The Core Clerkship Rotations are designed to provide students with both breadth and depth in clinical care. Experiences are developmental, with opportunities to reinforce, build upon, and transfer knowledge and skills from all parts of the curriculum. Clinical learning is integrated across disciplines whenever possible through a unique block structure, and important themes related to scholarship, humanism, and science are supported through specially designed weekly small group programs. A unified approach to addressing and assessing a core clinical curriculum is utilized at all teaching sites with the flexibility to take advantage of the unique strengths of each clinical setting.
University Program students have the option of participating in the traditional clerkship rotations, the Cleveland Clinic Longitudinal Clerkship (CCLC), or the MetroHealth Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC).
Objectives and Requirements for Clerkships and Integrated Clinical Experiences (2025-2026)
Traditional Core Clinical Rotations
Beginning in their second year, most students will complete their core clerkship rotations through this traditional block schedule. These rotations are organized in blocks of varying lengths that group complementary core specialties at one or more sites.
| Core | Rotation | Duration |
|---|---|---|
| Core 1 | Family Medicine, Geriatrics, Internal Medicine | 12 Weeks |
| Core 2 | Pediatrics (6 weeks), OB/Gyn (6 weeks) | 12 Weeks |
| Core 3 | Neuroscience (4 weeks), Psychiatry (4 weeks) | 8 Weeks |
| Core 4 | Emergency Medicine, Surgery | 8 Weeks |
Each of these clinical rotations is offered at all of the School of Medicine's hospital affiliates, including University Hospitals of Cleveland, MetroHealth Medical Center, and the Louis Stokes VA Medical Center. However, Pediatrics and OB/Gyn are not available at the VA.
Cleveland Clinic Longitudinal Clerkship (CCLC)
Students will have the option of completing their core clerkship rotations as part of a 12-month longitudinal clerkship experience at the Cleveland Clinic. The educational learning objectives remain the same for all Case Western Reserve University students on their clerkship rotations, however, the structure of this experience will offer some unique features aimed at increased longitudinal ambulatory experiences with faculty. Students will complete all 40 weeks of their clerkship rotations within the Cleveland Clinic Health System and have 8 weeks of electives that can be taken at other hospitals in Cleveland or as a visiting student at another institution. The rotation structure will be:
| Block Name | Rotation Length | Focus | Inpatient or Outpatient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Team Based Care 1 | 12 Weeks |
| Inpatient |
| Team Based Care 2 |
|
| Inpatient |
| Team Based Care 3 |
|
| Inpatient |
| Longitudinal Ambulatory Block (LAB) | 12 Weeks |
| Outpatient |
The Longitudinal Ambulatory Block (LAB) will include outpatient components of Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Emergency Medicine, Palliative Medicine, and Geriatrics. LAB will also provide opportunities for students to explore other disciplines and possible areas of career interest and establish longitudinal experiences by working a half day a week with the same preceptor over 12 weeks. The longitudinal clerkship will also allow students to create a community of learning by participating in Longitudinal Learning Groups over the year. Topics such as quality/safety, high-value care, and palliative medicine will be covered as part of a year-long curriculum.
12-week Longitudinal Ambulatory Block (LAB) Rotation
Sample weekly student schedule in LAB. Will be developed individually for each student.
| Time | Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 p.m. | Internal Medicine | Pediatrics | Family Medicine | Palliative Med or ER |
|
| 1 p.m. | Palliative Med or ER | Career Exploration Time (Flex time) | Family Medicine | Geriatrics | SAMI |
MetroHealth-CWRU Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (MetroLIC)
Students have the opportunity to complete their core clerkship rotations through the MetroHealth Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC), a 12-month clinical experience within The MetroHealth System. While all Case Western Reserve University students meet the same core clerkship learning objectives, the LIC offers a distinctive model that emphasizes continuity of care, integrated learning, and long-term relationships with patients and faculty.
Students complete all 40 weeks of their required core clerkships within the MetroHealth System and have 8 weeks of elective time that may be completed across the Case system or as a visiting student at another institution.
The LIC is centered on a year-long outpatient experience, with students spending a half day each week working alongside the same family physician, internist, pediatrician, obstetrician-gynecologist, and surgeon (including subspecialists). Students also gain experience caring for aging populations in both outpatient and inpatient settings. Working with the same faculty throughout the year allows students to become valued members of their clinical teams, follow patients across specialties and care settings, and gain perspective of health system science and the patient experience.
Approximately every four weeks, students transition to focused inpatient “bursts” lasting 14–21 days. During these rotations, students serve as members of inpatient teams in internal medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, surgery and emergency medicine, neurology, and psychiatry. These experiences provide hands-on care of hospitalized patients while offering insight into the needs of the diverse, urban, and medically underserved populations cared for at MetroHealth Medical Center.
By combining longitudinal outpatient continuity with immersive inpatient experiences, the MetroHealth LIC provides a comprehensive and integrated approach to clinical education that strengthens clinical skills, professional identity, and understanding of patient care across settings and specialties.