Clinical Education
Throughout the University’s history, strong and valued partnerships have been established with highly regarded physicians, clinics, and hospital systems across the nation. Annually, the Office of Clinical Education conducts a clerkship match process whereby each student is assigned to an affiliated core training site for third and fourth year.
All clerkships are supported by a presentation-based curriculum, which continues the students’ foundation built during the modified systems applications-based curriculum offered during the first two years of training at KCU.
Clinical Clerkships
Clinical clerkships are sometimes referred to as rotations, clinical experiences or externships, with a teaching physician who is referred to as a preceptor, attending or faculty. A clerkship may be two weeks, four weeks or one month of clinical responsibilities. Clerkships may involve inpatient, outpatient or a combination of these settings. At the conclusion of these experiences an evaluation of the student by the preceptor and an evaluation of the clerkship by the student is required. Students should familiarize themselves with the individual syllabi for each required clerkship.
Clinical Clerkship Coordinators
Clinical clerkship coordinators are the initial point of contact for all matters pertaining to clinical education. The coordinators are primarily available to assist students in navigating clerkship logistics. They are available to students preferably by email or by telephone during regular University business hours. Students may schedule an in-person meeting by appointment.
To protect students’ privacy, Clinical Education communicates information directly with the medical student, and therefore not to spouses, parents, etc.
Third-Year Curriculum
Students must be enrolled in clinical activities throughout the entire academic year.
Students are expected to adhere to each site’s unique scheduling protocols and procedures. Some sites require more than 40 hours per week and may include working holidays, overnights and/or weekends.
Third year clerkship schedules are set by the core site coordinator. Once set, no changes will be accepted.
For more information, please visit Required Clinical Clerkships & Courses
Core Sites
A core site is a geographic location at which students are assigned for their third-year curriculum. The core site is the base from which all clerkships are assigned, approved and evaluated. Core site staff and faculty include a core site coordinator and a physician leader such as a Director of Medical Education (DME) or Regional Assistant Dean (RAD). The core site coordinator and the RAD will periodically meet with students to help interface between the student and the KCU clerkship coordinator. The core site personnel are responsible for assuring resources are available to deliver the curriculum at that site.
Selective Clerkships
Selective clerkships are clinical experiences completed in addition to the third-year core clerkships. The student may have some ability to choose from a list of available selective clerkships. The core site determines the selective clerkships available based on the resources at the core site. The core site personnel are responsible for the final decision for all third-year clerkships. Once a selective is confirmed, cancellations or changes are not permitted.
Selective clerkship opportunities are not allowed away from the core site during the third year. Exceptions to this policy may occur for students officially enrolled in military, global medicine or specialty honors tracks.
Emergency medicine selectives completed during the third year cannot fulfill the fourth-year EMED 401 - Emergency Medicine requirement.
Fourth-Year Curriculum
Individual start and end dates for fourth-year vary by location. Students must be enrolled in clinical activities during the entire academic year through the last business day in April.
Sub-Internships
Sub-internships (Sub-I) are clinical experiences designed to provide students with an opportunity to function at a level closer to that of an intern. Audition clerkships are designed to provide students with the opportunity to gain exposure to potential residency programs. At least three four-week or one-month sub-internship or audition clerkships must be scheduled and completed at a recognized residency training program. Splitting of these clerkships is not allowed. Additional sub-internships or audition clerkships may be completed as elective credits. Sub-internships or audition clerkships and up to three electives may be completed in the same sub-specialty without an appeal. Retroactive course changes are not allowed.
For more information, please visit Elective & Sub-Internship Clerkships
Electives
Elective clerkships are part of the fourth year. The student typically determines the schedule, time and/or location at which elective(s) may be completed. Up to three electives may be completed in the same area of sub-specialty and may be split into two-week increments. Retroactive course changes are not allowed.
For more information, please visit Elective & Sub-Internship Clerkships
Enrollment Verification
The Office of Clinical Education uses E*Value to manage evaluations, procedures, and schedules. E*Value is available to authorized users 24 hours a day from any device with internet access.
