Clinical Skills
About the role
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Yale School of Medicine
About YSM
Yale School of Medicine/ Medical Education/
MD Program
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About Office of the Deputy Dean Committees MD Admissions Committee Progress Committee Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee EPCC Committee Minutes Thesis Chair Committee Curriculum Mapping Documents LCME Accreditation Admissions How to Apply Connect The Yale System Dates and Deadlines Pre-medical Requirements Admissions Team Financial Aid MD Program Application Process International Students MD Student Cost of Attendance 2026-2027 Cost of Attendance 2025-2026 Cost of Attendance 2024-2025 Cost of Attendance 2023-2024 Cost of Attendance 2022-2023 Cost of Attendance 2021-2022 Cost of Attendance Research Funding, Extended Study and Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions PA Program OBBA Federal Loan Changes PA Online Program Application Process PA Online Student Budget Forms & Resources FAFSA Application CSS Profile Application How to Avoid Common Errors Student Billing Information Financial Literacy Information Scholarships & Loans External Scholarships Loans Financial Aid Team Curriculum Competencies & Grad Requirements Competencies Guiding Principles Graduation Requirements Calendar Pre-Clerkship Year 1 Curriculum Year 2 Curriculum Eight Master Courses Introduction to the Profession (iPro) Scientific Foundations Genes and Development Attacks and Defenses Homeostasis Energy and Metabolism Connection to the World Across the Lifespan Four Longitudinal Courses Professional Responsibility Anatomy Scientific Inquiry Populations & Methods Ten Longitudinal Threads Biochemistry Cell Biology Diagnostic Methods Embryology Genetics Health Equity About Us Pedagogy Domains of the Health Equity Thread Advisory Group Publications Pathology Nutrition Pharmacology Physiology Clinical Skills Communications Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound Foundations of Patient Care Clerkship Surgery Emergency Medicine OBGYN Pediatrics Primary Care Psychiatry Internal Medicine Neurology Palliative Care Curriculum Student Assignments, Workshops, & Resources Recommended Readings Online Learning Interprofessional Educational Faculty News Advanced Training Clinical Electives Elective/Subinternship Listings Anesthesiology Child Study Center Clinical Longitudinal Elective Definitions Dermatology Diagnostic Imaging Emergency Medicine Family Medicine Genetics Internal Medicine Interventional Radiology Laboratory Medicine Neurology Neurosurgery Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences Ophthalmology and Visual Science Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Pathology Pediatrics Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Primary Care Psychiatry Surgery STEP 1 Pilot Electives Therapeutic Radiology Urology Contact Info for Electives Elective Dates Wednesday Evening Clinic WEC Faculty Suggested Electives for Residency Non-Clinical Electives Coaching Program Concentrations Inclusive Glossary Disability LGBTQIA+ Patient-Centered Language Poverty Race & Ethnicity Sex & Gender Full Glossary of Terms About The Inclusive Language Initiative Glossary Bibliography Curriculum Team Student Research Finding a Research Mentor Faculty Mentor Responsibilities and Resources Departmental Thesis Chairs First-Year Summer Research Short-term Research One-year Fellowships Travel Info & Reimbursement MD Thesis Research Didactics START Summer Program Master of Health Science Student Research Day Student Research Team Student Affairs Academic and Career Advising in Advisory Houses Advisory Houses Creed House Hamburg House Horstmann House Palade House Slayman House Yan House Academic Advising Career Advising Specialty-Specific Advisors/Resources Community Building Performance Improvement Policies, Procedures & Guidelines By Topic PreClerkship Policies Clerkship & ATP Policies University Policy Links Well-Being Student Mental Health & Wellness Program Meet our Staff & Make an Appointment Wellness Programming: Upcoming Events FAQs Resources Peer Advocate Program Security You said . . . We did . . . Student Life Day in the life of Med student The YSM Experience Annual Events Student Groups Yale Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Interest Group (VESIG) Leadership Medical Student Council Elections Perspectives on Medicine Series Registrar Scheduling Clerkships Electives & Subinternships USMLE Extended Study at YSM Student Affairs Team Special Programs Global Health Certificate in Global Medicine Electives & Educational Opportunities Topics in Global Medicine and Health Global Health Seminar Summer Research Abroad Electives at Other Yale Graduate Schools Yale Global Health Students United for Regional and Global Education (YGH SURGE) About the Course Global Clinical Electives Africa Ghana South Africa Uganda Asia China India Vietnam The Americas and the Caribbean Argentina Arizona California Chile Colombia New Mexico Tennessee Lectures, Series, & Conferences Community & Advocacy Opportunities Faculty Advisors & Mentors Global Health Team Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation Services & Facilities Program & Faculty Development Education & Research Simulated Participants Simulation Academy at Yale About Us People SEPA Advisory Board News Mentoring Faculty & Staff Advisory Board News HAVEN Free Clinic Neighborhood Health Project Humanities in Medicine Biomedical Ethics Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine University Engagement Opportunities Community Engagement Opportunities Joint MD Programs Visiting Student Programs Students from US Medical Schools Visiting Student Scholarship Program International Students International Student FAQs YSM Home
