Graduating Students Prepare for Residency with Capstone Activities

Each year, our graduating students participate in capstone, a final curriculum experience to help them prepare for their first year of residency. This opportunity not only helps students build on their clinical skills, but also allows them one last chance to spend time together before graduation.

Below are some highlights of this year’s capstone activities:

WEEK 1
Monday, March 7 (Health Education Campus)

• The capstone rotation began with a short orientation by Neil Mehta, MBBS, MS, Professor of Medicine, Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs and Director of the capstone program, and Debbie Schuster, Program Coordinator.
• Bud Isaacson, MD, Professor of Medicine and Executive Dean, and Cheryl O’Brien, RN, JD, facilitated an interactive discussion on “Playing by the Rules: What Every Intern Needs to Know About State Medical Boards, Licensure and Malpractice.” The session is designed to help students minimize professional risk and avoid medical malpractice. Susan Rehm, MD, Professor of Medicine and Executive Director of Physician Health, presented on personal well-being, offering students tips for caring for themselves while caring for others.
• Cleveland Clinic CEO and President Tom Mihaljevic, MD, Professor of Surgery, met with the students to offer guidance and advice for their residency years.
• Leonard Calabrese, DO, Professor of Medicine, and Katherine Burke, MFA, Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, presented a program on professionalism, called “Looking Back/Looking Ahead: On Becoming a Doctor.” They led the students in a discussion about how to keep the “being” part of themselves alive during the next stage of their medical career journey.
• Prior to lunch, students heard from the Cleveland Clinic Alumni Relations team about the alumni group and how to stay connected after graduation. Lunch and alumni swag were provided courtesy of Cleveland Clinic Alumni Relations.
• In the afternoon, students engaged in a series of hands-on skill building exercises designed to help them prepare for residency.

Tuesday, March 8 (Simulation Center)

All the students met in the Simulation Center and Advanced Skills Center for a full day of skill-building exercises such as basic and laparoscopic suturing and knot tying; cardiac auscultation; crisis management; feed tubes; wound care; and more.

Wednesday and Thursday, March 9 and 10 (Simulation Center)

The students spent two full days getting trained and certified in Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support (ACLS) and Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS). The training was led by professionals from Cleveland Clinic and the American Heart Association.

Friday, March 11 (Health Education Campus)

Students and faculty gathered for the 12th Annual Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine Research Day, featuring Renee N. Salas, MD (‘09), MPH, MS, a nationally recognized expert on climate change and health, who gave the keynote address: “The CCLCM Mission of Transformative Change: The Climate Crisis and Beyond.” See “Graduating Students Present Their Research at Research Day.”

WEEK 2
Monday, March 14 (Health Education Campus)

• The students participated in a workshop called “How to Be an Effective Intern,” which provided them with guidance on being an effective team member in their new role as a resident.
• Jeremy Lipman, MD, MHPE, Professor of Surgery; Richard Wardrop III, MD; Charles Kwon, MD, Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics; and interns Diana Basali, MD; Mir Shanaz Hossain, MD; Kyle Richardville, MD; and Joseph Sipko, MD, led individual group discussions with graduating students who are planning to match to various medical and surgical specialties and subspecialties, giving them advice about how to excel and answering questions about how to best prepare for their intern, or PGY1, year.

Tuesday, March 15 (Simulation Center)

Students participated in a full day of additional simulation training around airway management and radiology including the Radiology Review for Interns course.

Wednesday and Thursday, March 16 and 17 (Simulation Center)

Students participated in two full days of skill-building exercises on topics related to acid-base disorders, dermatologic emergencies, diabetes management in the hospital, controlled substances, managing pain, transfusion medicine, patient handoffs and more.

Friday, March 18

Each year, the capstone activities conclude with Match Day. See “Lerner College of Medicine Students Celebrate Match Day In Person” and view the 2022 Match results.

The capstone sessions would not be possible without the extraordinary effort of numerous faculty, staff and residents. The planning that goes into this two-week experience is monumental. To all those who participated not only in the planning, but also in the delivery of this important education, we offer our deepest thanks and gratitude. Your time and effort give our students that extra boost of confidence as they begin the next stage of their journey as physicians in training.