Educational Purpose

 

The intern continuity clinic serves as an introduction to the longitudinal care of the outpatient general medicine patient.  Goals for this first year of the experience include efficient use of time and schedules, effective doctor patient communication, appropriate documentation, health care maintenance skills and competence in the evaluation and management of common outpatient complaints.

Description of the Rotation

 

The Intern Continuity Clinic is structured as a half day clinic experience occurring during ambulatory blocks, which are two week blocks occurring every six weeks (4+2 model).  Interns build and follow their own patient panel with the assistance of assigned faculty preceptors.  These preceptors are immediately available for discussion and, if necessary, interview and examination of the each patient during the intern’s clinic.  Each preceptor will be responsible for advising no more than 4 interns at a time. Preceptors will have no other clinical responsibilities outside of resident precepting during the half day session.

Interns are expected to present each clinic encounter to their preceptors and discuss appropriate management.  During the first six months of training, every patient must then be seen and examined by the attending preceptor.  After six months of training, the intern will either return to the examination room to complete the interaction alone or be accompanied by the attending for further clinical evaluation.  This will be determined by the complexity of the case.  Interns are encouraged to ask their preceptors to interview and examine patients if they are uncertain about aspects of the history and examination.  Interns are not responsible for completing the encounter’s billing form.  The attending will complete the billing sheet and perform appropriate documentation as required by HCFA.

For knowledge areas, see Resident Continuity Clinic Objectives