The Division of Medical Student Education within Saint Louis University's Department of Family and Community Medicine focuses on education throughout the four years of medical school.
A Glimpse Into Family Medicine
A Message from the Director of Medical Student Education
The Department of Family and Community Medicine provides excellence in clinical and academic experiences for students and residents interested in becoming leaders in primary and community-responsive care. Through a full continuum of education, we foster the best in patient care, research, leadership and community service.
Our mission is to:
- Educate current health professions students and future physicians, family physicians, and family therapists.
- Provide the highest quality primary care, preventive care and mental health care to our community.
- Improve the health of our communities through population-based and evidence-based care.
- Deliver cost-effective care by promoting primary care and adherence to best practices.
- Advance the fields of family medicine and medical family therapy through population-based, primary care and integrated mental health research.
Kelly Everard, Ph.D.
Director of Medical Student Education, Department of Family and Community Medicine
kelly.everard@health.slu.edu
Urban Community Health Track
Family and Community Medicine has partnered with the Saint Louis Integrated Health network (IHN) to create the Saint Louis University Community Health Track. The Urban Community Health Track is designed to enhance the skills of future physicians to care for patients in urban underserved areas and will include an integration of formal course work, clinical experience, community service, and professional development. In years one and two, programming will be done during elective time and during non-scheduled time. In year three, students will be placed at urban sites for their clerkships. In year four, required and elective courses will be primarily in urban underserved areas. Students who complete the requirements of this track will graduate with a Distinction in Urban Community Health.
The Urban Community Health Track development is part of a larger initiative of the IHN's Pipeline to Compassionate Care program which began developing educational and training activities in 2018 at Saint Louis University and Washington University.
For more information about the Urban Community Health Track, please contact Kelly Everard, Ph.D. at kelly.everard@health.slu.edu.
Family and Community Medicine Courses
We offer the following electives to provide a variety of experiences in family medicine:
- FCM-134 Patient's Experience of Trauma in Health Care
- FCM-135 Urban Community Health
- SALC-135 Empowering Youth Today
Our required third-year family medicine clerkship is one of the highest rated clerkships in the medical school. It is designed to enable students to establish competencies in the comprehensive approach to the practice of medicine.
Learn About the Family Medicine Clerkship
The board specialty of family medicine centers on lasting, caring relationships with patients and their families. Family physicians integrate the biological, clinical, and behavioral sciences to provide continuing and comprehensive health care. The scope of practice encompasses all ages and genders, each organ system, and every disease entity.
Our family medicine preceptors work in urban, rural and suburban areas and in a variety of community settings such as solo practices, group practices, residencies, and community health centers.
- FCM-410 Global Health: Cross-Cultural/International Experiences
- FCM-414 Primary Care Research
- FCM-417 Family Practice in an Urban Setting
- FCM-419 Web-Based Morbidity and Mortality Rounds
- FCM-421 Primary Care Sports Medicine
- FCM-426 Urgent Care
- FCM-427 Medical Management of Eating Disorders
- FCM-429 Medical Mission to El Salvador
- FCM-434 Casa de Salud Ambulatory Clinic
- FCM-438 Sexuality and Human Development
- FCM-439 Assessment and Treatment for Dementia
We also offer three family medicine sub-internships for students who have completed their basic clerkships to give them the opportunity to hone skills in the diagnosis and management of medical problems in a family medicine inpatient setting. Students can evaluate and manage a broad range of inpatients from initial assessment to discharge who require acute medical and surgical care.
- FCM-501 SLU Family Medicine - St. Elizabeth's Hospital
- FCM-502 Family Medicine - Mercy Family Medicine
- FCM-503 Family Medicine Inpatient Service at St. Mary's Health Center