INFORMATION FOR
About YSM Faculty Staff Students Residents & Fellows Patients Researchers Alumni Home Curriculum Clinical Skills Communications Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound
Clinical Skills
Course Director: Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD
Organization
The Clinical Skills (CS) Course spans the first eighteen months of school for all medical students. Students begin to develop and refine their clinical skills, the essential elements of “doctoring” that physicians use during patient encounters. In CS, students learn to communicate with patients, families, and other members of the care team; examine patients; develop clinical reasoning skills; and understand the important role of a student-doctor in a patient’s care. Students are also introduced to point-of-care ultrasound. Throughout CS, emphasis is placed on taking a patient-centered approach to care. Students gain more experience with skills taught in CS through direct patient contact in Foundations of Patient Care. The Clinical Skills Program continues through the four-year curriculum with more advanced topics during the clerkship and elective years.
Pedagogy
Multiple teaching modalities are utilized in CS, but the bulk of the experiences are designed to be hands-on, offering students the opportunity to develop clinical skills with direct faculty observation and feedback, frequently with the use of simulated participants (SPs).
Assessment
Students receive formative feedback throughout the course from instructors, SPs, and peers. Students pass the course by attending all mandatory class sessions and performing a competent history and physical exam in a standardized assessment session at the UConn Clinical Skills Assessment Center.
Learning Objectives
Demonstrate how to conduct an encounter in a patient-centered manner using skills which enhance trust between student and patient. Show competency at taking a complete medical history, including skill in talking to patients about personal issues and psychosocial factors that could have impact on their health and experience of illness. Recognize that relationship-centered interviewing is an evidence-based technique linked to improved diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Reflect on the importance of cultural humility and developing skills that allow the student to communicate with individuals from different population groups. Apply principles of medical interviewing towards health maintenance, disease prevention, and patient counseling. Perform a complete physical examination with sensitivity to the needs of the patient. Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomic and physiologic basis behind physical exam maneuvers. Consider how likelihood ratios impact interpretation of physical exam findings. Recognize the importance of actively utilizing clinical reasoning during patient encounters to inform the performance of targeted histories and physical examinations. Utilize probabilities to create a differential diagnosis. Summarize a patient’s case in both written and oral formats, including history, physical, assessment, and plan. Give and receive reinforcing and constructive feedback to improve performance. Engage in the practice of self-reflection to develop one's own process of continuous learning. Engage in the practice of self-reflection and group debriefing to develop one's own healthy coping mechanisms and response to stress. Describe the major elements of palliative care and the role of the physician at the end of a patient’s life. Demonstrate professional behavior expected of a medical student, while developing a more complete understanding of physician professionalism.
Learn More About Training In
Communication Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound
Clinical Skills Team
Copy Link
Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD
Clinical Skills Director
Professor of Internal Medicine (General Internal Medicine); Associate Dean for Education Technology and Innovation, Medical Education; Director of Clinical Skills, Office of Education; Associate Professor, Pediatrics; Editor, Yale Primary Care Pediatrics Curriculum, Pediatrics
View Full Profile
Tracy Yale
Manager of Clinical Skills Program
Manager, Clinical Skills Program Office of Curriculum; Manager, Clinical Education Programs
View Full Profile
Joseph Donroe, MD, MPH
Director of Physical Examination
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Director of POCUS for Internal Medicine Residencies and Hospitalist Program, General Internal Medicine; Director of the YSM Physical Exam Course, Yale Medicine
View Full Profile
Matthew Ellman, MD
Director of End of Life Skills
Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Director, Yale Internal Medicine Associates; Director, Medical Student Palliative and End-of-Life Care Education
View Full Profile
Susan Kashaf, MD, MPH
Co-Director of Communication Skills
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Head of Advisory House, Palade House, Office of Student Affairs; Director of Communication Skills, Office of Curriculum
View Full Profile
Rachel Liu, BAO, MBBCh, FACEP, MD, FAIUM
Director of Point of Care Ultrasound
Professor of Emergency Medicine; Director, Point of Care Ultrasound Education, Office of Curriculum; Director, Advanced Training Period , Office of Curriculum; Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Emergency Medicine
