Observership Guidelines for Clinical Experiences

Authorizing Body:

Office of Medical Education

Date Issued:

January 30, 2017

Last Update:

October 5, 2021

Rationale:

To provide a process for students to schedule and observe clinicians in a safe, efficient, and ethical manner.

Scope and Applicability:

All students enrolled in the School of Medicine.

Standard Practice Guideline:

1. OUWB students are permitted to schedule and observe clinicians at Beaumont Health through observerships.
2. Observerships must be scheduled in advance and are approved based on several factors, including but not limited to safety considerations and space/capacity limitations.
3. The safety and privacy of patients is a priority in considering authorization of observerships.
4. Observerships must not adversely impact OUWB medical student curricular activities.
5. Observership activities are limited to "hands in pocket".  Observership students are not to participate in direct patient care activities or procedures.

Procedures:

• Observership experiences with OUWB faculty must only be scheduled on during out of class times (e.g. evenings, weekends, holidays, or breaks between semesters). Students must not schedule observerships during scheduled class time.
• Students must submit an online form no less than 2 weeks prior to their desired observation date.
• In order to satisfy safety regulations, if an Embark mentorship requires a student to be in patient care settings, the student must submit an OUWB Physician Observership Request.

OUWB Students participating in observerships are subject to the following requirements:

-  "Hands in Pocket" the entire time: This means no direct patient contact or procedural participation.

-  Students must be on time for the observership and report to the correct location.

-  Students must stay with the physician they were approved to observe; The student is not to be on their own or leave to observe another physician.  Students can observe other physicians as long as the hosting physician is also present.

-  If a  patient emergency occurs during the observership, students must remain safely out of the way of responding clinicians.

-  If a student needs to leave early, or excuse themselves from an observership, students must communicate this directly to the physician they are observing.

-  If a physician gets called away, the observership is considered over at that time.

-  The student must be in compliance with all health requirements. 

2. Scheduling an Observership

• Students interested in setting up an Observership or Embark mentoring experience must fill out the online form. The Request can be found online on the CareerDOC website.
• When the request is completed, it is submitted electronically to the Office of Student Affairs.
• The request requires confirmation of immunization compliance.
• Approval to shadow or observe a physician must be granted by the following individuals:
  - The physician being observed, and
  - The department chair to which the physician being observed belongs, and
  - The Associate Dean for Student Affairs or Assistant Dean for Career Advisor Program and Student Advisement.

• Exact dates of the observership will be coordinated through the Office of Student Affairs in collaboration with the Office of Medical Education.

Related Policies:

Immunizations