Development of a Joint Clerkship Sponsored by Two Departments: Lessons Learned

Purpose: The purpose of this article is to describe the problems and associated solutions involved in the development and implementation of a 3rd-year clerkship jointly operated by the Department of Surgery and the Department of Internal Medicine. Summary: Both departments had previously conducted their own clerkships, and each had different degrees of experiences with problem-based learning in undergraduate education. During the development of the joint clerkship, several problems arose; solutions required compromise and communication. Conclusions: The authors make the following recommendations for others who may be planning such a joint effort: open sharing of different experiences; sufficient staff support; flexibility and respect for other perspectives; adequate training and assistance for faculty members; development of a core content curriculum; support from administrators, chairpersons, and faculty members; and communication within and between departments.