Community Office Practice Course (COP)
The Community Office Practice Course (COP) course introduces students to community-oriented
primary care in an ambulatory setting. COP integrates the Clinical Skills, Basic Science, Community Science, and Bioethics curricula over the course of 8 four hour sessions. During COP, students will gain exposure to real patients, use medical diagnostic instruments, and practice skills learned in their Clinical Skills sessions (including, but not limited to taking medical histories and performing physical examinations) while under the supervision of a credentialed volunteer preceptor. The student will attend each COP session with a specific learning assignment ("learning prescription"), that will focus on the last clinical skill learned, and will be expected to practice this skill as much as possible. The preceptor should facilitate learning by serving as "coach", with the understanding that the student should not expect the preceptor to "teach" them the skill de novo. The student should come to the sessions having reviewed the learning objective(s) and the assigned reading, and/or videotaped material listed (as primary reference) in the Clinical Skills Manual. These specific assignments are designed to help students master the clinical skills necessary for licensure, and sound clinical practice. The assignments should not hinder the preceptor from exposing the student to other valuable patient encounters and primary practice topics that will work to enlighten and broaden the student's understanding of primary practice.
COP also exposes students to the management aspects of a physician's practice, including roles and activities of office personnel in the maintenance of office records, scheduling appointments, referrals, and studies.
Beginning in April, and ending in June first year students will attend 3 one-half day (four hour) sessions in a physician's office. This will be followed by 5 sessions beginning their sophomore year.
MERCER UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
Community Office Practice Course
1550 College Street
Macon, GA.
Telephone: (478) 301-4047 Fax: (478) 301-5487
