A formal affiliation agreement between SGU and its affiliated hospitals and/or clinical centers exists for the purpose of establishing a clinical training program for the University’s third and fourth year medical students. Clinical centers and hospitals accept qualified students into organized, patient-based teaching programs and provide additional instruction with pertinent lectures, conferences, ward rounds and seminars.
Designated hospital staff supervise the educational program and assess each student’s progress towards achieving MD program objectives during the clinical rotations there. Within the bounds of its own teaching programs, the hospital adheres to the precepts and standards of the SGUSOM teaching program as outlined and detailed in the latest edition of the Clinical Training Manual (CTM).
Based on the appropriate qualifications and recommendation from the hospital, SGUSOM appoints a Director of Medical Education (DME) who is the hospital administrator responsible for the SGU student program and is the liaison with the School of Medicine. DMEs receive formal appointments to the School of Medicine’s faculty that are commensurate with their qualifications and duties. Their principal role is to supervise the clinical program and ensure its quality and its conformity with the University’s guidelines as described in the CTM and the Faculty Handbook. In summary, the DME is responsible for appointing a Clerkship Director for each core rotation and to ensure that:
- The faculty teaching SGU students is of high quality
- The faculty teaching SGU students at each hospital is evaluated appropriately
- Feedback to the faculty is timely
The Clerkship Director and numerous members of the hospital’s medical staff, as well as its postgraduate trainees, play an active role in the teaching of St. George’s students; many also have clinical faculty appointments at SGUSOM. The Clerkship Director and clinical teachers lead orientations, lectures and conferences. They conduct bed-side rounds, teach clinical skills, conduct mid-core formative assessments, keep students’ records and help determine students’ final grades. For the purpose of achieving uniformity in the clinical training program at different sites and University-wide integration, SGU’s clinical faculty participate in the School of Medicine’s ongoing educational activities, administrative meetings, and clinical department meetings.
The University has the sole and final right to evaluate the student’s total academic accomplishments and make all determinations regarding promotion, retention, remediation, and graduation; including granting the Doctor of Medicine degree.
All hospitals have been carefully selected to ensure their facilities meet SGU’s standards. They must demonstrate a continuing commitment to medical education and furnish the necessary infrastructure to provide a successful clinical training program, which includes integrating medical students into the health care team, providing access to the hospitals’ computer system and supervising involvement with patients.