Medicine Subspecialties
MEDICINE SUBSPECIALTIES
10
Medicine: Special Clinical Areas & Research
117 Clinical Cardiology-BMC (Menino Pavilion)
Instructor: Cardiology Staff
Location:Boston Medical Center (88 E. Newton St., Cardiology Section)
Telephone: 638-8771 Elizabeth M. Mojica
Number of Students: 4
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
During this clinical elective, the student will become a member of the
Cardiology Consult Team comprised of a staff cardiologist,a cardiology fellow and one to three PGY-2’s. As an integral member of this team based at Menino Pavilion, the student will share in the responsibilities for patient evaluation, management and disposition. The aim of the elective will be to expose the student to a wide variety of cardiac patients. The fundamentals of the cardiac examination as well as therapeutics will be emphasized. The significance, usefulness and manner of performing special diagnostic studies including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, exercise stress tests, holter monitors, nuclear scans and cardiac catheterizations will be taught and applied to patient care.
All students and residents are expected to develop competency in EKG reading offered during the rotation. By special arrangement, additional elective time can be provided for certain students with a special interest in arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, echocardiography, stress testing or clinical research.
Teaching activities include:
1)Daily rounds with Staff Cardiologist
2)EKG reading
3)Cardiology Grand Rounds
4)Medical/Surgical Conference
5)Arrhythmia Conference
6)Imaging Conference
7)Research Conference
8)Cardiomyopathy Conference
9)Core Curriculum Conference
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a cardiology elective unless a substitute is provided.
120.6 Cardiology Consultations/CCU VA Boston Healthcare System
Instructor: BMC and WRVA Cardiology Staff
Location: West Roxbury Campus
Telephone: 638-8771 Elizabeth M. Mojica
Number of Students:2
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Each of the two students will spend 2 weeks in the 8 bed CCU and 2 weeks on the Cardiology Consultation service. The CCU team consists of one Boston University medical student, one Harvard medical student, 4 interns, 2 residents, a fellow and an attending cardiologist. The experience is in the evaluation and management of patients admitted to the CCU acutely ill with acute coronary syndrome, hemodynamic instability or serious arrhythmia. The Consultation service also consists of one BUMS and one HMS working with the cardiology fellow and staff. The service sees inpatient consults on medical and surgical patients with appropriate follow-up of cardiac recommendations. There is exposure to nuclear imaging and other diagnostic and therapeutic procedures. Additionally, the Consultation service is responsible for same-day diagnostic cardiac caths.
The elective is limited to two Boston University medical students at any one time to allow a close interaction with the fellow and staff. As this is a newly offered clinical experience, minor modifications may be made throughout the academic year.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Elizabeth M. Mojica will provide contact information to student upon sign-up.
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a cardiology elective unless a substitute is provided.
123.6 Medical Intensive Care Unit at the West Roxbury VA
Instructor: Drs. Joel Karlinsky, Jeffrey Berman and other faculty at the West Roxbury VA MICU
Location:
VA Boston Healthcare System
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA 02132
Telephone:1 857-203-6478 contact: Susan Cieri
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
Students will actively participate in the care of critically ill patients with a variety of medical diseases. Daily rounds are made with discussion of latest pathophysiology and treatment. Night call responsibility is every third night. In general, the student is expected to shoulder a considerable amount of responsibility in regard to the admission and treatment of critically ill patients and perform as a member of the team. The West Roxbury VA is a combined Boston University and Harvard Medical School service.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
124.1 Elective in Vascular Medicine
Instructor:Vascular Medicine Staff
Location: Boston Medical Center (East Newton Pavilion)
Telephone: 638-7260
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One month
Description of Elective:
This is designed to be a comprehensive rotation in cardiovascular disorders with emphasis on vascular problems. Students will gain an exposure to the evaluation and management of vascular disorders affecting the arterial, venous, and lymphatic systems, as well as vasospastic disorders. Emphasis will be placed on learning the presentation, physical findings, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The indications, techniques, and interpretation of vascular studies will be taught. Students will be expected to fully participate in the clinical and educational activities including:
• Inpatient vascular medical consultations including cardiac consultation for vascular surgery
• Outpatient clinic, which includes new consultation and longitudinal care of patients with vascular disease
• Non-invasive vascular laboratory and peripheral interventional laboratory
• Vascular conferences including an interdisciplinary vascular conference and a vascular laboratory journal club
As mentioned above, there is heavy emphasis placed on a comprehensive cardiovascular approach to the vascular disease patient. Student can expect to be exposed to and provide care for many cardiac disorders, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and arrhythmias, especially during the perioperative evaluation and management. This will include an understanding and application of the diagnostic cardiac studies, including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, exercise and pharmacologic stress test, and cardiac catheterization.
127.1 Hypertension & Atherosclerosis
Instructor: Dr. Haralambos Gavras and Dr. Irene Gavras
Location: Boston Medical Center, W508
Telephone:638-4025
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: Blocks 13-19
Description of Elective:
Students will have exposure to the clinical evaluation and management of hypertension and lipid metabolism. They will consult at Boston Medical Center on patients with various forms and complications of hypertension and hyperlipoproteinemias.