View Full Profile
Andrés S Martin, MD, PhD, MPH
Director of Standardized Patient Program
Riva Ariella Ritvo Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Psychiatry; Medical Director, Children's Psychiatric Inpatient Service at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital; Director, Standardized Patient Program, Teaching and Learning Center; Director of Medical Studies, Yale Child Study Center, Child Study Center
View Full Profile
Tara Sanft, MD
Associate Professor Adjunct; Chief, Patient Experience Officer; Medical Director, Survivorship Clinic
View Full Profile
Alina Tsyrulnik, MD
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Associate Residency Program Director, Emergency Medicine; MD Director- Interprofessional Longitudinal Clinical Experience (ILCE), Yale School of Medicine
View Full Profile
Thilan Wijesekera, MD, MHS
Director of Clinical Reasoning
Assistant Professor; Director of Performance Improvement, Yale School of Medicine; Director of Clinical Reasoning, Yale School of Medicine; Associate, Educator Development in Teaching Clinical Reasoning, Teaching and Learning Center
View Full Profile
Barry J. Wu, MD, MACP
Director of Foundations of Patient Care
Professor of Medicine
View Full Profile
Benjamin David Gallagher, MD, FACP, AHSCP-CHS
Director of Biopsychosocial Approach to Health - Primary Care Psychiatry Clerkship
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine); Co-Director, Primary Care and Psychiatry Clerkship, Biopsychosocial Approach to Health (BAH) Clerkship
View Full Profile
Yale School of Medicine
Medical Education
367 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06510
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Calendar
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© 2026 Yale School of Medicine. Updated June 12, 2026
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Clinical Skills
About the role
Skip to Main Content
Yale School of Medicine
About YSM
Yale School of Medicine/ Medical Education/
MD Program
MD Program
About Office of the Deputy Dean Committees MD Admissions Committee Progress Committee Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee EPCC Committee Minutes Thesis Chair Committee Curriculum Mapping Documents LCME Accreditation Admissions How to Apply Connect The Yale System Dates and Deadlines Pre-medical Requirements Admissions Team Financial Aid MD Program Application Process International Students MD Student Cost of Attendance 2026-2027 Cost of Attendance 2025-2026 Cost of Attendance 2024-2025 Cost of Attendance 2023-2024 Cost of Attendance 2022-2023 Cost of Attendance 2021-2022 Cost of Attendance Research Funding, Extended Study and Financial Aid Frequently Asked Questions PA Program OBBA Federal Loan Changes PA Online Program Application Process PA Online Student Budget Forms & Resources FAFSA Application CSS Profile Application How to Avoid Common Errors Student Billing Information Financial Literacy Information Scholarships & Loans External Scholarships Loans Financial Aid Team Curriculum Competencies & Grad Requirements Competencies Guiding Principles Graduation Requirements Calendar Pre-Clerkship Year 1 Curriculum Year 2 Curriculum Eight Master Courses Introduction to the Profession (iPro) Scientific Foundations Genes and Development Attacks and Defenses Homeostasis Energy and Metabolism Connection to the World Across the Lifespan Four Longitudinal Courses Professional Responsibility Anatomy Scientific Inquiry Populations & Methods Ten Longitudinal Threads Biochemistry Cell Biology Diagnostic Methods Embryology Genetics Health Equity About Us Pedagogy Domains of the Health Equity Thread Advisory Group Publications Pathology Nutrition Pharmacology Physiology Clinical Skills Communications Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound Foundations of Patient Care Clerkship Surgery Emergency Medicine OBGYN Pediatrics Primary Care Psychiatry Internal Medicine Neurology Palliative Care Curriculum Student Assignments, Workshops, & Resources Recommended Readings Online Learning Interprofessional Educational Faculty News Advanced Training Clinical Electives Elective/Subinternship Listings Anesthesiology Child Study Center Clinical Longitudinal Elective Definitions Dermatology Diagnostic Imaging Emergency Medicine Family Medicine Genetics Internal Medicine Interventional Radiology Laboratory Medicine Neurology Neurosurgery Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences Ophthalmology and Visual Science Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Pathology Pediatrics Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation Primary Care Psychiatry Surgery STEP 1 Pilot Electives Therapeutic Radiology Urology Contact Info for Electives Elective Dates Wednesday Evening Clinic WEC Faculty Suggested Electives for Residency Non-Clinical Electives Coaching Program Concentrations Inclusive Glossary Disability LGBTQIA+ Patient-Centered Language Poverty Race & Ethnicity Sex & Gender Full Glossary of Terms About The Inclusive Language Initiative Glossary Bibliography Curriculum Team Student Research Finding a Research Mentor Faculty Mentor Responsibilities and Resources Departmental Thesis Chairs First-Year Summer Research Short-term Research One-year Fellowships Travel Info & Reimbursement MD Thesis Research Didactics START Summer Program Master of Health Science Student Research Day Student Research Team Student Affairs Academic and Career Advising in Advisory Houses Advisory Houses Creed House Hamburg House Horstmann House Palade House Slayman House Yan House Academic Advising Career Advising