The courses in medicine have been arranged for the student with three principal objects in view. First, students are given training in accepted technical methods so that they may employ these fundamental procedures for the intelligent examination of patients. Second, they are trained in the principles of diagnosis and are given opportunities to study disease in the human being, including its treatment and prevention. Third, their attention is directed to the patient as a problem, and they are required to study the special needs of particular human beings and the peculiar reactions to the disease from which they suffer. The work is essentially practical and the three objects are pursued simultaneously. While the students are following these courses, they have an opportunity to spend their entire time in the laboratories and in the inpatient and outpatient units of the Osler Medical Service. In addition to the practical instruction, students are expected to read textbooks and consult monographs and original articles for much of their information.
Those students who wish to seek their area of concentration within the Department of Medicine will be assigned to a preceptor who will guide their clinical work, research, reading, and study, on a tutorial basis. It is particularly in the use of “elective time” that the preceptor will advise the student. To fit the interests and ability of the student, considerable flexibility in the choice of elective program will be possible.