A NEW EDUCATIONAL-APPROACH FOR SUPPORTING THE PROFESSIONAL-DEVELOPMENT OF 3RD-YEAR MEDICAL-STUDENTS

This paper describes a new course designed to support the professional development of third-year medical students, The course runs through t he clinical clerkships, and has several additional features: it includ es a multidisciplinary faculty; it is centrally based in the medical s chool; it addresses students' values and attitudes in addition to thei r knowledge and skills: and it makes use of small-group learning metho ds, and faculty, student, and group continuity during the year, The cu rriculum, which addresses ethical, social, and communicative issues in medicine, plus the evaluation of students and of the course, are desc ribed.