BUSM Opens New Clerkship Sites in California
Boston University School of Medicine is initiating two new clinical clerkship sites
in California for third-year medical students at Kaiser Permanente Medical Center
San Jose and Kaiser Permanente Medical Center Santa Clara.
Beginning in May 2015, 12 third-year students will begin their clerkships at Kaiser
after an orientation with their classmates in Boston. 6 will stay for a full year,
while 6 will stay for half of the year.
In addition to an excellent clinical experience, the Kaiser Campus Third Year
Curriculum Program will provide students with unique opportunities related to
healthcare technology, preventive medicine, and a progressive healthcare
delivery model. Students will have the opportunity to develop electronic health
system mastery, participate in quality improvement training programs, and
develop their own quality improvement projects. The partnership with Kaiser will
enhance BUSM’s mission of social justice and service, and continue its tradition
of commitment to underserved patient populations.
Kaiser has revolutionized healthcare and healthcare technology, resulting in
more immediate and responsive patient care. A leader in patient safety and
quality improvement, the Kaiser system has been the model for the future of
medicine. Their focus on preventive care and an outpatient centered care model
results in reductions in hospital admissions and testing.
“We are delighted to be able to offer our students the opportunity to work in an
innovative and evidenced-based system that is committed to high-value, highquality medical care,” said Karen Antman, MD, BUSM dean and provost of the
BU Medical Campus.
The third year clinical rotations will take place at two Kaiser Permanente
Hospitals. At the San Jose site, students will rotate in family medicine, OB/GYN,
internal medicine, psychiatry and neurology. At the Kaiser hospital in Santa
Clara, students will complete rotations in pediatrics, surgery, radiology and
psychiatry.
Despite the distance from the main BUSM South End campus, students will
receive uniform didactic instruction. Program Manager Monica Parker-James has
been expertly coordinating the online educational experiences. Lectures will be
recorded for reviewing as the time difference allows. The students will also be
able to participate in live small group discussions and case vignettes with LYNC
access. Recorded sessions will be available for review when the students are
studying for exams to further enhance their clerkship experience.
Dr. Harley Goldberg will be the Assistant Dean of this program. He will
coordinate the training and supervision of the students while in California. Doctor
Goldberg has a long history of service in the Kaiser system and is involved in
quality evaluations at San Jose. He will work with students via video
conferencing prior to June and will orient and mentor the students during their
time in the Kaiser facilities. He has been working closely with the BUSM Kaiser
Committee and clerkship directors to provide a seamless transition for the
students.
Assistant Dean Paige Curran in the Office of Student Affairs has been managing
issues related to student mental and physical health, academic support, and
career development. She will continue to monitor the students through online
communication and quarterly visits to California when then students are in place.
Although this program is new for BU, Kaiser has a strong and well-established
medical education framework that includes students from Stanford, UCSF, UCD,
and Drexel. The students who have participated in a similar program through
Drexel have been thrilled with the experience and the opportunities provided.
The BUSM students will have faculty support while in California and many will
also be close to family and friends. In addition, the Kaiser Committee is working
to establish a California BUSM alumni network for additional student support,
mentoring, and career development. Several alumni have already expressed
interest including Assistant Professor Veronica Santini BUSM class of 2000 who
is a neurologist in practice at Stanford.
“We are impressed by how vested our counterparts in California are in making
this a successful partnership,” said Anna Hohler, MD, assistant dean of academic
affairs at BUSM. “This collaboration is a win win. Kaiser will work with students
who are smart, dedicated, and professional. Our students will train in a leading
health care system that shares our commitment to high-quality medical
education, devotion to diverse patient populations, and a vision for excellence in
healthcare. We are thrilled to be able to offer this opportunity to our students.”