Patient and Student Safety, Clinical Supervision, and Delegation of Responsibilities at Clinical Teaching Sites

The Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine and its affiliated sites are committed to the well-being of medical students and the welfare and safety of patients.

To ensure that medical students are appropriately supervised during required clinical clerkships and other required clinical experiences and to safeguard student and patient safety:

1. All patient care will be supervised by qualified faculty members.
2. The level of responsibility delegated to the student must be appropriate to his or her level of training according to each clerkship or elective learning objectives.
3. Department and clerkship directors must orient supervising faculty and residents about the responsibilities that can be delegated to medical students to comply with the learning objectives and the list of required clinical experiences and procedures. The list includes the level of responsibility expected from the medical student to observe, perform, or assist. No healthcare management, or medical or procedures can be carried out by the students without the direct in- person supervision of the supervising faculty or resident. Medical students are not allowed to write/ put medical orders and is a restrictive area in the electronic health record.
4. The activities supervised must be within the scope of practice of the supervising health professional.
5. Students must be oriented of the expectations for their participation in each clerkship or elective. Faculty and residents must be informed of these expectations.
6. The clinical departments will monitor that appropriate supervision of medical students is always in place.
7. Students will be provided with rapid, reliable communication systems with the supervising faculty.  
8. Faculty and student schedules will be structured to provide students with continuous supervision and easy access to faculty consultation.
9. All students must comply with the academic, health, and legal requirements and regulations set by Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine and the clinical sites they are assigned.
10. Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine policy regarding managing a student with blood and/or body fluids exposure must be followed at all clinical sites and affiliated hospitals. Immediate evaluation at the affiliated hospital Emergency Room must be provided in cases of hazardous exposure.
11. Before authorizing students’ elective rotations, the chairs of the clinical departments must review the credentials of the health professionals who will supervise the student and review with the student the potential risks to the health and safety of patients and themselves.
12. Students must participate in each of the required educational activities of the Introduction to Clinical Practice course (Patient Safety conference, CPR certification, Universal Precautions-Risk Management during accidents (OSHA) training, etc.) before they are allowed to be enrolled in the required clerkships and clinical electives.
13. To minimize the possibility of medical errors, students must follow all the policies of the affiliated clinical sites related to patient safety.
14. To regulate students’ working hours and avoid fatigue that can result in medical errors, department chairs and/or clerkship coordinators must ensure compliance with the Ponce Health Sciences University School of Medicine On-Duty Hours Policy.

This policy must be distributed to the students in the course syllabi and School Policies Manual.  It must also be distributed to supervising faculty. Department chairs and/or clerkship directors must oversee compliance with this policy.

Students must inform department chairs and/or clerkship coordinators of any concerns about the adequacy and availability of supervision. If no action is taken, the concern should be informed to the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs for the corresponding investigation and appropriate action.