Specialty-Specific Advisors/Resources Community Building Performance Improvement Policies, Procedures & Guidelines By Topic PreClerkship Policies Clerkship & ATP Policies University Policy Links Well-Being Student Mental Health & Wellness Program Meet our Staff & Make an Appointment Wellness Programming: Upcoming Events FAQs Resources Peer Advocate Program Security You said . . . We did . . . Student Life Day in the life of Med student The YSM Experience Annual Events Student Groups Yale Vascular and Endovascular Surgery Interest Group (VESIG) Leadership Medical Student Council Elections Perspectives on Medicine Series Registrar Scheduling Clerkships Electives & Subinternships USMLE Extended Study at YSM Student Affairs Team Special Programs Global Health Certificate in Global Medicine Electives & Educational Opportunities Topics in Global Medicine and Health Global Health Seminar Summer Research Abroad Electives at Other Yale Graduate Schools Yale Global Health Students United for Regional and Global Education (YGH SURGE) About the Course Global Clinical Electives Africa Ghana South Africa Uganda Asia China India Vietnam The Americas and the Caribbean Argentina Arizona California Chile Colombia New Mexico Tennessee Lectures, Series, & Conferences Community & Advocacy Opportunities Faculty Advisors & Mentors Global Health Team Yale Center for Healthcare Simulation Services & Facilities Program & Faculty Development Education & Research Simulated Participants Simulation Academy at Yale About Us People SEPA Advisory Board News Mentoring Faculty & Staff Advisory Board News HAVEN Free Clinic Neighborhood Health Project Humanities in Medicine Biomedical Ethics Yale Journal of Biology & Medicine University Engagement Opportunities Community Engagement Opportunities Joint MD Programs Visiting Student Programs Students from US Medical Schools Visiting Student Scholarship Program International Students International Student FAQs YSM Home
INFORMATION FOR
About YSM Faculty Staff Students Residents & Fellows Patients Researchers Alumni Home Curriculum Clinical Skills Communications Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound
Clinical Skills
Course Director: Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD
Organization
The Clinical Skills (CS) Course spans the first eighteen months of school for all medical students. Students begin to develop and refine their clinical skills, the essential elements of “doctoring” that physicians use during patient encounters. In CS, students learn to communicate with patients, families, and other members of the care team; examine patients; develop clinical reasoning skills; and understand the important role of a student-doctor in a patient’s care. Students are also introduced to point-of-care ultrasound. Throughout CS, emphasis is placed on taking a patient-centered approach to care. Students gain more experience with skills taught in CS through direct patient contact in Foundations of Patient Care. The Clinical Skills Program continues through the four-year curriculum with more advanced topics during the clerkship and elective years.
Pedagogy
Multiple teaching modalities are utilized in CS, but the bulk of the experiences are designed to be hands-on, offering students the opportunity to develop clinical skills with direct faculty observation and feedback, frequently with the use of simulated participants (SPs).
Assessment
Students receive formative feedback throughout the course from instructors, SPs, and peers. Students pass the course by attending all mandatory class sessions and performing a competent history and physical exam in a standardized assessment session at the UConn Clinical Skills Assessment Center.
Learning Objectives
Demonstrate how to conduct an encounter in a patient-centered manner using skills which enhance trust between student and patient. Show competency at taking a complete medical history, including skill in talking to patients about personal issues and psychosocial factors that could have impact on their health and experience of illness. Recognize that relationship-centered interviewing is an evidence-based technique linked to improved diagnosis and treatment outcomes. Reflect on the importance of cultural humility and developing skills that allow the student to communicate with individuals from different population groups. Apply principles of medical interviewing towards health maintenance, disease prevention, and patient counseling. Perform a complete physical examination with sensitivity to the needs of the patient. Demonstrate an understanding of the anatomic and physiologic basis behind physical exam maneuvers. Consider how likelihood ratios impact interpretation of physical exam findings. Recognize the importance of actively utilizing clinical reasoning during patient encounters to inform the performance of targeted histories and physical examinations. Utilize probabilities to create a differential diagnosis. Summarize a patient’s case in both written and oral formats, including history, physical, assessment, and plan. Give and receive reinforcing and constructive feedback to improve performance. Engage in the practice of self-reflection to develop one's own process of continuous learning. Engage in the practice of self-reflection and group debriefing to develop one's own healthy coping mechanisms and response to stress. Describe the major elements of palliative care and the role of the physician at the end of a patient’s life. Demonstrate professional behavior expected of a medical student, while developing a more complete understanding of physician professionalism.