For every clerkship, students must verify and submit registration information through E*Value within five business days following the designated start date. If the enrollment verification is not completed on time, Clinical Education cannot confirm the student is actively enrolled. This may cause a disruption in your enrollment status with the University, which may put your financial aid or graduation status in jeopardy; while not enrolled as a student, you would not be covered under the KCU malpractice liability insurance coverage. It is imperative to submit accurate contact information for the attending physician filling out the assessment (e.g. address, phone, fax, email, etc.). If the preceptor is listed incorrectly, or is unknown, please provide accurate information in the space provided and complete an Unknown Preceptor Form located on the E*Value homepage.
Once submitted, changes must be made by Clinical Education and should be emailed to the assigned KCU clinical clerkship coordinator. When working with more than one physician on a clerkship, the student should email their assigned KCU clinical clerkship coordinator with all necessary information. Retroactive changes to a course code or requirement are not allowed.
Clerkship Credit
In order to receive credit for a clerkship and coverage under KCU’s medical professional liability insurance clinical experiences must be completed at a KCU affiliated site or with a KCU-credentialed preceptor.
For sites that are not already a KCU-affiliated site, an affiliation agreement or accepted letter of good standing must be in place prior to proposed clerkship start date. For sites that are not already a KCU-affiliated site, this process can take up to six-months and KCU cannot guarantee consensus will be reached with every facility or preceptor.
Application & Other Fees
KCU pays sites for all third- and fourth-year required clerkships and associated administrative fees. Students are responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses associated with clinical education, such as transportation, housing, meals, professional attire, laboratory fees, additional drug screens, additional background checks and additional immunizations or titers.
Some clerkships require students to pay additional fees in order to rotate at their facility.
Letters of Recommendation
Preceptors are required by the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) to upload letters directly to the ERAS Letter of Recommendation Portal (LoRP).
Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) may require a letter of recommendation for some clinical experiences. Letters must be sent to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator. The coordinator will upload these letters to VSLO.
Transportation
Travel arrangements are the sole responsibility of the student. Students are not considered agents or employees of the University and therefore are not insured for any accidents or mishaps that may occur during travel as a part of the student’s academic program. Some core clinical sites may require that assigned students have personal vehicles available.
Travel for Clinical Experiences
Students participating in the osteopathic medical curriculum are required to receive instruction in a clinical setting. As a result, it is necessary for students to make arrangements for transportation to and lodging near clinical facilities. The University does not provide for the cost of transportation or lodging.
Students are responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses associated with clinical education, such as transportation, housing, meals, professional attire, laboratory fees, etc.
Absence from Clerkships
Attendance at all clerkship related activities is mandatory; therefore, any absence requires an excuse and documentation. Students must attend the first day of any clerkship. Failure to notify Clinical Education and/or the clerkship site/preceptor of any clerkship absence, regardless of the reason or number of hours absent, may result in a meeting with the Associate Dean of Clinical Education regarding lack of professionalism and could result in a failing grade of the clerkship and/or referral to SPC.
An Absence Request Form and supporting documentation must be submitted directly to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator. All submitted absence forms must include a detailed make-up plan in order for the absence to be considered. Only completed, signed forms are processed. Decisions rendered through this process are final. There are no exceptions to this policy and failure to follow the process will be considered an unexcused absence. The KCU clinical clerkship coordinator notifies the student via email when a decision has been reached. The Absence Request Forms can be found on myKCU.
Scheduled absences are not and should not be considered approved until the official Absence Request Form is signed by the Associate Dean of Clinical Education.
Absence Request Forms must be completed and submitted to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator for all of the following:
COMLEX 2-PE Exam
Students are allowed one day for travel to the exam, one day for the test day, and one day for return travel. Students will be required to enter their COMLEX Level 2-PE exam date in E*Value.
Discretionary Days
Students are allowed five discretionary days during the third year. Discretionary days must be approved by both the preceptor and Clinical Education in writing prior to the requested time off. Students may combine no more than two conseutive days at a time.
Sick Days
Students will be allowed two sick days annually. If more than two sick days total are taken by a student, this may result in referral to the Associate Dean of Clinical Education.
- Students must contact their clinical site/preceptor as well as the site coordinator and the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator immediately if they are missing any clinical time due to illness (leaving early, arriving late, or missing a full day).
- If 2-4 hours of clinic time is missed, a half-day will be documented. More than four hours of missed clinic time is equivalent to a full day of sick leave.
