Sciences and Art of Medicine Integrated (SAMI) is a small group, patient-based curriculum that occurs during the clerkship year. Students work together to clinically reason through an undifferentiated patient, from chief complaint through work-up and treatment.
Throughout the session, students focus on creating detailed differential diagnoses and integrating basic and health systems sciences with clinical medicine to identify high-value, patient-specific care. Each case involves three standardized patient encounters that allow students to practice, and receive feedback on, focused histories and physical exams, discussions of differential diagnoses and next steps, and discussions of proposed management plans while utilizing advanced communication skill.
Each small group is facilitated by a clinician; students receive feedback both face-to-face and in writing. SAMI also provides students with a space to debrief and reflect as a means to continue developing their humanism and professionalism in medicine.