Class of 2017 Medical Students Begin Clinical Rotations

University of South Alabama medical students (from left) Shane Outlaw, Rebekah Frazier, Will Ricks, Jelaina Scott, Michael Gunter, Lauren Mann and James White pose for a photo during a tour of USA Children's & Women's Hospital June 24, 2015.

University of South Alabama College of Medicine fourth-year medical student Gabrielle Hood (second from right) talks to a group of third-year medical students as she gives them a tour of USA  Medical Center during orientation June 23, 2015.

The University of South Alabama College of Medicine recently held clerkship orientation for third-year medical students. Orientation week gave the students an introduction to their clinical years and included briefings on topics ranging from hospital policies to mini board exams.

This is the second class of students to enter the USA College of Medicine that receive the re-designed curriculum. Students receive instruction in all competencies from the beginning of their educational experience. Milestones of achievement toward competency will be evaluated and documented throughout the course of the four years leading to graduation.

“I’m excited for the chance to actually work hands-on,” said third-year medical student Nicholas Tinker of Ralph, Ala. Tinker feels that he has been given a strong basic knowledge of sciences on which he is excited to build upon in a clinical setting.

Corwin McGee, another third-year medical student from Mobile, Ala., is greatly looking forward to utilizing the tools learned in his first two years of medical school at USA. “For the past two years we have been learning mostly about the basics of medicine. We are finally able to learn about the art of medicine.”

“Our faculty is wonderful and one hundred percent dedicated to making sure that we have everything we need to be prepared. I have full faith in them,” said Sara Shields Tarwater of Athens, Ga. Tarwater is most excited to learn about the various medical specialties. At times it seemed like “clerkship would never come fast enough,” Tarwater said.

Despite the nerves associated with starting clinical patient care, the third-year medical students agree that they are excited for the transition from classroom to hospital.

Before beginning orientation, the students received their white coats at the annual White Coat Ceremony at the USA Mitchell Center. Tinker stated that the ceremony was “incredible… a big stepping stone in our medical career.”

Click here to view more photos from orientation.