- If an absence of greater than one working day is necessary due to illness, that time must be made up. Arrangements for missed time will be coordinated with the clinical site/preceptor as well as the site coordinator, and/or the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
- If the student is absent from a single clerkship for two or more days due to illness, the student is required to submit to Clinical Education a note from a licensed health care provider defining the number of days absent and the expected date of return.
Family Emergencies/Death in Family
Due to the variability of circumstances, time off needed for family emergencies or death of a family member will be reviewed by Clinical Education on a case-by-case basis.
Flex-Time
Flex-Time is defined as the time during the fourth year when a student is not on clerkship (clinical rotation). Often, flextime is used to fill in the gap between the end date of one clerkship and the start date of the next clerkship. Flex-time can also be used for a variety of other purposes such as non-credit academic study, attending educational seminars or conferences, educational presentations such as posters or research, etc. Flex-time may not be used to take additional clinical clerkships.
- Each student is allotted 25 weekdays of flex-time during their fourth year clerkships. Students may combine no more than two consecutive weeks of flex-time. Weekend days (Saturday and Sunday) do not count towards flex-time.
- Students wishing to schedule flex-time must submit a request in E*Value. The KCU clinical clerkship coordinator will approve or deny all flex-time. If flex-time is approved, it will reflect on the student’s schedule. Flex-time cannot be used during a clerkship or to shorten a clerkship.
- Flex-time expires after March 31st. Students must be continuously enrolled through the last business day in April.
- The following may result in loss of flex-time privileges. Failure to:
- Communicate with KCU Clinical Clerkship Coordinator
- Enter clerkships into E*Value 90 days in advance, followed by complete preceptor information within two weeks of the start of clerkship.
- Comply with requests for information from the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
- Submit required flex-time request in E*Value in a timely manner.
Time off for Residency Interviews
Students requiring time away from clerkships for interviewing will be granted four interview days during any four-week clerkship. Interview season typically extends from August to the end of January of the fourth year. Students are required to adhere to the following guidelines.
- Students must attend the first day of a clerkship.
- Students may request no more than four interview days during any four-week clerkship, and no more than two interview days over any two-week clerkship. This includes partial day absences of greater than four hours.
- Students are required to formulate a makeup plan with their preceptor and submit with an Absence Request form.
- All requests for time off must include a completed, signed Absence Request form, a copy of the residency interview invitation, make-up plan and supporting documentation. Requests are to be submitted directly to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
- Requests for more than four days require a formal appeal witha detailed make-up plan submitted directly to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
- Permission for an absence must be cleared, in advance, with the following:
- KCU Office of Clinical Education
- Clinical site/preceptor to whom the student is assigned
- Flex-time days may also be used to help accomplish residency interviews if necessary.
- Failure to adhere to the time off policy or to notify both Clinical Education and the clerkship site/preceptor of any absence from a clerkship, regardless of the reason or number of hours absent, may result in a meeting with the Associate Dean of Clinical Education regarding lack of professionalism. This could result in a failing grade for a clerkship, referral to the SPC, or loss of flex-time privileges.
Canceling/Changing a Fourth-Year Clerkship
It may be necessary to cancel or change a fourth-year clerkship; however, retroactive changes to a course code or requirement are not allowed. (Cancelling or changing a third-year clerkship is not allowed.) Cancellation/change requests must be received, at a minimum, 60 days prior to the confirmed start date. Requests are considered on a case-by-case basis and approval is not guaranteed. Students are required to attend the scheduled clerkship if requests to change or cancel are received after the deadline, or denied. For consideration, requests should include the following:
- A cancellation/change request must be submitted in writing to the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
- A Scheduling Request for an alternative clerkship must be submitted for review via E*Value.
Research
Research being conducted on or off campus requires written approval from the Office of Research & Sponsored Programs (ORSP) as well as CE prior to starting the project. Questions regarding whether or not a project is considered research should be directed to ORSP. Students should contact their KCU clinical clerkship coordinator for information.
Graduation Requirements
Each student must successfully complete and receive credit for all clerkships to qualify for graduation. This is in addition to meeting other graduation requirements as set forth under Osteopathic Medicine (DO) .
Assessment
To pass each clerkship, students must pass the Preceptor Evaluation of Student Performance and any applicable End of Clerkship Exam. Students must also complete an End of Clerkship Reflection. Grades will not be assigned until the End of Clerkship Reflection is completed.
