Fourth-Year Curriculum
2002-2003 Catalog
| Course Acute Care Clerkship Ambulatory Care Clerkship Internal Medicine Subinternship Neurology Clerkship Four Electives Advanced Cardiac Life Support |
Credits 2.0 2.0 2.0 2.0 8.0 0.0 |
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Acute Care Clerkship
This four-week clerkship offers instruction in the diagnosis and management of an acutely ill or injured patient. Students select a rotation from a variety of clinical settings, including intensive care units, critical care services and emergency departments.The selection sites for this clerkship include Parkland Memorial Hospital's burn ICU, critical care unit, emergency department, neonatal ICU, surgical ICU and trauma service; Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center's cardiac care unit and medical ICU; and Children's Medical Center of Dallas' emergency department and pediatric ICU.
During this clerkship the student functions as an integral member of the medical team providing a high level of care to acutely ill or injured patients. Under the supervision of residents, fellows and attending physicians, the student may gain an enhanced knowledge of stabilization, resuscitation and management of such critically ill patients.
Ambulatory Care Clerkship
Students spend one month in outpatient clinics for internal medicine, family practice or women's health. Students are expected to interview patients and obtain vital information for patient care, interpret data and discuss the treatment plan with the patient and family, promote general health maintenance and disease prevention, and consult with specialty services to coordinate care. Students should demonstrate knowledge about a wide variety of medical illnesses and apply this knowledge to patient care. Students also should be able to assimilate scientific evidence to improve patient care.Internal Medicine Subinternship
Students spend one month in a ward setting at Parkland Memorial Hospital, St. Paul University Hospital or Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Students are expected to interview patients and obtain vital information for patient care, interpret data and discuss the treatment plan with the patient and family, promote general health maintenance and disease prevention, and consult with specialty services to coordinate care. Students should be able to provide the differential diagnosis of a chief complaint and a treatment plan to investigate the cause. Students also are expected to apply current clinical knowledge to arrive at a unifying diagnosis with the health-care team. Students should be able to assimilate scientific evidence to improve patient care and be able to communicate effectively with the health-care team, patients and patients' families.Neurology Clerkship
A comprehensive and intensive neurology clerkship has been designed to offer instruction in the diagnosis and management of neurologically ill patients. The students participate actively in the evaluation and care of patients on neurology services such as those at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Dallas Veterans Affairs Medical Center and Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas. Clinical conferences, tutorial seminars and didactic teaching sessions are important parts of the clerkship. The clerkship prepares the student to evaluate neurological disease and to apply knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology to the formulation of an appropriate differential diagnosis.Electives
The elective program has a two-fold purpose: 1) to aid the student in a career choice and 2) to offer an opportunity to build strengths in related fields should a career choice have been made by the senior year. Four months of the fourth year of medical school are available for electives. Students may take more than four months of electives by using the unscheduled four weeks in the junior year; however, academic credit will not be awarded for the same elective taken more than twice.Students may take electives off campus if approved by the chair of the relevant medical school department and then by an associate dean for student affairs. Some students may choose to spend their elective time on a research project.
An elective handbook listing the various offerings is published each year. Included are electives in the major clinical disciplines and in the medical and surgical subspecialties. Occasionally a student may, with faculty approval, design an elective to meet a special need. Selection of electives is guided by individual counseling from faculty when needed.
More than 100 elective courses are offered by many departments, including Academic Computing Services, Anesthesiology and Pain Management, Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Dermatology, Family Practice and Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Neurological Surgery, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ophthalmology, Orthopaedic Surgery, Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Pathology, Pediatrics, Pharmacology, Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Plastic Surgery, Psychiatry, Radiology, Surgery, and Urology.
Advanced Cardiac Life Support
ACLS includes didactic information about the management of cardiac arrest, including rhythm recognition, drugs and protocols. The course also has skills practice for airway management including intubation; management of bradycardia, tachycardias, ventricular fibrillation, asystole, pulseless electrical activity, and shock and heart failure; and use of defibrillators and automated external defibrillators. Students must master techniques for basic life support for health professionals, such as one- and two-rescuer cardiopulmonary resuscitation, infant CPR, child CPR, and management of obstructed airway for all ages, before practicing skills for advanced techniques. Examinations include a written examination and demonstration of proper technique for intubation and ability to serve as team captain for a cardiac-arrest scenario. The student must pass each section for certification.