MS4 Catalog

Emergency Medicine for the Generalist

LOCATION: Ruby Memorial Hospital, Morgantown, West Virginia
PRECEPTOR: Anthony Steratore, M.D.
DURATION: 4 weeks minimum
OFFERED: November-May
MAXIMUM ENROLLMENT: 2 students
STATUS: Elective

OBJECTIVES:

This rotation is intended for the medical student planning a career in a specialty other than emergency medicine. Emergency Medicine is an incredibly broad field that involves the evaluation, treatment, and at times resuscitation of the acutely ill and undifferentiated patient. During this rotation, medical students will have exposure to a wide range of presenting illnesses-many of which will require immediate stabilization, clinical decision-making without complete historical information, and procedures. Regarding procedural experience, the student will be exposed to procedures including, but not limited to initial stabilization and resuscitation of the critically, endotracheal intubation, central line insertion, arterial line insertion, bedside ultrasonography, lumbar puncture, procedural sedation, and suturing.

Patient Care:

  1. Recognizes abnormal vital signs and an unstable patient requiring immediate intervention.
  2. Performs and communicates a reliable history and complete physical examination
  3. Discuss and decide upon appropriate diagnostic studies for a particular presenting complaint
  4. Construct a differential diagnosis based upon presenting chief complaint
  5. Revise the differential diagnosis, clinical decision making, and treatment plan as additional clinical information becomes available.
  6. Identify and describe the indications, contraindications, relevant anatomy, and potential complications for basic procedures in Emergency Medicine.
  7. Describe and perform basic techniques associated with providing appropriate local anesthesia to facilitate procedures.
  8. Describe the indications for Emergency Ultrasound
  9. Perform focused ultrasound examinations under supervision of the senior resident and attending physician.

Medical Knowledge:

  1. Integrates medical knowledge gained in third year clerkships into a cogent diagnostic and treatment plan for the undifferentiated patient

  2. Demonstrate the ability to interpret results from commonly used diagnostic tests including-ECG, venous blood gas testing, plain radiographs, computed tomography scans, bedside ultrasonography, and lumbar puncture.

Practice-Based Learning:

  1. Recognizes the limits of knowledge in clinical situations and asks for help and supervision when appropriate.
  2. Uses evidence from scientific literature to alter the practice of medicine, with the goal of improving the health care provided.
  3. Improves patient care through the use of information technology.

Communication Skills:

  1. Creates a patient-provider relationship that leads to a therapeutic partnership with patients.
  2. Establishes listening skills that facilitate communication with patients, their families, and other members of the health care.
  3. Practices working within a health care team with the goal of providing excellent patient care in the ED.
  4. Elicits the patient's reasons for seeking care and expectations for their ED visit.

Professionalism:

  1. Maintains a respectful and altruistic attitude towards patients, their families, and other members of the health care team.
  2. Incorporates the principles of ethics into the practice of medicine.
  3. Recognizes how a patient's culture, age, socioeconomic status, gender, or disability could impact their care.
  4. Demonstrate behavior that conveys caring, honesty, genuine interest, and tolerance when interacting with patients from a diverse population

Systems-Based Practice: 

  1. Recognize how the emergency department interacts with the larger health care system.
  2. Develop cost-effective strategies in the practice of medicine
  3. Advocate for the patient within the health care system
  4. Utilize basic patient safety principles such as time-outs when performing procedures in the emergency department

METHODS TO ACHIEVE OBJECTIVES:

Students will complete clinical shifts in the emergency department of Ruby Memorial Hospital. They are also encouraged to attend the emergency medicine weekly educational conference.

EXAMINATION PROCEDURES AND EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Students will receive verbal feedback during every shift.  Faculty and senior residents also complete an end of shift evaluation form after working with the students.  An end of rotation evaluation will be completed by the preceptor based upon the end of shift evaluation forms.

PRIOR TO THE FIRST DAY OF THE ROTATION:

Please contact Ms. Haley Brewer, haley.brewer@wvumedicine.org at least 2 weeks prior to the start of the rotation.