Clinical Competency Assessment
Preceptors complete a Clinical Competency Assessment at the end of clerkship. The purpose is to provide feedback to guide both clinical and professional development. The preceptor documents performance of expected competencies as compared to other students at the same educational level. Assessments submitted by interns or residents must be cosigned by an attending physician or the DME.
If a student works with more than one attending, more than one assessment will be accepted. Paper copies may be returned by the student directly to Clinical Education or their KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
The University recommends that students request an informal mid-clerkship assessment to allow the student to determine whether there is consistency between the preceptor’s and student’s performance perceptions. In addition, should a student be experiencing difficulty on a clerkship, a mid-clerkship assessment allows time for improvement prior to the end of the experience. This may help avoid surprises at the end of a clerkship and allows the student to proactively address any problems.
Preceptor approaches vary widely in providing students with feedback on performance. Preceptors may or may not review their assessment with the student; it is appropriate for the student to request such a review prior to completion of the clerkship. If the preceptor is not available to review the assessment with the student and the student has questions or concerns, the student should contact their KCU clinical clerkship coordinator to discuss the most constructive way to obtain the desired feedback.
At no time is it appropriate for a student to request a preceptor to change a rating, revise comments or challenge a preceptor regarding an assessment. If significant performance issues arise, an appropriate University official will notify the student. Students failing to maintain the utmost level of professionalism in dealing with any part of the assessment process may be referred to the appropriate University official.
Mid-Rotation Feedback
The Mid-Rotation Feedback form is designed to alert the student and preceptor to issues which can be addressed during the remainder of the clerkship. While this is not a graded or required form, students are encouraged to use this tool and seek informative feedback from the preceptor.
End of Clerkship Exam
Students are required to pass the NBOME Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Achievement Test (COMAT) exam (End of Clerkship Exam) upon completion of each core discipline:
- Emergency medicine
- Family medicine
- Internal medicine
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatry/behavioral health
- Surgery
- Osteopathic Principles & Practice (OPP).
Students are expected to study for these exams with similar rigor as all other high-stakes examinations and are required to utilize the course syllabi located in Canvas as a guide. A student is only allowed to retake a COMAT exam to achieve a passing score.
Students may be awarded Honors (H) for excellent performance on a End of Clerkship Exam. Passing (P) and Honors (H) are benchmarked against the NBOME academic-year norms for all students in that discipline.
Exams will be given at University designated locations. For examinations taken at a Prometric testing center, a voucher will be issued and students will be responsible for scheduling a testing date and time within a designated testing window. All exams must be taken once scheduled.
End of Clerkship Exam scores and Examinee Performance Profiles (EPP) will be available to students on KCU 360.
Example of how grades will show on transcript:
| Clinical Clerkship |
Grade |
| Pediatrics |
P |
| Family Medicine |
F/P |
| Internal Medicine |
H |
Grading for IMED 301/302 and SURG 301/302
The final grades in the sequential 301/302 courses are dependent on the score earned on the End of Clerkship Exam. A grade for the 301 course will be assigned based on evaluations alone and is subject to change based on the outcome of the End of Clerkship exam. A student may sit for this exam only after the 302 course has been completed. If the student subsequently earns Honors on the exam, the 301 grade will be updated to reflect H for both 301 and 302. If the student subsequently fails the 302 course, the 301 grade will be updated to reflect F for both 301 and 302.
End of Clerkship Reflection (ECR)
Students are responsible for completing End of Clerkship Reflections through E*Value at the end of every clinical experience to include:
- Evaluation of self and the clerkship
- Evaluation of the preceptor
End of Clerkship Exam Failure
Students may be allowed to remediate one End of Clerkship Exam without it being considered a failed clerkship. The highest End of Clerkship Exam score and clerkship grade that can be achieved after remediation is Pass.
First failure:
- Student receives failure notification from Director of Clinical Education Operations
- Student meets with the associate dean for CE
- Student contacts KCU clinical clerkship coordinator to reschedule exam
- Honors track students may be removed from the assigned track
All subsequent failures:
- Student may be referred to Student Progress Committee (COM-SPC) where the student will be required to present their case.