Learn More About Training In
Communication Skills Clinical Reasoning Palliative Care Physical Examination Point of Care Ultrasound
Clinical Skills Team
Copy Link
Jaideep S. Talwalkar, MD
Clinical Skills Director
Professor of Internal Medicine (General Internal Medicine); Associate Dean for Education Technology and Innovation, Medical Education; Director of Clinical Skills, Office of Education; Associate Professor, Pediatrics; Editor, Yale Primary Care Pediatrics Curriculum, Pediatrics
View Full Profile
Tracy Yale
Manager of Clinical Skills Program
Manager, Clinical Skills Program Office of Curriculum; Manager, Clinical Education Programs
View Full Profile
Joseph Donroe, MD, MPH
Director of Physical Examination
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Director of POCUS for Internal Medicine Residencies and Hospitalist Program, General Internal Medicine; Director of the YSM Physical Exam Course, Yale Medicine
View Full Profile
Matthew Ellman, MD
Director of End of Life Skills
Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Director, Yale Internal Medicine Associates; Director, Medical Student Palliative and End-of-Life Care Education
View Full Profile
Susan Kashaf, MD, MPH
Co-Director of Communication Skills
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Medicine); Head of Advisory House, Palade House, Office of Student Affairs; Director of Communication Skills, Office of Curriculum
View Full Profile
Rachel Liu, BAO, MBBCh, FACEP, MD, FAIUM
Director of Point of Care Ultrasound
Professor of Emergency Medicine; Director, Point of Care Ultrasound Education, Office of Curriculum; Director, Advanced Training Period , Office of Curriculum; Vice Chair of Faculty Affairs, Emergency Medicine
View Full Profile
Andrés S Martin, MD, PhD, MPH
Director of Standardized Patient Program
Riva Ariella Ritvo Professor in the Child Study Center and Professor of Psychiatry; Medical Director, Children's Psychiatric Inpatient Service at Yale-New Haven Children's Hospital; Director, Standardized Patient Program, Teaching and Learning Center; Director of Medical Studies, Yale Child Study Center, Child Study Center
View Full Profile
Tara Sanft, MD
Associate Professor Adjunct; Chief, Patient Experience Officer; Medical Director, Survivorship Clinic
View Full Profile
Alina Tsyrulnik, MD
Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine; Associate Residency Program Director, Emergency Medicine; MD Director- Interprofessional Longitudinal Clinical Experience (ILCE), Yale School of Medicine
View Full Profile
Thilan Wijesekera, MD, MHS
Director of Clinical Reasoning
Assistant Professor; Director of Performance Improvement, Yale School of Medicine; Director of Clinical Reasoning, Yale School of Medicine; Associate, Educator Development in Teaching Clinical Reasoning, Teaching and Learning Center
View Full Profile
Barry J. Wu, MD, MACP
Director of Foundations of Patient Care
Professor of Medicine
View Full Profile
Benjamin David Gallagher, MD, FACP, AHSCP-CHS
Director of Biopsychosocial Approach to Health - Primary Care Psychiatry Clerkship
Associate Professor of Medicine (General Internal Medicine); Co-Director, Primary Care and Psychiatry Clerkship, Biopsychosocial Approach to Health (BAH) Clerkship
View Full Profile
Yale School of Medicine
Medical Education
367 Cedar Street
New Haven, CT 06510
Maps & Directions
5 Events
you could attend in July 2026
Calendar
Contact Us Intranet Site Editor Accessibility at YSM Nondiscrimination & Title IX Safety & Security Terms & Privacy Statement Yale University
© 2026 Yale School of Medicine. Updated June 12, 2026
Ask YSM Beta
Note: This AI tool helps find YSM information but can make errors. Verify answers by reviewing the references.
Your browser is antiquated and no longer supported on this website. Please update your browser or switch to Chrome, Firefox or Safari.
You Can Update Your IE Here
https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/help/17621/internet-explorer-downloads
[6602,4062,3053] {"namedChunks":["modules-page-components-ComponentWrapper","features-generic-content-components-GenericContent","modules-profile-components-OrganizationMemberListingContainer","modules-footer-components-Footer"]}