We received a lot of requests from medical students last week, and the rotations continue to be rated highly. Unfortunately, many students do not see Medicos until they are into their 4th year(or never). Some of this is due to bizarre scheduling where some students take their first Family Medicine
rotation after they have already arranged their residency interviews in a variety of other specialties. By this time it is too late for them to enter the workstudy program.
Medicos does not receive any government or med school support in return for these opportunities we offer to students. These spots are now more competitive, but Medicos appreciates your previous and continuing support..
Thanks for expressing your interest in working at Medicos March 24 through April.
I spoke at the medical college last week and afterwards met with Limaris and Conchita to discuss the scheduling of residents and medical students. February Medicos-Nashville saw a new record high of 95 patients at the office,and Medicos-Memphis saw 186. The mission medicine and office surgery curriculum continues to advance in both locations. The Medicos system continues to have outstanding clinical diversity.
In January, Medicos has affiliated with a group of rural FM/ER physicians ER 2 hours away from Nashville. Faculty and residents will start rotating there this month, and I think it adds a whole new dimension for Meharry and Vanderbilt students who have few other options in this area.. This rural rotation will be part of the Family Medicine-ER fellowship. This fellowship has been going for 10 years in Memphis and Jackson, but it is the first year for middle Tennessee.
The student workstudy program has been a good program, but we discussed a series of improvements and perspectives last week.
Despite Nashville being a highly overdoctored area with multiple "free clinics", Medicos has captured significant market share there and in Memphis for a reason. In addition to bilingual high quality clinical care, Medicos is teaches practical health care economics for young physicians who seek to build their own office someday.
Students gain the most through a longitudinal program with regular attendance 2 days out of every 4 weeks as a minimum. Exceptions are made for students visiting from outside schools.. The Medical Spanish Interest Group(MSIG) will meet again Monday March 10, and we'll talk some more about it.
Meharry students would like this experience, but many lack any Spanish. This type of clinical experience is avialable with more traditional English speaking practices in Lebanon, Celinas, and Jamestown. Students have rated these experiences as much better clinical than the traditional clinics on campus. Medicos cannot be a place where people are learning Spanish 101 at the expense of the Medicos patients. Memphis is 40% AA/anglo and gringo students do better there.
Getting out into the community where students can function as a junior physician seems to be an advantage. The Medicos curriculum has consistently prepared physician for a variety of careers in FM/ER/OB without locking them into a more restricted set of choices. In some overdoctored urban areas residents and fellows are actually required to sign "noncompete clauses" stating that they must move out of the city where they trained.
Medicos is selecting those students who want these positions during the end of the academic year and through the Summer. Kevin, I have just returned from the AAPS leadership meeting where we solidified a board certification pathway for combining Family medicine OB and Family Medicine-ER. This should be an important part of the program we hope to design with you.
With best wishes for your professional success,
Wm MacMillan Rodney MD
Clinical Professor of Family Medicine
Meharry/Vanderbilt School of Medicine
Medicos para la Familia
Memphis.Nashville and rural Tn.
www.psot.com
Index--medical student rotations, workstudy program
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