Ambulatory Primary Care Courses at Dartmouth Medical School

Dartmouth Medical School's community-based faculty (MDs, NPs, PAs) teach students and residents in courses, rotations and electives across all four years of medical school and in residency programs. Since 1997, there have been over 5900 student placements at 511 teaching sites involving 762 active community-based faculty (OCER Community-Based Teaching Database).

Described below are the core ambulatory courses for DMS students (click on course of interest) and contacts for the different courses. For more information about the entire medical school curriculum, go to DMS M.D. Program Courses.

Course

Academic Level of Student

Course Length

Preceptor Time Commitment
On Doctoring Year I & Year II August to May 16 half days per academic year

Students' Learning Experiences center around:

  • Role of the physician
  • Doctor-Patient relationship
  • Basic interviewing & physical examination skills

Course Schedule and Educational Methods:
Students spend an afternoon approximately every other week in their preceptor's office. Alternate weeks are spent in a combination of large group didactics and small group skills sessions. Opportunities exist to precept students in a practice setting or as a small group facilitator on the DMS campus.

Course

Academic Level of Student

Course Length

Preceptor Time Commitment
Family Medicine Practice Year III Seven weeks 4 days per week for 7 weeks

Students' Learning Experiences center around:

  • Assessment and treatment of ambulatory patients
  • Principles central to Family Medicine
  • Community health assessment
  • Diversity of care

Course Schedule and Educational Methods:
Students at sites within driving distance spend 4 days per week in a community practice rotation with one day per week on campus for didactic curriculum. Students at distant sites spend 4-5 days per week in a practice rotation. Course also includes web-based curriculum and community assessment.

Course

Academic Level of Student

Course Length

Preceptor Time Commitment
Geriatrics and Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship Year III and Year IV Four weeks 4 days per week for 4 weeks

Students' Learning Experiences center around:

  • Community oriented care
  • Differential diagnosis
  • Testing and treatment of common problems in primary care
  • Care of geriatric patient

Course Schedule and Educational Methods:
Students at sites within driving distance spend 4 days per week in a community practice rotation with one day per week on campus for didactic curriculum. Students at distant sites spend 4-5 days per week in a practice rotation. Course also includes web-based curriculum and community assessment.

Course

Academic Level of Student

Course Length

Preceptor Time Commitment
Pediatric Clerkship Year III Seven Weeks (3-4 weeks are outpatient) 4 days per week for 3-4 weeks

Students' Learning Experiences center around:

  • Assessment and treatment of ambulatory pediatric patients
  • Testing and treatment of common problems in primary care
  • Health maintenance
  • Issues of growth and development

Course Schedule and Educational Methods:
Community practice rotation 4 days per week with one day per week on campus for didactic curriculum. Course also features web-based curriculum.

Course

Academic Level of Student

Course Length

Preceptor Time Commitment
OB/GYN and Women's Health Clerkship Year III & Year IV Seven Weeks (3 weeks are clinical) Seven weeks

Students' Learning Experiences center around:

  • prenatal patients
  • year checks
  • pregnancy counseling
  • uro-gynecology
  • gyn oncology
  • various other patient contacts
  • ultrasound
  • high risk patients
  • infertility patients

Course Schedule and Educational Methods:
Students will spend all seven weeks of the clerkship at designated sites.

Course Information and Contacts

On Doctoring Course

  • Nan Cochran, MD - Director: 802-295-9353 x 5480; 603-650-1708
  • Elizabeth J. McKinstry BSN MA RN - Assistant Director, On Doctoring- 603-650-1797
  • Joel Lazar, MD - Community Liaison: 603-650-4000
  • Kristine Larabee - Course Coordinator: 603-650-6581

CFM On Doctoring
Student Resources

OB/GYN and Women's Health Clerkship

  • Rebecca Pschirrer, MD - Director: 603-650-5000
  • Lori Avery - Clerkship Coordinator: 603-650-7817

OB/GYN: Obstetrics and Gynecology

Pediatric Outpatient Clerkship

  • Leslie Fall, MD - Director: 603-650-5473
  • Alison Ricker - Clerkship Coordinator: 603-650-7620

Children's Hospital at Dartmouth (CHaD)

Geriatrics and Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship

  • Deborah Peltier, MD - Outpatient Internal Medicine - 802-295-9363
  • Pam Frazier - Clerkship Coordinator 603-650-7872

Medicine Department

Family Medicine Clerkship

  • Melanie Lawrence, MD-Co-Director 603-650-4920
  • Cathleen Morrow, MD-Co-Director 603-650-4921
  • M. Scottie Eliassen, MS - Assistant Director: 603-650-3421
  • Sandra Cragin - Clerkship Coordinator: 603-650-4920

CFM Education