CLINICAL RE-ENTRY

General Announcements

COVID-19 Policies and Principles

The following general principles will be used in considering the conduct of our educational program within the evolving pandemic landscape:

    1. Our first priority is the health and safety of our students
    2. We will assure that students have adequate supervision at all clinical sites, with attention to the additional clinical demands and stressors experienced by our supervising clinicians and their teams
    3. We are committed to working with students who are otherwise progressing in phase with their cohort to allow on-time graduation despite the pandemic. 
    4. We will ensure full compliance with the requirements of our accrediting bodies
    5. We will be innovative and flexible in our teaching methods and educational experiences

Should it not be possible for students to participate in face-to-face clinical encounters on the proposed date of June 22, or if similar conditions at a later time necessitate further alterations in the curricular schedule, the administrative leadership of the College, having consulted on an ongoing basis with the relevant committees and other educational and clinical leaders across the college, will return directly to the CCIA with an alternative proposal.

Approved May 2020

FAQs

On the Rockford and Chicago campuses there is an opportunity for students who are in the class of 2022 and are not ready to return to clerkships in June to take Block 1 out as an online elective, vacation, or step 1 study. If you are in the class of 2021, you may continue to do online electives if you feel it is in your best interest but you should make this decision through conversations with your advisors, students affairs , and your family. Some of the 4th year requirements (Sub-I, Pathway (excepting Radiology), and supplemental clerkship experience) require a student to be in clinic with patients, so if you do not feel comfortable doing that it may eventually delay your graduation. However, initially you may have some time where you could take electives.

This is a normal response, that everyone is feeling to varying degrees. First off, try to identify what your safety concerns are. Depending on what your concerns are you may be able to handle some yourself, while others you may need help from others. If it is access to PPE on a specific clerkship, you could discuss with you local dean or the clerkship director. If it is a health concern, you could speak with your health provider or student affairs.

Again this a normal response and something many of are feeling. Talking things through with your family members, or people you live with will once again help you identify your specific fears and help you identify strategies for dealing with these fears and determining if it is something you can manage while in clinic or not.

You have many avenues for reporting things that make them feel uncomfortable of unsafe during a clinical site. Dr. Tim Lacy is one resource, as is the course director, the education or student affairs dean on your campus, or the end of course evaluation.

Taking a leave of absence is a very personal decision. Any student who is considering a leave of absence should speak with their academic advisor or Student Affairs Dean for guidance.

For students who were progressing according to their intended schedule prior to COVID, we do not expect that the pandemic would change your graduating class. For those who already had delays in their schedule prior to COVID, an on-time graduation may be difficult. For any student who is currently on schedule to graduate in May 2022, and begins clerkships in June we anticipate that you will graduate on time. For students who are not on schedule to graduate May 2022, it is possible that COVID has already impacted your ability to graduate on your current timeline. Please reach out to your education or student affairs dean if you think this may impact you. For students who are not comfortable re-starting in June or who choose to take a leave of absence, all students should be aware that a delay in starting or a leave of absence may delay your graduation depending on how long the student is out of the curriculum.

The college as a whole is working together to place students in career electives to support their residency applications across our 4 campuses. Please reach out to OSA if you need further assistance or have further concerns.

Campus Information

Town Hall Schedule

Class of 2021 (new schedule to be announced)
Class of 2022 (weekly)  Thursdays at  noon
Class of 2023 (weekly) Fridays at 1 pm

M3 clerkship schedule

UIH Intranet Tile for COVID-19 information

Rooms reserved in COM- West Tower for students on clerkships.
Each room can accomodate 8 people

• Psychiatry                       CMWT 224
• Medicine                         CMWT 226
• Surgery                            CMWT 228
• Neurology/Electives     CMWT 314
• OB-GYN                          CMWT 316
• Pediatrics                        CMWT 426
• Family Medicine            CMWT 428

Resources for Remote Rounding University of Illinois Zoom for Protected Health Information

UIH PPE and Patient Care Student Decision Algorithm

If you have COVID Symptoms: 

You should not report to clinical duties if they have fever, cough, URI symptoms, loss of smell or taste, sore throat, diarrhea, myalgia, or any other illness which could possibly be COVID-19.

  1. Notify the coordinator you will not be reporting to your clerkship/elective due to your symptoms.
  2. Notify Dr. Eileen Doherty, Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, at [email protected], who will provide you with further direction.
  3. Contact your PCP
  4. Inform the coordinator for the clerkship if you are still healthy enough to study while you are out of the rotation. You may complete online modules to supplement up to 50% of your clerkship. Electives will vary and will be dependent on time away and ability to make up time.

Rockford Area PPE Requirements and Entry Procedure