The UVA School of Medicine’s Primary Care and Outpatient Medicine (PCOM) rotation is a six-week clinical experience that immerses third-year medical students in the full spectrum of outpatient care. During this rotation, students work side-by-side with dedicated physicians in family medicine, internal medicine, and geriatrics—both at UVA and in community practices throughout Virginia. Participating practices play a vital role in shaping future doctors and gain the rewarding experience of mentoring motivated, engaged learners.
Our students are eager to learn from our community’s finest physicians. We are continually seeking dedicated doctors to serve as preceptors and help train the next generation of clinicians. If you are interested in joining our team of preceptors, or would like to share your thoughts on what would make participation meaningful for you, please contact Cheryl Adams at cwa3f@virginia.edu.
Megan Bray, MD, UVA School of Medicine Associate Dean for Curriculum, and Gregory “Ory” Streeter, MD, Director of the PCOM Clerkship, recently visited preceptor sites to share their appreciation. Featured below are a few photos and reflections from our valued preceptors and students on rotation.
(From left) Ory Streeter, MD, with students Vivien Nguyen and Zachary Feldt
UVA Family Medicine at Primary Care Center
“Hosting medical students enhances the care we provide—patients benefit from the extra time, attention, and questions that learners bring, while faculty gain renewed curiosity and joy in their practice. Students are – in fact – one our most valuable tools combatting physician burnout.”
— Gregory “Ory” Streeter, MD
(From left) Student Elizabeth Heffernan with H. August Sanusi, MD
Albemarle Center for Family Medicine
“The UVA medical students are a joy to have around. They bring a lot of enthusiasm and energy to our practice. Our patients really enjoy being involved in their education. It also provides a meaningful way for the students to interact / connect with our wonderful Charlottesville community. It’s especially rewarding to see the students applying what they learned in the classroom play out in a clinical setting.” —H. August Sanusi, MD
(From left) Jordan Yancey, Megan Bray, MD, Ory Streeter, MD, Kevin McCarthy, MD, and student Daniel Mendoza
Sentara Blue Ridge Internal Medicine
“The presence of PCOM students affects my clinical practice in many positive ways. My patients enjoy the educational environment and the opportunity for teaching in the exam room. Teaching reinforces my clinical knowledge and renews my sense of purpose and vocation to be a physician, reminding me of the reason I went into medicine in the first place. Additionally, working with students as they begin their education and training is a very fulfilling experience to be a part of that process.” — Kevin McCarthy, MD
(From left) Laura Mitchell, MD, student Rahim Burdette, and David Callender, MD
UVA University Medical Associates
“The presence of PCOM medical students enriches our clinical practice in several important ways. Their curiosity and fresh perspectives push me to continually revisit core principles of internal medicine, ensuring I remain up to date in my own practice. Their questions prompt me to articulate my clinical reasoning more explicitly, which strengthens not only their education but also my own clarity of thought.
Working with students also fosters a culture of inquiry and continuous learning within the clinical team—residents, faculty, and students all benefit from the active exchange of ideas. Patients often appreciate the extra attention and thoroughness that comes with a team-based teaching environment.
Ultimately, their presence not only advances their development as future physicians but also enhances the quality of care and the academic nature of our practice.” — Laura Mitchell, MD
“I found it truly refreshing to have PCOM students in our clinic. Their enthusiasm for learning and patient care brings an energy that invigorates both our clinical team and our patients. Students ask thoughtful questions and keep us on our toes, ensuring that we continue to practice evidence-informed medicine with curiosity and rigor.” — David Callender, MD
(From left) Kenneth Ballew, MD, and student Nina Jannatifar
UVA University Physicians Group
“It is very rewarding to me personally to teach the next generation of physicians. I enjoy demonstrating how rewarding it is to be a primary care physician in particular the long term relationships you develop with patients and their families.
The patients appreciate that UVA is a teaching hospital and they like meeting the students and being part of the learning process.” — Kenneth Ballew, MD
(From left) Nurse practitioner and student Niket Yadav
UVA Family Medicine in Crozet
“My PCOM students benefit me in so many ways. It’s rare that we as physicians get to share the experience of hearing a patient’s story with someone else, and it can be validating and even therapeutic to process patient interactions with a student witness. My patients by and large enjoy the opportunity to speak with the students, both to have “another set of eyes” looking at their medical issues, and to feel that they are educating future generations of physicians. For my transgender patients in particular, seeing medical students who are affirming and competent gives them hope for the future of their medical care.” — Catherine Casey, MD
(From left) Thomas Brad Murray, MD, and student Annabelle Leung
UVA Geriatrics – Colonnades Medical Associates
“I feel very privileged to welcome PCOM students from UVA School of Medicine into our clinic. Patients enjoy meeting young people early in their careers, hearing their stories, and giving them advice. Clinically, the students are very strong. I find it very stimulating to work with them as they develop their skills, hone their exam techniques and reason through differentials. They are eager to form and research clinical questions that come up throughout the day, which helps me navigate a busy schedule. Seeing them discover the rewards of practice for themselves reinvigorates my job satisfaction.” — Thomas Brad Murray, MD
(From left) Student Kofi Asare and Jeffrey Katra, DO
Charlottesville Family Medicine
“I think having student doctors train at our practice has many advantages. Students tend to spend more time with patients which aids in getting valuable information for diagnosis and treatment. Patients also like the bright eyed and thorough nature of a student’s bedside manner. For doctors, it certainly keeps us on our toes about the latest developments in medicine and what the new generation is learning. Finally, it is fun to teach students and impart some of our clinical experience and knowledge.” — Jeffrey Katra, DO
(From left) Alok Gupta, MD, and student Sivam Bhatt
Arjun Medical Group (Gainesville, VA)
“The medical students really do help my medical practice. They are another set of eyes and ears for me. They bring a fresh perspective to the patient’s situation. They help me with reading the patient’s chart upfront and thus make me more efficient. They help me with understanding what preventive care the patient is needing at this time. Above all, they keep me on my toes, they ask intelligent questions which force me to keep up with all the changes in medicine.” — Alok Gupta, MD
Filed Under: Education