Medical Student Clerkship

The neurology clerkship at the University of Michigan Medical School is a required four-week experience in the second year. The goal is to teach students the principles and skills underlying the recognition and management of the neurological diseases that a general medical practitioner is most likely to encounter in practice. Further discussion of the core curriculum for the neurology clerkship is available at the American Academy of Neurology website

Knowledge

  • Recognition of which symptoms and signs suggest neurologic disease
  • Ability to localize the region(s) in the nervous system where malfunction could produce a given constellation of symptoms and signs
  • Ability to generate a differential diagnosis for a given constellation of symptoms and signs
  • Ability to decide which diagnostic tests will narrow the differential
  • Familiarity with clinical features of the most commonly encountered neurologic conditions: cerebrovascular disease, seizures, headaches, back pain, incontinence, visual symptoms, disequilibrium, dementia, movement disorders, neuromuscular disease and acute mental status changes

Skills

  • Ability to elicit historical information relevant to a patient’s symptoms to identify and characterize neurologic disease
  • Ability to perform a neurologic examination and to identify significant abnormalities
  • Ability to deliver a concise, logically organized and complete presentation (both oral and written) of a patient’s history and physical, with a discussion of localization, differential diagnosis, diagnostic plan and treatment plan

Procedures

  • Learn to perform a lumbar puncture and interpret the results. Note: The ability to interpret lumbar puncture results is a primary goal of the clerkship. The ability to perform a lumbar puncture is a secondary goal, to be accomplished if possible, but it is not a requirement
To ensure each objective is met, students will be evaluated on:
  • Performance in informal ward setting (evaluation forms to be completed by residents and faculty)
  • Performance in formal teaching sessions (evaluation form to be completed by faculty)
  • Faculty rating of oral and written presentations (evaluation forms to be completed by residents and faculty)
  • Performance on written exam
Methods used in student evaluation:
  • Observation of performance by faculty
  • Observation of performance by house officers
  • RCE entries
  • Assessment of write-ups/reports
  • Written/oral tests

Reporting on the first day of clerkship 

Please report to 1912 Taubman Center at 8 a.m.

To locate, go to the first floor of the Taubman Center building and enter Neurology Clinic C. Go through the waiting area and through the long hallway lined with department photos until it dead-ends at a hallway where there is a sign that says 'Department of Neurology' and lists faculty names. Turning right, go past the hallway on your left. The department library is room 1912, the third door down on your left. There is a sign next to the door.

Questions regarding the clerkship can be directed to Sheryll Marshall at [email protected] or 734-936-4549.