Medical Student Electives: Digestive Diseases

Digestive Diseases

Brief Description

Provides diagnostic and management experience with a wide spectrum of disorders related to the Digestive Diseases.

Objectives

Students will be taught to improve bedside skills. The student will be expected to attain familiarity in clinical decision-making, and an understanding of the indications for the usual and specialized techniques for the diagnosis and treatment of Digestive Diseases.

Learning Experience

The student is afforded intensive involvement in the practice of modern gastroenterology as seen in a rural acute care diagnostic referral hospital, working directly with the course faculty and a second or third year medical resident, in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Proper history taking and physical examination and interpretation of GI imaging procedures will be stressed as the student answers consultations and works up new outpatients in the GI clinic. There will be ample opportunity to become familiar with the various technical procedures of gastroenterological practice. Clinical work is supplemented by weekly clinical management conferences and rounds, journal club and GI medical and surgical problem rounds, pathology conferences, and other didactic sessions pertaining to gastroenterology and general medicine. The student will be expected to share in the formal presentations at some of these conferences.

Feedback

No formal examination is given.

Evaluation

Evaluation will be an ongoing process throughout the course. The final and formal discussion with the course director will be geared to constructive evaluation of the course by the student, as well as the student by the faculty.

Data

Given all year. Maximum number of fourth-year students per month: One. Housing is provided when available, with the exception of the months of January, June and July. Conferences to be attended: Internal Medicine Conference on Friday and GI Clinical Conference on Wednesday. Rotations of less than 4 weeks are available.

Faculty

Members of the Attending Staff.