THE BHEI 5-DAY EXPERIENCE
Five Days of Progressive Clinical Learning
The Beharrie Healthcare Education Initiative offers a structured, five-day clinical shadowing experience combining physician observation with supervised, hands-on clinical learning. Each day builds upon the last, allowing students to progressively develop their clinical skills, communication, confidence, and understanding of patient care.
The program is completed over five non-consecutive shadow days, allowing students to select available dates that accommodate their academic schedules while progressing through the program in sequence.
DAY 1
LEARN & OBSERVE
Introduction & Foundational Clinical Exposure
01 — ORIENTATION & CLINIC FOUNDATIONS
Students begin Day 1 with an orientation led by the Program Coordinator before the start of clinic. They are introduced to the practice workflow, program expectations, professional conduct, and communication within a pediatric setting. Students also learn how clinical and administrative responsibilities work together throughout the patient visit.
03 — FROM OBSERVATION TO PARTICIPATION
Once clinic begins, students initially observe the Program Coordinator perform patient intake and vital signs while documenting the findings themselves. After several encounters, students may begin obtaining vital signs from selected patients under direct supervision and with patient and parent or guardian permission, typically beginning with older pediatric patients.
02 — FOUNDATIONAL CLINICAL SKILLS
Before patients arrive, students receive hands-on instruction in obtaining, documenting, and reporting vital signs and performing urinalysis. Shadows practice vital signs with one another first, learning proper technique and how to accurately record and communicate their findings before applying these skills in the clinical setting.
04 — FOLLOWING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE
Students begin connecting patient intake with physician care through pre-encounter case discussions, observation of the physician-patient visit, and post-encounter discussion with the Physician Preceptor. This exposes students to pediatric nephrology, clinical reasoning, and how information gathered during intake contributes to evaluation and treatment planning.
*Throughout Day 1, students participate in physician-led case discussions and observe patient encounters, introducing them to how information gathered during clinical intake connects with physician evaluation, clinical decision-making, and treatment planning.*
BY THE END OF DAY 1
Students have progressed from foundational instruction and peer practice to their first supervised clinical participation, establishing the skills and familiarity that will be reinforced throughout the remaining four program days.
CLINIC WORKFLOW • VITAL SIGNS • URINALYSIS • DOCUMENTATION • PHYSICIAN REPORTING • PEDIATRIC COMMUNICATION • CASE-BASED LEARNING
DAY 2
PRACTICE & PARTICIPATE
Developing Clinical Skills
01 — DEVELOPING CLINICAL SKILLS
Students build upon the techniques introduced on Day 1 by obtaining, documenting, and reporting vital signs on a greater number of patients throughout the clinic day. With continued supervision, students begin requiring less step-by-step instruction as they become more familiar with the sequence and responsibilities of patient intake.
03 — INCREASING INDEPENDENCE
Students continue performing urinalysis and documenting results with increasing familiarity, requiring less procedural guidance than on their first day. They practice communicating clinical findings to the physician and become more comfortable interacting professionally with pediatric patients and their parents or guardians throughout the patient-care process.
02 — EXPANDING PEDIATRIC EXPOSURE
As confidence develops, students gain experience obtaining vital signs across a broader range of pediatric age groups, including adolescents, pre-adolescents, and younger children when appropriate. Students also begin learning how expected vital signs, particularly blood pressure, vary with pediatric age and development.
04 — INTRODUCTION TO PPE
Students are introduced to the principles and proper use of personal protective equipment (PPE) through physician-led instruction. Using clinical equipment, students learn the purpose of PPE and practice appropriate donning and doffing techniques while discussing its role in protecting patients and healthcare professionals.
*Throughout the clinic day, students continue participating in physician-led case discussions and observing patient encounters, allowing their developing clinical skills to remain connected to real patient care and medical decision-making.*
BY THE END OF DAY 2
Students have moved beyond their initial introduction to clinical skills and are beginning to perform familiar responsibilities with greater consistency, confidence, and independence across a broader range of pediatric patients.
