Phase 2: Patient Care Phase

​​​​​​​​​In the 12-month Patient Care Phase, students achieve specific competencies in six core clinical disciplines:

  • Family Medicine
  • Internal Medicine
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Pediatrics
  • Psychiatry
  • Surgery

Students will also have six weeks off or time to schedule a clinical elective.

Students can participate in these clinical experiences in a variety of locations, both in urban and rural settings throughout the WWAMI region.

  • Intro to Patient Care Phase & Special Programs 2023 Webinar
    • This recorded webinar has helpful information about what to expect when you enter your Patient Care Phase, and the various program options for your rations, including information about Speciali Programs from students who have participated!
  • Follow up Intro to Patient Care Phase & Special Programs 2023 Student Office Hours: Recording will be updated May 2023

  • Family Medicine – 6 weeks, 12 credits
  • Internal Medicine – 12 weeks, 24 credits
  • Obstetrics & Gynecology – 6 week, 12 credits
  • Pediatrics – 6 weeks, 12 credits
  • Psychiatry – 6 weeks, 12 credits
  • Surgery – 6 weeks, 12 credits

Please refer to the departmental websites for more detailed information about Required Patient Care Phase Clerkships.

Medical students at the UW School of Medicine may choose from one of four approaches to their third-year clinical rotations.  Students are defaulted into the WWAMI Experience or have the opportunity to apply for the other three programs, known as Special Programs.

  • WWAMI Experience: About 75 percent of Patient Care Phase students patriciate in the WWAMI Experience. Students rank their preferences and are scheduled to clerkships via a complex ranking process by the SOM Registrar, allowing students the opportunity to schedule all of their Required Patient Care Clerkships across the five-state WWAMI region.  Students in the WWAMI Experience are expected to take at least three required clerkships outside of the Seattle area.
  • Track Program: The WWAMI Track Program allows accepted students to be scheduled for a set number of required clerkships in one specific state/region within WWAMI (24 weeks for Patient Care Phase and 12 weeks for Explore & Focus Phase). APPLICATION PROCESS REQUIRED.
  • ​WRITE Program: The WWAMI Rural Integrated Training Experience (WRITE) is an integrated rural clinical medical training experience for a pre-selected group of third-year medical students. All WRITE sites offer three weeks of outpatient Pediatrics, three weeks of outpatient Psychiatry, and the entire six-week Family Medicine clerkship. In addition, sites include either a four-week elective at the end of WRITE or OB/GYN.​​ APPLICATION PROCESS REQUIRED.
  • Olympia Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC): The Olympia LIC is an 11-month longitudinal clerkship with an emphasis on community care and based in the small urban community of Olympia, Washington. A longitudinal integrated clerkship allows a student over time to experience multiple medical disciplines. This is opposed to a traditional clerkship that is specialty-focused, such as pediatrics, and usually lasts for a blocked timeframe (typically 6 weeks). APPLICATION PROCESS REQUIRED.

Refer to the Clerkship Scheduling Policy and the SOM Registrar for requirements, procedures, and guidelines for scheduling in the Patient Care Phase.

Contact the Registration Team at somreg@uw.edu with questions about scheduling in the Patient Care Phase.

For more information about student travel around the WWAMI Region.

Students may have an opportunity during their Patient Care Phase 6 week break to take Clinical Electives.  Clinical elective clerkships are subject to Department pre-requisites and permissions. Visit the Clinical Elective Clerkships webpage for more information.

There is a formal process in place for any student that wishes to challenge or appeal their clerkship grade. Information can be found on the Clinical Grade Review Challenge and Appeal Process page.