POLICY ON MEDICAL STUDENT SUPERVISION
The primary responsibility for the patient is vested with a teaching attending or medical staff member and may not be delegated to a student. Residents and fellows may participate in overseeing the educational process, but any supervising physician must have applicable credentials, privileges, and authorization in order to oversee each clinical activity or procedure. Students must be clearly identified as such. When being introduced, the phrases “student doctor” or “medical student” are recommended. A photo ID with student designation will be worn at all times.
Procedures
Medical students, in the course of their educational curriculum, may take patient histories, perform complete physical examinations and enter findings in the medical record of the patient with the approval of the patient's attending physician. All medical student entries must be identified as “student” and must be countersigned within 24 hours by an appropriately privileged physician (registered, permitted or licensed practitioner). The student record may not substitute for the required history and physical examination nor progress notes of an attending or resident physician. The physician who countersigns the student entries verifies the content as being accurate and appropriate and shall sign as verified or the record will be rewritten or a note made clarifying any areas of question. Students may not write orders in the chart.
Medical students may be assigned and directed to provide additional patient care services under the direct, in-person, supervision of an attending physician or authorized postgraduate trainee. The supervising physician must have privileges or authorization to perform the procedure being supervised. The degree of supervision must take into account the complexity of the procedure, potential for untoward effects, and the demonstrated competence, maturity and responsibility of each student in order to ensure the safety and comfort of the patient.
Each student will be assigned a unique hospital computer access code. Students MAY access the computer to obtain needed information on their patients with authorization through the Division of Academic Affairs. Students may not sign as witnesses to authorizations or consents for procedures or surgery on patients cared for by themselves, or their team.
At the conclusion of each rotation, the supervising physician will complete a written evaluation of the student, in the format provided by each school.