The Unofficial Guide to First Year - University of Oklahoma Health ...

UNOFFICIAL GUIDE
Principles of
Clinical
Medicine
SECTION
D
a.k.a: PCM
Hours: 90
When it Hits: All year
Course Director: Dr. Rhonda A. Sparks, FMC 2615, 271-7827
"Something needs to be
done about these
lawyers." -- an
Principles of Clinical Medicine is an introduction to the medical profession. It
will be one of the few chances to get a taste of what you are truly working for by
actually going around with a doctor and seeing patients. It is a breath of fresh air
and will remind you why your body is gradually taking the form of your desk
chair. The focus of the 1 st year of PCM is to make you more comfortable in
engaging with the patient while learning the basics of interviewing and
taking a history. Most will tell you that being able to develop a successful
doctor/patient relationship is the most important part of being a doctor,
(unless you go into something like Forensic Pathology where it will be more
of a silent relationship.)
GENERAL INFORMATION:
“To study the phenomena of disease without books is to sail an uncharted sea,
while to study books without patients is not to go to sea at all”—Sir William
Osler. Well, thanks to PCM, you first-years can prepare to set sail on a rather
well charted sea. PCM will introduce you to the human side of medicine and
end up being a nice break from reading Chung’s book for the fifth time. The
class meets in the modules once a week, with half of the mod meeting on
Tuesday afternoon and the other half meeting Thursday afternoon (this is good
– it means you get at least one afternoon off per week). Led by a real-life
physician (not just someone who plays one on TV), you will practice your
interviewing skills on simulated patients and will receive constructive (well…most
of the time) feedback from your fellow mod-mates. Respect the fact that
intensive learning is happening in the mods these afternoons; be sure to stay out
of them when it is not your assigned afternoon (go do something fun instead).
During the year, you will go on three, four to five-week rotations in
which you will shadow practicing physicians (instead of meeting in the mods).
During orientation, you’ll get to write down a few medical specialties that
interest you. Most students will shadow physicians in the specialties they request
along with at least one primary care rotation (Family Medicine, Internal
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