Student learning experiences in an LICC programme are both similar to and different from those in a traditional rotational clerkship programme. Students in the integrated clerkship were clear and unequivocal about the benefits of working with one teacher across time and caring for patients at different stages of the same disease in multiple settings. These findings have implications for clinical education development and design.

The examination of correlations between perceived quality of education and self-reported proficiency may be a useful gauge of effectiveness of nutrition training in medicine. Prioritization of nutrition information based on proficiency levels, including information on complementary and alternative medicines and nutritional management of disease, merits further investigation.

This qualitative descriptive study highlights the influence of highly regarded, free choice clerkship elective experiences in the career decision making process in medical education. Further examination of the details of clerkship elective experiences which influence career choice is recommended.