their participation in the clerkships.
- Through their supervising preceptor, students may be assigned to specific patients. Emphasis will be placed on obtaining a history and physical examination (H&P), and palpation and structural components will play an integral part of the history and physical examination.
- Student H&Ps should be reviewed and signed by the supervising preceptor.
- Progress notes may be written by the students only under the direct supervision of the supervising preceptor. Progress notes must be signed within the time required by the rules and regulations of the training institution.
- Students shall not order any examinations, tests, medications, or procedures. Students shall not write prescriptions for medication, devices, or anything requiring the authority of a licensed physician.
- Attendance by students is required at all conferences, discussions or study sessions, and any other programs of an educational nature designed specifically for students at the institution. Students should document their attendance at such events. In addition, students should be encouraged to attend lectures for interns, provided these do not interfere with the clinical clerk's own program.
- Students shall be required to participate in the utilization of osteopathic manipulative California Health Sciences University 3 treatment when ordered and supervised by the attending physician.
- Students shall learn and perform procedures under appropriate and proper supervision, in those areas where the training institution regulations permit such instruction.