Key Student Responsibilities

Rural PAL Responsibilities & Outcomes

The requirements below can be completed in Oasis.

Introduction to Practice Management

Identify how good patient care depends on good front and back office clinical functions and the complex administrative functions that go on daily.  You are required to orientate with clinic staff who manage both of these functions (best scheduled early on during Learning Plan session with site director).

PAL Learning Plan

Complete and sign the PAL Learning Plan with your preceptor during Orientation and Mid Rotation Progress Review. Download the PAL Learning Plan.  This should be uploaded into Oasis once complete.

Send a postcard 

By week two and the last week of the rotation. Upload your photos and write about your impressions of your rural community--the people (HIPPA compliant), the practice of medicine, cultural differences, and the surprises.  Communications, including photos, will be collected for reference by staff and future RHPP participants. We really enjoy receiving your photos and hearing your stories!

Thank you notes

Let the people who made your Summer Experience possible know that you appreciate them with a short note after you complete the rotation.

Evaluations 

Each student is required to complete a program and preceptor evaluation.  An email notification with a link to the forms will be sent to you.

PAL Workbook  

Each student is required to complete the PAL Workbook located here.  Here are the websites to access the data and formulate your answers.  Once you complete your workbook, you will save it as a pdf and upload it into Oasis.

PAL Workbook Questions

Rural PAL Workbook.pdf

PX/DX

You can track your patient encounters in the Oasis checklist.  The link to the encounters you may see is in this PX/DX log. This activity will help you prepare for Clerkships.

Scholarly Project

All RHPP students complete a scholarly project or an alternative project experience if the scholarly project isn't directly related to rural health.  The PAL block is an excellent time to evaluate and begin alternative opportunities.  The SP requirements for the RHPP program are below.

● Pursuing a rural subject matter SP as approved by RHPP Director

● Choosing non-rural subject matter SP AND completing one of the following equivalency projects preapproved by the RHPP Director:

a. QI project based in a rural clinical practice

b. A rural-related case study submitted for publication

c. A rural community needs assessment (in the primary community in which student has been placed)

d. An approved service-learning project within the rural placement community, completion of the project, and submission of a statement of outcomes related to the project.

e. AHEC Scholars Program participation (for explanation see “Added Dimensions” section of this document).

Duty Hours

Minimum of 40 hours/week dedicated to the PAL community experience (not all of which as to be clinically supervised)

Please note the policy as mandated by the College of Medicine - Phoenix

Clinical Supervision

Your clinical experiences must be conducted under the direct supervision of a preceptor.  Direct supervision does not mean necessarily that they must be in the same room—at a minimum the preceptor must be immediately available.  Preceptors are aware that you are becoming comfortable with your clinical skills, don’t be afraid to remind them if you feel like you are in over your head.  Communication will be the key to getting the most out of your placement.

Attendance

Once you have established a schedule with your site director it is important that you adhere to it.  We have asked your director to be aware of different tasks you will need to accomplish in your four weeks and you must ensure that these tasks are built into the schedule.  Should an urgent change be required, notify your site director (or designee) and email Dr. Cartsonis with at least 24 hours' notice. 

Unexplained/unexcused absences could lead to an incomplete in this portion of your COD and therefore inability to meet the COD program requirements.

Have fun!

Problem Solving 

For problems that may come up that are not easily resolved at the site contact: