This section describes the requirements that form the foundation of the third and fourth years (terms 6-10). These include the five core rotations, a family medicine rotation, a subinternship in a core specialty, and a medicine rotation. Students in the clinical years must continue to acquire medical knowledge as they did in their basic science years. They need to give a top priority to the end of clerkship NBME exams and, for those interested in US residency, Step 2. In addition, they must also develop the clinical skills and professional behaviors needed to apply that knowledge to real-life care of patients or, in other words, to become clinically competent. In addition, medical knowledge, clinical skills and professional behaviors need to be integrated with the practical realities of the current health care delivery system. The successful passage of students through this learning process will enable them to transition to postgraduate trainee, independent practitioner and life-long learner.
SGU is committed to a competency-based curriculum. These competencies are detailed in Section Two. Those students who plan to undertake postgraduate training in the US should become familiar with the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) Core Competencies.