- COM-SPC evaluates and makes a decision which could include, but is not limited to remediation, repeating the academic year, or possible dismissal.
OPP COMAT
The Osteopathic Principles and Practices (OPP) COMAT is a prerequisite before taking COMLEX Level 2 examinations and will be administered during OPP 321 - Osteopathic Principles & Practice II . Third-year students must pass the OPP COMAT during the the second semester of the third year. Exact exam dates will be set by the individual core clerkship sites. If a grade of Honors (H) is achieved, this will be noted in the student’s Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), but not on the transcript.
Clinical Skills Assessment
The Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) is a curricular experience designed to provide students an opportunity to demonstrate the clinical skills they have accumulated through the OMS-III year. Online asynchronous learning, as well as a standardized patient encounter-based Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) session for assessment will provide a broad range of patient care presentations. This course is pass/fail. Students may not take the COMLEX Level 2-PE until the CSA is successfully completed.
Students will be required to travel to KCU-Kansas City, KCU-Joplin, or a partnering osteopathic institution across the country in order to complete the assessment.
Osteopathic Principles & Practice
Osteopathic Principles & Practice (OPP) is a required longitudinal three-semester online and hands-on course that runs during the third and fourth years of osteopathic medical school. The course focuses on the integration of OPP, including osteopathic manipulative treatment (OMT), into problem solving and patient care. The clinical conditions covered each semester will be based on the top diagnoses coded nationally for each covered organ system or specialty.
Optional Subject Exams
An optional, non-required NBME subject exam may be taken in either Emergency Medicine or Neurology at a cost to the student. These exams must be scheduled at a Prometric testing center and cost approximately $100. Students should contact their KCU clinical clerkship coordinator a minimum of 60 days in advance to make arrangements and remit payment. The exam is not scheduled until payment is received by the Office of Finace at KCU. Scores for these exams are not reflected on the transcript, but may be included in the student’s MSPE.
Deficiences
The student will be notified of a poor assessment by their KCU clinical clerkship coordinator. All deficiencies or concerning comments are reviewed and the student will be asked to provide feedback. Deficiencies relating to poor preceptor evaluations, professionalism or other concerns deemed necessary can be referred to the appropriate University official. Additional assessments submitted following official review will be accepted but may not impact the outcome.
Subsequent to the review process, any student identified as having failed a clerkship may be required to meet with the COM-SPC. Final disposition of the assessment in question is pending completion of this process.
*At any time and for any reason, KCU reserves the right to require additional methods for assessing students. Students may be required to return to the KCU campus for a formal review.
COMLEX Level 2-CE & 2-PE
COMLEX examination applications are available online at www.nbome.org. Students are eligible to sit for the following exams after successful completion of all third-year core clerkships and Clinical Management Review:
- Students must register for COMLEX Level 2-CE and Level 2-PE by Feb. 15.
- COMLEX Level 2-CE must be taken during the assigned Clinical Management Review or within 30 days of its completion.
- COMLEX Level 2-PE must be taken after April 1 and before August 31 of the fourth year.
- Students must successfully complete the Clinical Skills Assessment prior to taking COMLEX Level 2-PE.
In the case of an initial failure, students must retake the COMLEX Level 2-PE or Level 2-CE no later than December 31st of the fourth year in order to be eligible to graduate.
Students requesting permission to take these exams outside the required dates must be directed by or have authorization from the associate dean.
Students who do not adhere to the above are referred to an appropriate University official.
Professionalism
Physical Examinations
During clinical clerkships, students are routinely required to see and examine patients. It is necessary that all examinations of patients be appropriately structured, supervised and consented in the interests of all parties, including the patient, student and attending physician.
Students must wear their KCU picture identification badge and introduce themselves to patients as a medical student. Patient consent for a student to perform an intimate examination must always be voluntary. Consent for an intimate examination must be either verbal and/or written.
Regardless of the gender of the student performing the exam and the patient being examined, a chaperone (defined as another medical professional, preferably the preceptor) is required during all intimate examinations. A chaperone is not an accompanying person (e.g., friend, relative of the patient, another medical student). Students are highly encouraged to record the date, time and the results of the examination as well as the name of the chaperone in the medical record.
