Preclinical Electives List

Preclinical electives are open to all first- and second-year medical

students. These electives are announced to students during the academic year. Students are active participants in the design and implementation of many of these electives. Students choose to participate based on subject area and pedagogical approach (didactic sessions, seminar discussion and/or community service). These electives may be associated and coordinated with Scholarly Concentration activities. All preclinical electives are graded Satisfactory/No Credit. To care for the sick is a complex endeavor that requires not only scientific knowledge and technical expertise, but also a deep, nuanced understanding of how we live and suffer. Because of their focus on human experience, the humanities offer valuable insight into medical issues that cannot be gained from the sciences alone. In this interdisciplinary elective, students will have the opportunity to explore the pragmatic value of the humanities in clinical practice and medical education. Through the diverse lens of art, poetry, literature, graphic novels, comics, music, film, theatre, and performing arts, second-year medical students will acquire the clinical skills to translate their scientific knowledge into effective, compassionate care. They will also serve as teaching fellows for the first-year course, Integrated Clinical Arts, a series of interactive, humanities-based workshops designed to foster the clinical skills of first-year medical students and provide them with new ways of thinking about their other course material.

Summary..So care for the sick is a complex endeavor that requires not only scientific knowledge and technical expertise, but also a deep, nuanced understanding of how we live and suffer. Because of their focus on human experience, the humanities offer valuable insight into medical issues that cannot be gained from the sciences alone. In this interdisciplinary elective, students will have the opportunity to explore the pragmatic value of the humanities in clinical practice and medical education.

Through the diverse lens of art, poetry, literature, graphic novels, comics, music, film, theatre, and performing arts, second-year medical students will acquire the clinical skills to translate their scientific knowledge into effective, compassionate care. They will also serve as teaching fellows for the first-year course, Integrated Clinical Arts, a series of interactive, humanities-based workshops designed to foster the clinical skills of first-year medical students and provide them with new ways of thinking about their other course material.

The goal of this elective is to encourage medical students who are interested in writing and communication to produce tangible works that they can share with the class. The class will provide a motivating force for students who have a desire to write, but feel like they often do not have the time, but would like to make time. Furthermore, It will be a space for critique and improvement, and hopefully provide structure and guidance for those who would like to get pieces published. Each student must contribute in some way, whether through bringing in their own writing or video, distributing interesting articles or pieces that pertain to the course, or contribute to discussion and critique the work of others in the class. The writing will pertain in some way to medicine, our experiences in medical school, or our role as future physicians. All writing genres and modes of communicating (including public speaking, audio and video media) are welcome.