Students from the UAB Heersink School of Medicine who will complete their clinical education at the College of Community Health Sciences attended an orientation session at CCHS on April 20.
In its role as a provider of medical student education, the College serves as a regional campus of the Heersink School of Medicine, providing the third and fourth years of medical school to a cohort of the school’s students.
Dr. Richard Friend, dean of the College, welcomed students and provided an overview of CCHS programs, emphasizing the College’s commitment to student support. “You’re going to have a lot of unique experiences here,” he said. “We want to make sure that you all are well taken care of.”
During the orientation, medical students participated in a suturing workshop, received Basic Life Support training and toured DCH Regional Medical Center.
The 26 students who attended the orientation start their clinical education (the third and fourth years) at CCHS in June as part of the Primary Care Track. The track is a longitudinal integrated clerkship that allows students to follow the same panel of patients over time and through different specialties and health care settings. This differs from the traditional block structure whereevery four to eight weeks students rotate through a different specialty, often in a hospital setting.
The College’s Primary Care Track is the only medical education track of its kind within the Heersink School of Medicine.