Introduction to Clinical Medicine

The Introduction to Clinical Medicine (ICM) course at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences was established in 1997 to teach medical students the skills, knowledge, and attitudes that are fundamental to clinical medicine and to prepare them for the clinical years of the curriculum.

ICM is a required, graded course spanning the first two years of a traditional medical curriculum. First-year students learn to:

• conduct a medical interview,
• document the medical history
• perform a physical examination

Second-year students:

• learn advanced history and physical examination skills
• practice presenting patients orally
• begin to develop clinical reasoning skills

Because we believe that technical skills and scientific knowledge alone are not sufficient for the competent practice of medicine, ICM also promotes the development of professional values and ethical behaviors.