Emergency Medicine - Medical Student Elective (4 weeks)

Objectives

The student should be able to:

1. Develop a list of common emergent causes for patients presenting with common emergent complaints (i.e. chest pain, abdominal pain, altered mental status).
2. Accurately describe the classic presentations of emergent causes of common complaints that patients present to the emergency department with (i.e. chest pain, abdominal pain, altered mental status).
3. Explain the initial evaluation (history and exam, diagnostic modalities) of patients presenting with common emergent complaints (i.e. chest pain, abdominal pain, altered mental status).
4. Explain the key management strategies for patients with the classic presentations of common emergent complaints (i.e. chest pain, abdominal pain, altered mental status).
5. Explain the indications, contraindications, complications and limitations of basic clinical procedures (examples include basic laceration repair and simple incision and drainage).
6. Effectively perform basic clinical procedures (examples include basic laceration repair, and simple incision and drainage).
7. Interact with patients, families and all members of the health care team in a professional manner (with respect, compassion, empathy, altruism, honesty, accountability and excellence) at all times during the clinical clerkship.

Course Outline

Visiting students will spend all their clinical time at Ochsner Medical Center, the primary training site of our Emergency Medicine residency. Students participate in direct patient care under the supervision of attendings, interns and senior residents.

There is ample opportunity to see and perform a variety of procedures. We encourage our students to be active in the care of their patients, and we expect students to present patients directly to faculty and senior residents.

Method of Evaluation

At the conclusion of each clinical shift, your faculty member will provide you with direct 1:1 feedback, and you will be provided a clinical performance evaluation. The student is evaluated through a compilation of information from the various staff and residents to whom he or she has been assigned from the standpoint of knowledge, participation, and enthusiasm. No formal examination is given. Students applying to EM residency programs may ask to have a standardized letter of evaluation (SLOE) written on their behalf by the clerkship director upon completion of the rotation.