/Institutions/University-of-Texas-Rio-Grande-Valley/json/som/policies-local.json

/Institutions/University-of-Texas-Rio-Grande-Valley/json/som/policies.json

EAA044 Required Clinical Experiences and Procedures

Policy Number: EAA044
Policy Title: Required Clinical Experiences and Procedures

A. Purpose

To define the establishment and ongoing monitoring of the Required Clinical Experiences and Procedures (RCEPs) for the UTRGV SOM students in the clerkship phase of the curriculum and ensure that students complete the RCEPs for each clinical clerkship. This policy outlines the procedure that the Clerkship Directors will utilize to verify experiences and provide alternative learning experiences and instructions for those conditions that the learner has not been adequately exposed to. 

B. Persons Affected

The policy will cover all students participating in the UTRGV SOM curriculum for Clinical Clerkships in Medical School Years 3 and 4.

C. Definitions

1. One45: The computerized learning management and documentation system (Ex: One45) that is used to electronically maintain medical student's required clinical experiences and procedure logs.
2. Procedures: Procedures are defined as eye-hand techniques that are usually invasive or require informed consent from the patient.
3. RCEPs (Required Clinical Experiences and Procedures): RCEPs in the clerkship include all the "must see" types of patients as well as those disease entities, clinical conditions and procedures that all medical students are required to experience during clinical year 3.

D. Policy

Per accreditation standards (LCME 6.2), UTRGV SOM faculty established required clinical experiences and procedures (RCEPs) that students are required to complete by the end of their required clerkships. The RCEPs are listed in the RCEP tables in each required clerkship syllabus. The RCEP tables specify the types of patients and clinical conditions to be encountered, the skills to be performed, the appropriate clinical settings for these experiences, and the expected levels of medical student participation. The RCEPs represents a variety of patient ages, conditions, and procedures that are based on the educational program objectives and informed by each of the clinical disciplines and clerkship learning objectives. The RCEPs are distributed across the required clinical clerkships where students will most likely encounter them.

As defined by LCME Standard 8 element 8.6, Monitoring of Completion of Required Clinical Experiences, UTRGV SOM has in place a system with central oversight that monitors and ensures completion by all medical students of required clinical experiences in the medical education program and remedies any identified gaps. Medical students completing their clinical clerkships are required to log all RCEPs in the electronic learning management system and submit preceptor signatures in their assigned RCEP logbooks for verification of completion. Monitoring of completion of RCEPs throughout the academic year is the responsibility of the clerkship director(s) with oversight and escalation to the assistant dean for clerkships as needed. RCEP completion rates are monitored per academic year and analyzed for gaps & comparability.

APPENDIX 

Procedures

1. During each clerkship orientation, students are educated on the requirements of each Clerkship's Required Clinical Experiences and Procedures (RCEPs) list. Each RCEP list specifies the level of student involvement, the procedure and skill required to fulfill the RCEP. The level of student involvement is outlined in the RCEP list developed by the Clerkship Curricular Subcommittee and approved by the Central Curricular Authority Committee. Levels of student involvement include:

 

(1) Observed: A student carefully and attentively watches the completion of a required clinical encounter or procedure. The student does not have an active role in the encounter.

 

(2) Participated:  A student actively takes part in and collaboratively completes a required clinical encounter or procedure but does not assume a primary role.

 

(3) Performed Supervised: A student individually completes a required clinical encounter or procedure and assumes the primary role under direct supervision of a resident or faculty physician.

2. Students will record their own individual experiences in the One45 learning management system and their physical logbook but will NOT record any patient-specific identifying information (name, date of birth, medical record number, Protected Health Information, etc.).

3. During the midpoint of each clerkship, each student will meet with the Clerkship Director(s) to review their RCEP experience log completion status in One45 and in physical log books to determine if they are on track to fulfill the RCEP requirements by the end of the clerkship. 

4. Monday of the last week of each clerkship, the clerkship academic coordinators will provide the RCEP completion report to the clerkship director and assistant dean for clerkships.  The academic coordinator will notify each student and clerkship director of any outstanding RCEPs.  If the student has been unable to fulfill the RCEP requirements by Monday of the last week of the clerkship, they must submit a request for the clerkship director to approve an alternative learning experience for the student to complete by the last Wednesday of the clerkship. Alternative learning experiences must be approved by the clerkship director and they may include but are not limited to, computer-based modules, case-based learning, other clinical simulation, or additional clinical experiences.

5. Before the last Wednesday of the clerkship, students must have satisfactorily entered all clerkship specific RCEPs in One45 and turned in their required logbooks. It is the student's responsibility to ensure all RCEP logging is accurate and complete in the learning management system and in clerkship logbooks. Failure to timely document all RCEP requirements accurately and completely may affect their professionalism grade for the clerkship. Students are expected to document their clinical encounters daily, and report to the Clerkship Director if they feel they are having difficulties with any RCEP. Students are to contact their academic coordinator for guidance.

6. A grade will be documented as an incomplete (I) until successful RCEP completion is documented. Once documented, either as the intended clinical experience/procedure or an alternate learning experience assigned by the clerkship director, the grade for the course may be entered into record.