Pulmonary Medicine Rotation for 4th Year Students

To meet the objectives in increasing knowledge, skills, attitude, and behavior while evaluating and managing patients with acute and chronic respiratory diseases.

1. Knowledge:
• Students should acquire the core knowledge necessary to evaluate and manage patients with the following conditions:
• COPD
• Asthma
• Pulmonary fibrosis
• Sleep apnea
• Bronchogenic carcinoma
• The student should understand the pathophysiology, the diagnostic techniques, and the treatment approaches for these conditions and should read Cecil’s Essentials text and articles on these topics.
2. Skills
• The student should be able to accurately perform and record a history and physical examination.
• The student should be able to develop a differential diagnosis and suggest diagnostic and therapeutic plans.
• The student should develop skills in interpretation of pulmonary function tests, chest x-rays, and arterial blood gases.
• The student should improve communications skills with patients and families using appropriate language and avoiding jargon and medical terminology.
3. Behavior:

The student should:

• Provide compassionate and empathetic patient care in all clinical settings
• Be sensitive to the diverse factors affecting patients and their healthcare needs and beliefs including race, culture, income and ethnicity
• Develop effective communication skills with the staff, including other physicians, nurses, respiratory therapists, and social workers
4. Attitudes:

The student should be able to practice and respect patient privacy and confidentiality while maintaining the highest standards of professionalism.

• The student should work with adult patients in both clinics and in the hospital. They should follow at least two consults per day.
• The students should present in rounds with a complete assessment, analysis, and suggestions for plans.
• The students should expect to present at least one article at the MICU Conference every other week.
• The students should maintain a patient log to document patient contact and experiences with various disease processes.
• The students should read the core articles in the Pulmonary Handbook for this rotation.
• The students should attend Department of Internal Medicine noon conferences.
• The students should participate in the interpretation of pulmonary function tests and observe procedures.

Evaluation is based on the review of the student case presentations, case write-ups, professionalism, patient interaction during clinic and consult rounds.

1. The student rotation evaluation forms will be used.
2. The student will score at least 70 on a short pulmonary function test.
3. The student satisfaction will be assessed on a regular basis with appropriate feedback to assure that individual needs and goals are met.

 The student will be responsible for patients managed by him/her under the guidance of residents on the service and faculty.  The faculty on the service will be responsible for student education and supervision.

The student should sit with the 4th year director at the end of the rotation to discuss and fill out an evaluation form.