Performing Osteopathic Manipulative Medicine & Osteopathic Manipulative Treatment
Students may perform their learned manual skills for diagnosis and therapy on patients while on any clerkship, provided the preceptor (or other supervising physician) has given their permission and provides direct supervision at all times.
Professional Conduct
Students are expected to present and conduct themselves in a professional manner at all times. KCU’s expectations include, but are not limited to:
- Adherence to all policies, procedures, professional behavior, and attitude.
- Exemplary interpersonal relationships with peers, faculty, staff, and the general public.
- The ability to work effectively as part of the academic community and/or health care team.
Reporting Clerkship Issues
At times, concerns or issues may arise during a clerkship. General concerns should be addressed directly to the preceptor, core site coordinator, director of medical education or KCU regional assistant dean, when appropriate. The utmost degree of professionalism is encouraged when discussing these concerns. If an effective resolution cannot be reached, or if the student is not comfortable addressing the issue themselves, the student should contact his/her KCU clinical clerkship coordinator.
Immediate concerns (harassment, patient safety, etc.) should be reported directly to CE.
Student Identification
While performing duties related to patient care, all students must clearly identify themselves as a medical student both verbally and by wearing their KCU picture identification badge in addition to any hospital issued identification. Misrepresentation of oneself as a licensed physician is illegal, unethical and subject to disciplinary action. Should the KCU identification badge become lost or broken, the student should contact KCU Safety & Emergency Management (SEM) immediately to order a free replacement.
The AOA recommends all KCU medical students refer to themselves as “Osteopathic Medical Students” (OMS) followed by the academic level in Roman numeral form. Students should use this title when completing written communication such as email, letters, and/or official social media communication. Students should make every effort to follow the recommendation of the AOA. Communication should look like the following: OMS-I, OMS-II, OMS-III, OMS-IV.
Dress Code for Clinical Activities
On clinical rotations, students must wear professional attire. White coats are required. Male students should wear collared shirts with ties. Female students should wear dresses, slacks or skirts with dress shirts. Closed-toed shoes are required. Training sites may designate other prescribed clothing such as scrubs and/or comfortable shoes. Students may be asked to change their appearance to conform to the dress code of preceptors as well as clerkship sites. A professional appearance mandates the conservative use of jewelry, hair color and clothing selection. Any clothing, hair color, tattoos, jewelry or body piercing that may cause a concern with affiliated faculty, hospitals, or patients must be covered or avoided.
Student identification badges should be worn above the waist and made clearly viewable at all times. ID badges must be presented when requested by any member of KCU administration, staff or faculty. Badges are not transferable and must be returned to the SEM upon termination of student status. Badges are issued to first-year students free of charge during orientation week. Students are expected to keep their ID badges during their entire educational career at KCU. For all lost, stolen or misplaced ID badges/access cards, students can receive a free replacement at the SEM dispatch desk.
Didactic Conferences & Reading Assignments
While the focus of the clinical years is hands-on experience, didactic conferences and reading assignments are often provided as an aide to this learning process. Completion of reading assignments and attendance at didactic conferences scheduled by KCU, the regional assistant deans, directors of medical education, the core site hospital, clerkship service or preceptor is required without exception.
Duty Hours
Scheduling is determined solely at the discretion of the core site hospital, service, or preceptor, and must be followed without exception. Responsibilities may be required on overnights, weekends or holidays. Laws mandating restrictions on intern and resident work hours do not apply to medical students.
Students generally follow the same schedule as their preceptor; however, if the preceptor is on vacation or scheduled away from the office or hospital, additional arrangements must be made for completion of the clerkship. If this occurs, the student must contact the KCU clinical clerkship coordinator immediately. Students must be enrolled in clinical activities throughout the entire academic year up to graduation. Unreported absences or chronic absenteeism may lead to referral to an appropriate University official.
Employment
Students are strongly discouraged from seeking employment during the academic year. Curriculum requirements preclude employment. The University reserves the right to preclude employment should it be deemed to adversely affect the student’s academic progress.
Medical Ethics
All medical students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner demonstrating an awareness and compliance with the ethical, moral and legal values of the osteopathic medical profession. In observing the principles and practices of medical ethics, students will:
- Place primary concern on the patient’s best interests.
- Be available to patients at all reasonable times as expected by the preceptor/core site.
- Perform medical activities only within the limitations of a medical student’s capabilities and within the guidelines determined by the site and/or preceptor.
