FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
When emailing any of the Medical Skills Team members or Course Directors about the following inquiries, PLEASE MAKE SURE TO CC the entire team to ensure a timely response to your question.
For additional questions not addressed here, please email the Medical Skills team.
Dr. Sarah Preiss-Farzanegan
Tuesdays: by appointment (July-September)
Thursdays: by appointment (October-May)
Alicia & Kalia
Monday - Friday from 9:00 AM-4:00 PM in the OSCE Center
All Medical Skills sessions are MANDATORY. If you anticipate missing or have missed a Med Skills session due to illness, personal reasons, family emergencies, or other circumstances outlined by CNUCOM policy for an excused absence, please follow the absence request protocol outlined below. For anticipated absences, please communicate with the Medical Skills team as early as possible to allow for scheduling adjustments.
Fill out an absence request form as soon as possible: (https://docs.google.com/document/d/18ikYXEorcKWDnuD-bwPAANDj3twm4MAABhi0Yb4s5qA/edit?usp=sharing)
Email the completed form and supportive documentation for the absence (e.g., doctor's note for illness) to CNU_MSSupport@cnsu.edu and CC the medical skills team. All absences must be approved by the course director(s).
[NOTE]: Failure to attend a mandatory CNU activity requires completion of a make-up assignment. Please reach out to the course director for further instructions.
If you have a legitimate scheduling conflict, we kindly request that you promptly contact Kalia Watkins via email (with the rest of the medical skills team CC'd) to discuss possible group switches.
Objective Structured Clinical Examination (OSCE) sessions were initially proposed back in 1975 as a method to assess medical student skills. This approach involves direct observation of students by preceptors within carefully controlled scenarios, using standardized patients and pre-determined marking strategies.
Wise words from Dr. Essayyad:
"Remember that being early is on time, being on-time is late, and being late is... UNPROFESSIONAL.
Let's all strive to be professional!"
OSCE Session Etiquette
Please ensure that you arrive 30 minutes prior to your scheduled time for the debrief session in Room 181 (or designated room) and sign in.
If you are scheduled 8:30 AM - 10:00 AM, you would arrive at 8:00 AM
If you are scheduled 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM, you would arrive at 9:30 AM
If you are scheduled 12:30 PM - 2:00 PM, you would arrive at 12:00 PM
Workshop Sessions at CNU are designed to reinforce skills learned in Medical Skills. Workshop offers students dedicated time for learning and focused practice on skills such as physical examination, interviewing, presenting, etc.
These sessions typically take place in Classroom 1A (M1s) or 1B (M2s) (refer to Canvas for time changes or any updates from the course directors).
You may review your preceptor narrative evaluations with Alicia or Kalia at the OSCE Center during their designated office hours as listed below.
M/W/F: 9:00 AM- 4:00 PM
T/TH: only after 2:00 PM (after the last OSCE session)
If you would like more guidance regarding a specific physical exam or taking a history of present illness (HPI), you are more than welcome to arrange an appointment with any of the preceptors (via email or asking in-person).
You can find their contact information on our Preceptors page located under the "Meet the Team" tab.
Please note that OSCE rooms are accessible to students to practice in from 8:00-5:00 PM.
The OSCE rooms are open for student weekdays between 8:00 AM-5:00 PM.
Room availabilities may vary during exam periods, please email the team or stop by the OSCE center if you are unsure.
Calling all 3rd- and 4th-year students!
The Medical Skills Team is excited to announce the creation of a new elective for third- and fourth-year students: the Medical Education Elective. Headed by Dr. Gullo, students have the opportunity to craft an educational elective per their teaching and learning interests. In addition to other activities, students may choose to work with the Medical Skills course directors as a Medical Skills TA, teaching and mentoring first- and second-year students during the Medical Skills course.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please email Dr. Gullo and CC Dr. Preiss-Farzanegan, thank you!