Clerkship Guide

Transition activities are scheduled between December 7-18 in preparation for the Clerkship Year starting on January 4, 2027.

All sessions during Transition are mandatory. The schedule can be found on Elentra

For questions about the Transition course, contact:

Aimee Andrews, Manager of Clerkships, Office of Curriculum

• 203-506-7301
• aimee.andrews@yale.edu

As you learned during the online HIPAA training course in your first year of medical school, you will be expected to respect the confidentiality of all patients. Clinical discussions should never be held in public spaces, which include but not limited to elevators, hallways, and the cafeteria.

There will be additional information about the importance of protecting the privacy of patient health information and on how to comply with HIPAA regulations in the clinical setting presented during the Transitions course in December.

NOTE: Medical students are not to be involved in any portion of the medical care of other medical students or faculty who evaluate them.

Every year a small but significant number of students are accidentally exposed to a patient's body fluids. It can be very frightening to have accidental exposures.

There is a very specific protocol to follow in case this happens to you to protect you and to provide information and emotional support, and treatment if indicated. We have printed the procedures (as recommended by Yale Health) on ID size cards for you. The card will be distributed to you during the Transition course, and you should plan to keep it with you whenever you are on the wards.

The YNHH ID badge allows medical students to enter common access points during the clinical years while completing clinical clerkships and electives at the hospital.

Some clerkships allow access to additional areas of the hospital beyond basic access. For students taking extended study or MD-PhD students, badges will be activated for a longer period.

If you have any questions or issues regarding your hospital badge, please contact: Terri Tolson, Registrar, MD Program, Office of Student Affairs, ESH D 220; terri.tolson@yale.edu

Hospital information:

Yale-New Haven Health (YNHH), Access Control & Identification Office, 20 York Street, East Pavilion, 1st Floor, Room 11A; Email: PHOTO_ID@ynhh.org

View the full academic calendar.

Approved Holidays for Clerkship Students (time off)

The following holidays are the approved holidays during which medical students are not expected to report to their rotations. For all other holidays or days that may be observed by the institution, students are expected to attend their assigned rotations unless otherwise directed by their clinical team or clerkship leadership.

Integrated Clerkship Rotations

Site assignments are managed by the department responsible for the clerkship. Although departments aim to consider transportation concerns, not having a car does not automatically rule out the possibility of being assigned to an affiliated hospital outside of New Haven

Students should submit their preference forms to the department by the posted deadline date. Failure to do so will result in the student being assigned to any available site.

Students are allowed to formally request an alternative clerkship site assignment in the rare event of a personal or health-related need. In this case, the student discusses the request with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who will determine if the request is reasonable. If the request is found to be reasonable, the Dean will alert the appropriate clerkship director and coordinator of the need for an alternative clerkship site assignment.

Once assignments have been completed, NO changes will be made. Please review Local v. Non-local Clinical Sites.

Each student is expected to complete the stated requirements by the date specified by the Clerkship Component Director. Failure to do so raises concerns about the students' professionalism and diligence, and this will be reflected in the clerkship grade as well as in the comments section of the final evaluation that will be written at the end of the clerkship.

If at the specified date, which is frequently the last day of a clerkship, a student has not fulfilled the requirements of a clerkship, the following steps will be taken:

1. The student will be notified that the requirements have not been fulfilled (e.g., the student will receive an email stating that the portfolio is incomplete, the knowledge assessment has not been taken, a write-up has not been handed in, etc.)
2. The student has 30 days from the deadline established by the Clerkship Director to fulfill the requirements (e.g., hand in the portfolio, take the knowledge assessment, submit a required write-up). During this time the student will be assigned a grade of "Incomplete". The failure to complete clerkship assignments on time may be factored into the determination of a final grade for the clerkship.
3. If the student still has not completed the requirement 30 days after the deadline established by the Clerkship Director, a grade of "Fail" will be given and the student will not be able to graduate until the requirement(s) are completed.

A student whose failure to complete requirements is due to illness or personal problems should consult as soon as possible with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Find all MD educational policies, procedures, and guidelines here. Below are a few key policies to familiarize yourself with prior to starting your clerkship year.

• Assignment of Clerkship Component Rotations for Students - Procedure
• Clerkship Evaluation – Policy
• Required Attendance on Clinical Clerkships - Policy
• Reporting an Absence from Clinical Clerkships Procedure
• Performance Assessment Appeals - Policy
• Student Access and Use of the Electronic Health Records - Policy
• Medical Student Clinical Work Hours - Policy
• Medical Student Clerkship Evaluation Form