- Strictly maintain patient and institutional confidentiality.
Safety & Compliance
Hospital Rules & Regulations/Financial Responsibilities
Each hospital/health care system has individual rules and regulations. Medical students must familiarize themselves with and adhere to these protocols during training. Students must respect and follow all policies regarding the use of hospital facilities, housing and equipment.
Students are financially responsible for any damage to or loss of hospital or training site-related property, including but not limited to library materials, pagers and keys. Final grades may be withheld pending return of all hospital or training site property.
Emergency Plan Procedures
Students who are on rotations should follow the emergency procedures and protocols at their specific clinical site at all time. In the event that a rotation schedule is interrupted due to hazardous weather conditions or another emergency situation, students should notify CE as soon as possible.
In the case of inclement weather, students on clerkships are expected to follow the schedule of the site where they are rotating. If the site is closing due to inclement weather, the student is excused until the site reopens. If the student is at a site that remains open during inclement weather, the student is to report and remain on-service until the end of his/her shift. Students should use caution and allow plenty of time for travel to their destination.
In the case of an emergent situation outside normal business hours that requires you to evacuate the location, relocate for a period of time, or any other emergency, please contact the KCU Safety & Emergency Management office at 816.654.7911.
KCU Exposure Policy
If a KCU medical student is exposed to bloodborne pathogens either by direct contact with blood or other bodily fluids via the eyes, mucous membranes, human bite, or sharps (e.g., needle stick, lancet stick, scalpel cut) while on a clerkship, it is to be handled as an emergency situation.
In the event of an exposure, students are to follow site procedures.
Clean
Immediately wash exposed region with soap and water for five minutes. If the exposure occurred in the eyes, nose or mouth, use copious amounts of water to irrigate the mucus membranes. Students should know where stations to irrigate eyes are located.
Communicate
Let the preceptor, DME, core site coordinator and Clinical Education know about the exposure as soon as possible. Students should ask for the following information:
- Patient information (name, date of birth, medical record number, address, phone number) and any prior testing for HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, RPR, or other risk factors.
- If patient is known to be HIV positive, obtain information on CD4 count, history and current opportunistic infections, prior and current regimen and resistance.
- Baseline labs for student and patient (e.g., HIV, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C).
- If he/she is not able to do lab work, present to the closest emergency room.
Chemoprophylaxis
If the patient is HIV positive, or if his/her HIV status is unknown, begin post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) with a multidrug regimen within a few hours of the exposure. Students should not delay in seeking care. If unable to obtain a prescription for medication from the preceptor, students should go to the nearest emergency room for a prescription.
Students can visit the Clinician Consultation Center for additional PEP guidelines.
Post-Exposure Protocol:
- Immediately wash exposed areas with soap and water.
- If splashed in eyes or mouth, flush with large amounts of water.
- It is critical that students be treated within the first two hours after injury.
- Notify supervisor and follow clerkship site exposure protocols.
- If facility is not equipped to handle exposure, contact an occupational health clinic, appropriate site location, or go to the nearest emergency department with your current health insurance information.
- Notify Clinical Education of any care received.
Counseling
Students who were exposed to a blood borne pathogen, bodily fluids, or needle sticks will receive counseling and instructions for follow-up from Clinical Education. Student should contact CE within 24 hours of the incident vis email, [email protected], or phone 816.654.7330. The student should send a copy of the incident report to CE.
Health Insurance
All students are required to maintain personal health insurance. Students must submit proof of current coverage to CE before beginning clinical training. Students are required to immediately report any break in coverage or change in health insurance to CE, emailing an electronic copy of the front and back of the new insurance card to [email protected].
A student who cannot provide documentation of current personal health insurance coverage, in accordance with University requirements, will not be allowed to begin or continue with clinical training.
Also see Student Health & Wellness .
Vaccinations & Immunizations
A student who cannot provide an official up-to-date immunization record, in accordance with University requirements, will not be allowed to begin or continue with clinical training and will be referred to the appropriate University official for disciplinary action.
Background Checks & Drug Screens
Prior to beginning third- and fourth-year clinical clerkships, all KCU students are required to complete a criminal background check and a 15-panel drug screen performed at their own expense.
