The Family Medicine Summer Clinical Experience is a four-week summer program between the first and second years of medical school. The experience allows up to four students the opportunity to work one-on-one with residents and faculty in the Department of Family and Community Medicine at MU.

Our department is committed to providing high quality, patient-centered care to a diverse patient population that includes pregnant women, children, adults and the elderly. Spending time over the summer will expose the students to the core concepts of Family Medicine, including a broad-spectrum approach to primary care that considers the impact of social determinants of health, community factors, and the complex health care system that our patients interact with.

Students will be assigned a primary clinic site in Columbia and will be given a schedule of several family physicians with whom they will work in clinic. Through the clinic experience, students will improve their clinical skills in history taking, physical examination, assessment and medical management. They will explore management of acute health problems, chronic disease management and preventive care for patients of all ages.

Students will also use the time to explore a future career in Family Medicine. This can be tailored to a student’s particular interests but could include time spent with our Sports Medicine faculty, Family Medicine physicians who practice maternity care and deliver babies at Women’s Hospital, Geriatrics and Palliative Care specialists, nursing home care, research in Family Medicine, and the residency. Students will also have the opportunity to interact with our Family Medicine residents during the weekly Tuesday afternoon lecture time.

Students receive a $1,600 stipend to support their experience.

Family Medicine Application