What is an LIC?
A Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) is an improved clinical learning model that replaces traditional block rotations.
In an LIC model, students rotate among specialties and preceptors daily. On Monday, the student may be in pediatrics, Tuesday in OB/GYN, Wednesday in surgery, etc. Preceptors typically work with students a few times a month over 11 months.
The LIC model is easier for preceptors and creates better learning for students.
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“I'm excited about the LICs because it is much closer to what it really means to be a physician.” – JP Valin, MD, Chief Clinical Officer, Intermountain Health
Are there benefits?
Preceptorship has many benefits:
- Increased job satisfaction and personal fulfillment
- Less burnout
- Deeper patient connection and satisfaction
- Improved clinic efficiency
- Adjunct faculty status
- Connection and collaboration with peers
“The time commitment has enough flexibility to it that if you're on vacation or have some other life event, there's flexibility to work with that in the LIC model.” – Robert Brickley, MD
What is expected of me?
Preceptors help immerse and integrate students into the clinical world. By the end of the LIC, students should essentially function as providers.
Successful preceptors involve students in procedures, post-operative interaction, and planning the next steps in care for patients they interact with.
Demonstrating proper bedside manner is also important. Proper note-taking, patient in-take/outflow, and clinic functions are some of the critical lessons students will learn from you.
Preceptors regularly provide students with informal feedback at the end of each day. A more formal, summative assessment is given quarterly.
“I can see patients with one preceptor and then see them again with another. It really helps to kind of develop a picture of what the patient’s pathway through their health care looks like.” - Seth Behin, LIC Student
Frequently Asked Questions
It depends on your specialty. Typically, you can expect to see your student 1-3 days per month.
LICs are very flexible and based on your availability. You can suggest the best days and times that work for you. We can split your time into full days or half days and adjust for unique or unexpected learning opportunities.
If you go on vacation or need to take time off, our team will adjust the student's schedule to accommodate.
Students will rotate among specialties each day. Here is an example of what a student's schedule could look like.
Again, LICs are flexible. We want students to be able to follow patients through their care. A student's schedule could change one week to attend a birth or follow up with a patient's care in another specialty.
Yes. Inpatient immersion weeks are built into students' schedules. This exposes students to inpatient workflow. It also prepares them to follow patients between outpatient and inpatient care settings, a key learning opportunity in LICs.
As a preceptor, we hope you integrate the student into your clinical world. They should go where you go, interacting with patients and other health workers in the same ways you do.
We do ask you to take some time for feedback at the end of each day. A simple review of the work you did, lessons learned, questions, and things to think about or study up on for next time. This feedback is casual and is not graded.
A more summative assessment will be needed about once a quarter. This is to ensure the LIC and student-preceptor relationship is going well. It also helps us assess learning.
You will not need to do any didactic teaching. Comprehensive medical school curriculum and class time prepares students with the medical and pathological knowledge to succeed in your clinic.
You will also not be responsible for coordinating schedules. Our program coordinators will work with you, the student, and the student's other preceptors to create a schedule that works for everyone.
Hosting LICs in your health system increases the likelihood of students returning for future practice. This is especially true in rural or underserved communities.
LICs will help you recruit well-trained physicians who are familiar with your missions and practices.
Students get massive benefits from LICs. These increased, spaced-out learning experiences provide:
- better clinical skills
- a patient-centered mindset that endures over time
- equivalent or higher scores on shelf and USMLE Step 2 exams
Interested?
If you are interested in precepting, please fill out this survey and we will contact you shortly.
You can also contact Brian Good, our LIC Program Director for additional information at brian.good@hsc.utah.edu