The first step for the AFMC National Clinical Skills Working Group has been to develop a guide for clinical teachers across the country that outlines the expected clinical skills competencies for the undergraduate medical student at entry to clerkship and then at the time of graduation. Teaching and evaluating clinical skills continues to be a challenge in the current health care system, both in the United States and Canada. Having decided what skills should be expected of our students, the National Clinical Skills Working Group will move forward to consider how best these skills can be taught, how faculty in the academic health science centres and in the community can be taught to be better clinical teachers and how the clinical skills can be best evaluated.