Medical Student Clerkship

Yale Surgery offers a 12 week surgical clerkship for the Yale medical students during their third year. In addition, a wide variety of fourth-year electives are offered for both Yale students and visiting students.

Clerkship Objectives:

	Meaningful exposure to surgical problems and participation in the process of surgical decision making (focussed on developing an understanding of the benefits and limitations of surgery, and the assessment of operative risks and outcomes).
	The acquisition of core knowledge and skills in contexts that range from the outpatient setting (hospital-based clinics as well as doctors' private offices), to in-patient services and the operating room. Students work with small teams of residents and attendings, participating fully in the activities of the service. A core curriculum, pertinent to both general surgery and the surgical specialties, is organized to provide an interactive, problem-based learning opportunity. During the 4-week core general surgery experience, the curriculum is amplified by a preceptor program.
	The clerkship is organized to provide both a core general surgery experience as well as an opportunity to choose a shorter exposure to a variety of surgical specialties. This is a reflection of the dual objectives of surgical education and surgical career development.

Clerkship Structure:

The 12 week clerkship is composed of three 4 weeks blocks, (surgery A,B,and C). Surgery A and B are taken as 8 consecutive weeks and Surgery C as a separate 4-week block. Surgery A constitutes the 4 week core general surgery experience (on either the Blue or Red Services at Yale-New Haven Hospital, the General Surgery Service at the VA Hospital or General Surgery at Bridgeport Hospital); Surgery B offers the choice of several core specialties in 4-weeks blocks; and, Surgery C offers the opportunity to sample to surgical specialties for 2- weeks each.

Contact:

Richard J Gusberg, M.D.
Director of Medical Studies, Clerkship Director
(203) 737-1159
richard.gusberg@yale.edu

Surgical Clerkship Office, Clerkship Coordinator
(203) 737-4366