VITAL SIGN PRACTICE • PEDIATRIC AGE RANGES • URINALYSIS • CLINICAL DOCUMENTATION • PHYSICIAN REPORTING • PATIENT COMMUNICATION • PPE
DAY 3
BUILD CONFIDENCE
Increasing Clinical Independence
03 — YOUNGER PEDIATRIC PATIENTS
As proficiency develops with older pediatric patients, students are introduced to obtaining vital signs from infants and children under three when appropriate. Students first observe the Program Coordinator demonstrate age-appropriate techniques before attempting these skills under direct supervision. They also develop age-appropriate communication strategies, learning to interact professionally with parents and guardians while using patience, reassurance, and playful communication to help younger children feel comfortable.
02 — RECOGNIZING & RESPONDING TO FINDINGS
Students begin moving beyond simply obtaining measurements to recognizing when a finding may require attention. For example, students learn to identify an unexpectedly elevated blood pressure, repeat the measurement when appropriate, consider possible measurement error, and accurately report the finding to the physician.
01 — INCREASING CLINICAL INDEPENDENCE
By Day 3, students perform familiar clinical responsibilities with considerably less instruction. They obtain, document, and report vital signs with increasing independence, complete urinalysis with greater ease, and begin taking greater initiative within the established clinical workflow while remaining under supervision.
04 — PREPARING FOR HISTORY-TAKING
Students begin preparing for the next stage of the program by observing how a patient history is obtained. When available, students accompany a medical resident during history-taking and examination to observe how questions are organized, how information is gathered from patients and parents or guardians, and how communication changes according to the patient's age.
*Following Day 3, students receive a structured history-taking study resource and are expected to demonstrate completion before progressing to the history-taking activities introduced on Day 4.*
*Throughout Day 3, students continue participating in physician-led case discussions, observing patient encounters, and connecting information gathered during clinical intake with physician evaluation and treatment planning.*
BY THE END OF DAY 3
Students demonstrate greater independence with foundational clinical responsibilities, communicate more confidently with pediatric patients and families, and begin recognizing the clinical significance of the information they obtain. They are also prepared to transition from clinical intake skills into structured patient history-taking.
CLINICAL INDEPENDENCE • VITAL SIGN INTERPRETATION • INFANT & YOUNG CHILD EXPOSURE • URINALYSIS • PEDIATRIC COMMUNICATION • PHYSICIAN REPORTING • HISTORY-TAKING PREPARATION
DAY 4
INTEGRATE & LEAD
Advanced Clinical Participation
03 — PEER MENTORSHIP & LEADERSHIP
Because students may be completing different program days during the same clinic session, Day 4 students begin serving as experienced peers for newer shadows. They may reinforce previously learned skills, assist newer students with clinical routines, and model appropriate workflow and professional communication under the supervision of the Program Coordinator.
*This responsibility encourages students to strengthen their own understanding while developing communication, teamwork, and early leadership skills within a clinical learning environment.*
02 —PEDIATRIC SKILL DEVELOPMENT
Students continue developing confidence with younger pediatric patients, including infants and children under three when appropriate. With the Program Coordinator present for supervision, students increasingly apply previously demonstrated techniques on their own while adapting their approach to the patient's age, comfort level, and ability to cooperate.
01 — ADVANCED CLINICAL PARTICIPATION
By Day 4, students perform familiar clinical responsibilities with greater independence and minimal instruction. They continue obtaining, documenting, and reporting vital signs, performing urinalysis, and communicating with patients and families while becoming increasingly comfortable navigating the established clinic workflow.
04 —INTRODUCTION TO HISTORY DOCUMENTATION
Students begin applying their preparation in patient history-taking through structured documentation exercises. Using a guided history template, students accompany a medical resident during selected new-patient encounters and document information as the resident obtains the history, organizing patient responses into the appropriate components of the medical history.
*Through repeated practice, students begin recognizing how a clinical conversation is translated into an organized patient history while preparing to conduct a supervised verbal history themselves on Day 5.*
*Physician-led case discussions and patient encounters continue throughout Day 4, allowing students to connect increasingly independent clinical participation and history documentation with clinical reasoning, evaluation, and treatment planning.*
BY THE END OF DAY 4
Students are increasingly able to integrate foundational clinical skills, pediatric communication, and patient-care workflow with limited guidance. Through peer mentorship and structured history documentation, they also begin transitioning from performing individual clinical tasks toward understanding and participating in the broader patient encounter.
