In transitioning to clinical clerkships, medical students take on a new role as part of the care team and gain new autonomy over their development as learners.
In the preclerkship phase of medical school, the schedule is often clear—as are expectations. Medical students know where to be and what material will be covered on their next exam. On clerkship rotations, the days are less predictable and patient care drives schedules. Growing one’s knowledge base and skills remains paramount, but the structure in which it’s done changes entirely.
“This is a big adjustment,” said Jason Ryan, MD, MPH. “In the preclinical years, everything orbits around the student. In the clinical years, everything orbits around the patient, and the student can get lost because the things aren’t all focused on them.”
Dr. Ryan is founder of Boards & Beyond, an online medical education platform that offers clinical readiness resources. Medical students in the U.S. and around the globe use Boards & Beyond subscriptions to supplement their classes and prepare for board exams, core clerkships and successful careers. An offer available to new AMA members includes a free three-month subscription to one of three Boards & Beyond series.
So, what does it take to thrive amid these new challenges? The AMA’s Facilitating Effective Transitions Along the Medical Education Continuum identifies five essential traits for clinical success. Here’s a closer look at each trait—and insights from Dr. Ryan on how medical students can use them throughout their clerkship journey.
Self-directed learning
Divided into complementary learner and faculty sections, the AMA’s Facilitating Effective Transitions Along the Medical Education Continuum handbook offers critical guidance for navigating each stage of training. The learner sections guide students and residents in acclimating to the various settings and expectations along the spectrum of the medical training environment. (Download now.)
The first key trait the text lays out for medical students to succeed in clinical clerkship is self-direction. During the clerkship year, learners must take charge of their development.
What does that look like in practice? Away from the clinic medical students should use patient encounters to identify knowledge gaps and guide their study. In the clinical realm, medical students should remain curious, asking questions of other team members.
Self-directed learners must also be efficient learners, Dr. Ryan said.
"The adjustment you have to make is you’re only going to get an hour or two [to study] at night,” Dr. Ryan said. “You’re not going to have these days where you can study for 12 hours on end. You have to make use of every little block of time that you get. That’s often studying five minutes or 10 minutes here and there."
For a limited time, McGraw Hill is offering AMA members an exclusive 10% discount on Boards & Beyond and First Aid Forward. Two of the most trusted learning platforms in medical education, these resources are designed to reinforce classroom learning, strengthen clinical skills and build confidence for exams.
- In this AMA news article, medical students will get valuable information regarding:
Why asking informed questions makes a strong impression with faculty and residents. - The importance of flexibility and readiness in clerkship success.
- How to make sure you are reviewing topics that don’t often come up in the wards.
- Ways to identify knowledge gaps and address them during clerkships.
- One key professionalism misstep to avoid as a medical student.
