Undergraduate Medical Education

Faculty of Medicine

Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship Dalhousie (LICD)

NorthNovaLICWeb

Clerkship in regional centres

Longitudinal integrated clerkships (LIC) is a model for third year that allows you to participate in the comprehensive care of patients while learning multiple disciplines simultaneously within a community setting.  Instead of rotating through several core clerkship specialties in blocks, you experience care longitudinally, building relationships with preceptors, patients and communities.

 LIC students are fully integrated into their clinical teams and communities, where they are supported as active members of the healthcare team and encouraged to take on meaningful clinical responsibilities. In New Brunswick, the LIC sites are located in Fredericton, Miramichi, Moncton, and Upper River Valley.

In Nova Scotia, the LIC sites are located in  Annapolis Valley, Antigonish, Cape Breton Regional Municipality, Cape Breton Rural (Chéticamp & Inverness) Colchester, Cumberland, Pictou, South Shore, and Southwest Nova.

Advantages of an LIC program

Data shows that students pursuing either a block-based clerkship or longitudinal integrated clerkship style have equal academic performance outcomes. The Dalhousie LIC model is:

  • Objective-based (meets all the same objectives of the traditional clerkship model)
  • Focused on building clinical skills and responsibilities through continuity of educational experience in the same community
  • Student/patient-centered learning
  • An integration of curriculum and learning experiences
  • Community-based student engagement
  • Designed to encourage student to become self-directed learners
  • Focused on continuity of preceptorship and building relationships for career planning

How does the LIC work?

The LIC is a 48-week unit incorporating all Dalhousie Medical School objectives/patient encounters/procedural skills that are required in the Med 3 core clerkship program. Each student is assigned to a clinical practice under the supervision of one or two physicians who act as their primary preceptor(s) within the community. Although assigned to broad-based clinical practice, students will work with preceptors from multiple disciplines and other healthcare providers in the community during their placement.

Students develop a patient panel, which consists of a group of patients who are followed in detail throughout the course of their health care experience. The list is adjusted over the year to ensure clinical variety and complexity to address clerkship objectives and student educational needs.

Throughout your LIC experience, you will be supported by a committed team of preceptors, Site Directors, and administrative staff who are invested in your learning, growth, and overall success.

* Last reviewed April 2026