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Saint Louis University Clinical Skills Center

Established in 1977, the Saint Louis University School of Medicine Clinical Skills Center (C.S.C.) is one of the first in the United States. This space is dedicated to medical student education and professional development.

Two students talking with a standardized patient at the clinical skills center
 

Mission Statement

The C.S.C. supports medical students in developing the history-taking, physical examination, communication, and clinical judgment skills required for their success as physicians. We serve faculty and other health care educators in conceptualizing and designing educational programs that support students’ professional development. Additionally, we interface with the Saint Louis community for the recruitment and training of standardized patients (SPs) for patient portrayals and teaching of interpersonal and communication skills.

Facilities

In 2011, the C.S.C. was relocated to a modernized, 5,200-square-foot location in the Education Union (EU). This space consists of ten examination rooms outfitted with examination equipment, such as a PanOptic ophthalmoscope, otoscope, and sphygmomanometer, consistent with what would be found in a live clinical environment. Audio-visual equipment can be employed to record SP encounters, allowing educators and students to review video for debriefing and feedback purposes.

School of Medicine Education

Saint Louis University medical students use the C.S.C. for their professional development throughout all four years of medical school, for a range of formative and summative feedback opportunities that develop clinical competence.

Phase of Medical School Clinical Skills Center Education
 
Phase One
Pre-Clerkship: Year One and fall semester of Year Two
  • Clinical Diagnosis
    • Neurologic, head/ear/eye/nose/throat, cardiovascular,  respiratory, gastrointestinal, skin/bone/joint, male genital, and female pelvic examinations
  • Organ Modules / Courses
    • Objective structured clinical examinations (OSCEs) for select organ modules integrating history and physical examination data into a graded writeup
  • Ultrasound
    • Cardiovascular, thoracic, gallbladder, and vessel ultrasound
Phase Two
Clerkship: spring semester of Year Two and fall semester of Year Three
  • Clerkships
    • OSCEs for six core clerkships integrating history and physical examination data into a graded writeup
Phase Three
Post-Clerkship: spring semester of Year Three to graduation
  • M4 Capstone
    • OSCEs on patient communication and consent
 

Additional Educational Programs

Other Saint Louis University departments and schools utilize the center for residency training, interprofessional education, and other SP activities. There is no internal fee for SLU programs. External programs are charged a fee depending on the planned event.