Didactic

The twelve-month didactic phase is designed to introduce students to concepts of basic and clinical sciences, principles of human behavior and research methodology. The Yale School of Medicine faculty, including the core PA faculty, is responsible for the lectures and small-group seminars in the core curriculum.

Educational highlights and innovations include…

standardized patients for history taking and physical exam skills assessment
suturing training
full anatomy dissection lab
computer-based learning and iPads with curriculum document delivery system
small-group seminar sessions and journal clubs integrated throughout
introduction to bedside ultrasound skills using Butterfly’s portable ultrasound

During the didactic phase, students develop their observational acumen and interpersonal skills for history taking and physical examination, as well as fine tune their psychomotor, spatial, and critical-thinking skills.

First year students attend a Labor and Delivery Simulator session during the Ob/Gyn module.

Interprofessional Longitudinal Clinical Experience (ILCE) is a course which runs during the Didactic Year from September to April and includes first year students from Yale School of Medicine and Yale PA Program. This collaborative course allows students to learn with, from, and about each other as they work together to develop and practice history-taking, physical exam and presentation skills. Visit the ILCE webpage for more information.