Medical Education
Primary Care Scholar's Consortium
guidelines for preclinical student experiences

The Consortium membership assumes no liability for preclinical medical students (first-year students) placed through this program. In addition, the Consortium membership acknowledges that the Family Medicine Scholars Consortium programs are not liable for any damages arising out of the Program and defends and indemnifies the Consortium membership from any liability.

The Family Medicine Scholars Consortium Program, funded through generous gifts by the Cinergy Foundation, Inc., Clarian Partners Family Medicine Preceptorship Program, Deaconess Hospital, Indiana Academy of Family Physicians Foundation, Midwest Center for Rural Health and Union Hospital and South Bend St. Joseph Hospital, offers first-year medical students (the summer between their first- and second-year of study) preclinical experiences in the discipline of Family Medicine. Participants will:

1. Spend time with Family Physicians who will serve as role models in providing early exposure to rural or urban medicine;
2. Gain exposure to biomedical rural or urban research that includes family, community and economic factors influencing an individual's health in a rural or urban setting;
3. Understand the role of hospital, allied health agencies and health care professionals that complement the work of Family Physicians; and,
4. Improve the health of citizens in rural and urban areas of Indiana, in general, and beyond.

Students will be taking a primarily observational role throughout the training. Students should not participate in invasive or "hands on" procedures, unless the site and/or preceptor assumes liability for the student. Examples of more active student participation can include, but is not limited to, taking patient histories and/or checking vital signs (with preceptor follow-up). Additionally, the student's prior experience, skill level, knowledge and the preceptor's level of comfort with and confidence in the student's ability will determine the degree of "hands on" experience that the student may receive.

Malpractice coverage for first-year medical students placed through the program is usually not necessary since the experience is preclinical, involving the community, patient assessment and education. However, the following should be considered while the student is at the site:

1. The student's role will be that of an observer and not an acute care provider;
2. The student will be closely supervised by the preceptor in all patient care activities;
3. The student will be properly identified; and
4. Notes in the medical record will reflect the student's role, if appropriate.

If the coordinator and/or preceptor decide that some form of malpractice coverage is necessary, the site policy should be reviewed to determine if students are included under the current policy or if a rider may be added (at a small additional cost).

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