Required Emergency Medicine Course (EMD 891)
EMD 891 provides the medical student with an in-depth
exposure to, and interaction with, a wide variety of
patients and problems presenting to the emergency department
for care. It is organized by a written curriculum referenced
to a specific and current Emergency Medicine text. This
text is loaned to the student during the clerkship. In
addition, the student will receive an expansive workbook
which includes both the course objectives and student
discussion cases. The student will have closely supervised
and graded responsibility, consistent with his/her knowledge
and skill. Diagnosis, laboratory evaluation, and care
of selected patients will be covered. Directed didactic
education, individual and small group discussion sessions
and a simulator exercise will be available through the
Department of Emergency Medicine. The rotation responsibilities
include participation in 150 hours of clinical encounters
during the month, attendance at the two weekly case discussions,
and completion of a written examination and feedback
instrument.
EMD 891 provides a four-week experience for all fourth year students. Topics covered in didactic sessions each month include:
Introduction to Emergency Medicine
Altered Mental Status
Emergency Medical Services
Stridor
Airway
Wheezing
CPR
Wound Care
Multiple Trauma
Toxicology
Head and Neck Trauma
Febrile Child
Chest Pain
Syncope
Students are exposed to topics of discussion that are within the core curriculum for emergency medicine residents. These topics vary month by month. Students also have a guided exposure over a one-month period to a variety of clinical problems.
Learning Format
The department uses lectures, case-based small group interactive discussions, text readings, and experiential learning. Students are required to attend four hours of didactic instruction weekly. The sessions are held on Friday afternoons. Attended presentations are provided by emergency medicine residents, emergency medicine faculty and faculty from other specialties.
Case-based small group discussions are held on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Each session is two hours. The case discussions are used to expand conceptual constructs leading from undifferentiated chief complaints through the diagnostic and therapeutic process. The cases are used to assist in the rapid evaluation and sequential correction of altered physiology of critically ill patients. The cases are used to establish priority in patient assessment and treatment. The cases all evolve from specific presenting problems. Questions are utilized following each case to help the students gain skill in the problem solving process. Group setting case-based discussions are conducted by a full-time emergency medicine faculty assigned for the month and for a third-year resident assigned for the month.
Students are provided readings that are the most current
revisions submitted to Dr. Hamilton for Emergency
Medicine: An Approach to Clinical Problem Solving,
his second edition text (published in 2001).
The students are given 150 hours of clinical exposure. This guided activity provides experience with a variety of clinical problems. There is active participation in patient care through preliminary work-up and presentation to preceptor after formulating a provisional diagnosis and plan. Patient contact occurs in the presence of individuals uniquely suited to introduce the broad domain of emergency medicine. One-on-one preceptorship is provided by clinical faculty, emergency medicine residents, and academic faculty. All are committed to teaching.
Teaching Faculty
In the clinical setting, there is exposure to full-time
faculty of emergency medicine, a large contingent of
clinical faculty and residents of emergency medicine
so that divergent interests and approaches can be witnessed
in the management of similar conditions. Full-time faculty,
clinical faculty, and residents lead the Friday afternoon
didactic experiences. A single full-time faculty member
and third-year resident are assigned to conduct the case-based
group discussions |