CLINICAL INDEPENDENCE • PEDIATRIC VITAL SIGNS • PATIENT COMMUNICATION • PEER MENTORSHIP • LEADERSHIP • STRUCTURED HISTORY DOCUMENTATION • CLINICAL INTEGRATION
DAY 5
APPLY & DEMONSTRATE
Clinical Integration & Physician-Led Assessment
01 — INTEGRATING CLINICAL SKILLS
By Day 5, students move through the familiar clinic workflow with greater confidence and require minimal guidance with skills practiced throughout the program. They continue obtaining, documenting, and reporting vital signs across pediatric age groups, performing urinalysis, communicating with patients and families, and recognizing findings that may require additional attention or repeat measurement.
02 —CONFIDENCE IN PEDIATRIC PATIENT CARE
Students continue strengthening their ability to work with patients across developmental stages, with particular emphasis on solidifying confidence with infants and young children. They adapt their communication and approach to the individual patient while interacting professionally with parents and guardians and completing clinical activities under appropriate supervision.
03 — LEADING A PATIENT HISTORY
Day 5 marks the transition from observing and documenting histories to conducting them. After preparation and review with a medical resident, students lead selected verbal patient histories under direct supervision. They organize their questions, gather relevant information from the patient or parent or guardian, and work through the components of a structured medical history.
The supervising resident remains present throughout the encounter and may provide guidance, clarify questions, or help identify information requiring further exploration. With repeated opportunities, students are encouraged to become more comfortable directing the conversation while maintaining professional and age-appropriate communication.
04 —PHYSICIAN-LED CLINICAL ASSESSMENT
At the conclusion of the five-day experience, students participate individually in a physician-led oral assessment with the Physician Preceptor. Students are questioned on knowledge, clinical concepts, and experiences encountered throughout the program and are encouraged to reason through questions and articulate their thinking independently.
The assessment introduces students to a style of physician-led questioning commonly encountered during clinical medical education. Its purpose is not to evaluate students at the level of a medical trainee, but to challenge them to apply what they have learned, think critically under questioning, and gain early exposure to an educational environment they may encounter later in their healthcare careers.
*Physician-led case discussions and clinical teaching continue throughout Day 5 as students integrate the skills, communication, and knowledge developed across the complete BHEI experience.*
BY THE END OF DAY 5
Students have progressed from initial observation and foundational instruction to increasingly confident, supervised clinical participation. They have gained experience with pediatric vital signs, urinalysis, documentation and reporting, patient and family communication, clinical workflow, peer mentorship, structured history documentation, and verbal history-taking while learning directly within a pediatric clinical environment.
Day 5 concludes the progressive five-day experience by giving students an opportunity to apply what they have learned, demonstrate their growth, and reflect on their preparation for future healthcare education.
CLINICAL INTEGRATION • PEDIATRIC PATIENT CARE • VITAL SIGNS • URINALYSIS • PATIENT COMMUNICATION • VERBAL HISTORY-TAKING • CLINICAL REASONING • PHYSICIAN-LED ASSESSMENT
DOCUMENTING THE EXPERIENCE
Clinical Hours, Daily Verification & Program Completion
DAILY HOUR VERIFICATION
Each completed shadow day is individually documented with the student's date, hours, and applicable clinical experiences, with verification by the Physician Preceptor and Program Coordinator.
PHYSICIAN LETTER
Upon successful completion of all five program days, students receive a physician letter of recommendation and program attestation documenting their participation, clinical exposure, professional development, and completion of the BHEI experience.
CERTIFICATE OF COMPLETION
Students who successfully complete the full five-day experience receive a BHEI Certificate of Completion recognizing their participation and completion of the program.
If the BHEI experience aligns with your educational and professional goals, the next step is to submit an application for consideration.
On the application page, you will provide your student and academic information, tell us about your interest in healthcare, review current shadowing availability, and select your preferred dates and clinical location.
Submitting an application or selecting preferred dates does not automatically reserve a shadowing spot. All applications and date requests are reviewed by the BHEI Program Coordinator, and confirmed participants will receive a separate confirmation email with their approved date(s) and additional instructions.
**Please review the complete 5-Day Program and participation expectations before submitting your application.**