The background check is to be performed by a certifying organization retained by KCU. The background check is to satisfy federal, state and individual hospital requirements for students participating in clinical activities involving patient care. Any criminal activity occurring prior to or after matriculation must be immediately reported to the vice provost for Enrollment and Student Services. Unreported information may result in disciplinary action to potentially include dismissal.
Some clerkship sites (core or otherwise) require additional checks and/or drug screens. The student is responsible to initiate those requests and remunerate any related fees.
Note: Discovery following admission or matriculation of intentional misrepresentation or omission of any information used in the application process or omission of information relative to scholastic records or test records will subject the student to disciplinary action, including rescinded admission, probation, suspension, or dismissal. Matriculation will be denied to applicants who have failed to maintain a good record of scholastic performance and/or personal conduct between the time of their acceptance and matriculation at the University. The University reserves the right to deny admission to any applicant for any reason the University deems sufficient.
HIPAA Regulations & Patient Encounters
All students are required to become familiar with and adhere to all aspects of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) of 1996, Public Law 104-191 including The Privacy Rule published by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The Privacy Rule establishes, for the first time, a foundation of federal protections for the privacy of Protected Health Information (PHI). This rule sets national standards for the protection of health information, as applied to the three types of covered entities: health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers who conduct certain health care transactions electronically. By the compliance date of April 14, 2003 (April 14, 2004, for small health plans), covered entities must implement standards to protect and guard against the misuse of individually identifiable health information. More specific information may be obtained at www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/.
As a medical student, these standards pertain to all individually identifiable health information PHI encountered during medical training with the University including, but not limited to, medical records and any patient information obtained.
HIPAA regulations prohibit the use or disclosure of PHI unless permitted or required by law; therefore, each student must utilize reasonable safeguards to protect any information he/she receives. Each student is responsible for ensuring the safety and security of any written or electronic information he or she receives, creates or maintains. The misplacement, abandonment or loss of any information in the student’s possession will result in disciplinary action. At no time should a medical student alter, remove or otherwise tamper with medical records. Specific rules and regulations with respect to student entries in medical records must be clarified during orientation or on the first day of the clerkship.
Furthermore, each student is responsible for ensuring that PHI is used or disclosed only to those persons or entities that are authorized to have such information. Students are expected to maintain strict confidentiality in their patient encounters; to protect the physician-patient privilege; and to ensure that there are no unauthorized uses or disclosures of PHI.
Any unauthorized use or disclosure of PHI including but not limited to digital images, video recordings, or any other patient related materials, committed by a student, or any observation of the same by a student or employee, should immediately be reported to CE.
Medical Professional Liability Insurance
KCU provides medical professional liability insurance commensurate with industry standards. Coverage extends only to clinical activities specifically determined by the University as requirements for successful clerkship completion. Nonclinical claims, (e.g. property or equipment loss or damage) does not fall underneath this policy. Changes made to clerkship dates, type and/or location without prior CE approval can jeopardize coverage.
Students may wish to participate in volunteer activities such as health fairs during the course of their medical training. Student professional liability coverage does not extend to non-KCU approved activities (volunteer or otherwise). It is the student’s responsibility to personally determine that any activity in which he/she participates outside of clerkship assignments is covered by alternative coverage. The student is personally responsible should an issue of medical liability arise during activities not covered by KCU professional liability insurance.
Worker’s Compensation Insurance
Medical students are not employees of the University; therefore, KCU does not provide worker’s compensation insurance. The purchase of required coverage may be offered at the facility. Any expense incurred is the student’s responsibility.
Communication
Students are expected to:
- Use KCU email account for all KCU-related correspondence. Use of personal email accounts on behalf of KCU email is not permitted.
- Check email daily, routinely read and respond.
- Respond to Clinical Education correspondence within 48 hours of receipt.
- Recurrent issues may lead to referral to an appropriate University official.
- Be aware of all information disseminated by the University.
- Comply with all University policies.
- Keep contact information, including mailing address and telephone numbers updated in KCU 360.
- Contact the IT Helpdesk when experiencing problems with email.
- Contact their KCU clinical education coordinator or [email protected] when experiencing problems with E*Value.
- Comply with privacy policies such as FERPA, HIPAA, etc.
Additional Information
Please refer to other sections of the catalog and handbook for more information
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