Grading: Pass/Fail
127.8 Clinical Research Hypertension/Nephrology Elective
Instructor: Marc S Weinberg, MD, FACP, Chief of Nephrology, RWMC and Clinical Professor of Medicine, B.U.S.M.
Location: Providence, R.I. at our Hypertension/Research center at 125 Corliss Street, Providence, R.I., the site of our outpatient dialysis facility associated with Roger Williams Medical Center, a B.U.S.M. Affiliated program.
Telephone: (401) 861-7711
Number of students: 1-2
Period to be Offered: Three months is preferable but may be as little as one month at discretion of course manager.
Description of Elective: House officers in their medical residencies, fellows in training, medical students or undergraduate students demonstrating specific interests, will be allowed to enroll in this course after approval by the course director. Since clinical studies can be a large source of support for both academic and clinical research, this elective will teach all aspects of how to set-up and perform clinical trials. Individuals will be taught how to write and identify good clinical studies; and identify weaknesses in other trials written by the pharmaceutical industry. Emphasis will be on patient safety and identifying what trials you will be able to perform and complete concisely.
We will teach how to organize and integrate trials so that several can be performed at one time. Once a study is identified, each individual will be assigned to a primary program they are interested in. They will screen patients as required by the study. Students or physicians will be allowed to assume as much responsibility as is appropriate for their particular degree of education, supervised also by the course director.
How to interact with study clinical monitors and react to mild or significant adverse effects from drugs will be taught. Communicating this information to both pharmaceutical companies and Institutional Review Boards will be reviewed.
After data is collected and the study is completed, all students and physicians will present their research project at our nephrology research conferences. In addition they will be taught how to write a concise abstract, and send it to a national or international meeting for presentation and publication. Writing a complete paper will be stressed. Editorial assistance is provided by the course supervisor. Those medical and undergraduate students will be encouraged to present their work in their other related classes in main campus (we will assist in this effort.) Lastly, the economic feasibility of setting-up and directing their own center will be reviewed with each individual.
Contact information
Marc S Weinberg, MD, FACP
kininmd@aol.com or kininmd @ bu.edu
(401) 861-7711
128.1 Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition
Instructors: Caroline M. Apovian, M.D., Lewis E. Braverman, M.D., Michael Holick, M.D., Ph.D., Nawfal Istfan, M.D., Ph.D., Stephanie Lee, M.D., Robert Levin, M.D., Alan Malabanan, M.D., James Melby, M.D., Elizabeth Pearce, M.D., Samara Peña, M.D., Joshua Safer, M.D., Elliot Sternthal, M.D., and Elizabeth Pearce, M.D.
Location: Evans Building, Boston Medical Center-East Newton Pavilion-Room E201
Contact: Jim McCarthy
Telephone: (617) 638-8556
Number of Students: 2 (priority given to BU students)
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
The student works closely with the faculty in the OPD clinics and on the inpatient consult service. They will see a wide variety of endocrine and weight management problems in the clinics. The consultation team provides help in the diagnosis and management of complex endocrine problems on the medical and surgical services. Formal rounds are made with the endocrine-attending physician on a daily basis. Students are required to attend weekly endocrine conferences which include guest lecturers, research conferences and fellow case presentations, as well as 2 weekly fellows’ conference devoted to endocrine diagnosis and management issues.
130.1 Clinical Gastroenterology
Instructors: Robert Lowe, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, 85 E. Concord St., 7th Floor
Telephone: 638-6116 Contact: Mary J. Bell
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of patients with common gastrointestinal disorders. The student sees outpatients referred to the GI Clinic and patients hospitalized with gastrointestinal problems on the wards of the Menino Pavilion. The student is expected to make daily morning work rounds with the Fellows, see new patients in consultation, and participate in all of the activities including seminars, Journal Club and clinical conferences sponsored by the Gastroenterology Section.
130.6 Clinical Gastroenterology and Nutrition
Consultation Service
Instructor: Dr. Elihu M. Schimmel
Location: Boston V. A. Medical Center, 150 S. Huntington Ave.,
Boston, MA 02130
Telephone: 232-9500, Ext. 4327 FAX: 278-4505
Number of Students: One per month
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
As a student you will participate in the gastroenterology training program and consultation service. You will work up new patients in consultation on the hospital’s wards and in the outpatient clinics. You will attend rounds, clinics and conferences, both at the VA Medical Center and at Boston Medical Center, all of which are teaching sessions. Your diagnostic skills will be encouraged, reading time will be ample, and we will discuss pathophysiology in depth.
As a member of the clinical gastroenterology team you will learn the
intellectual skill of thoughtful analyses of clinical data as well as those of endoscopic, radiologic and histologic diagnosis.
Students have enjoyed these challenges and learning experiences.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
135.1 Clinical Hematology/Oncology
Instructors: Drs. L. Weintraub, J.M. Sloan, D. Ngo, D. Faller, R. Blanchard,
D. Seldin, K. Hartshorn, K. Zaner, C. Rosenberg, V. Sanchorawala, G. Gignac, D. Faller and A. Lerner
Location: Boston Medical Center
Newton Pavilion/Menino Pavilion
Contact:Selena Craig
Telephone: 638-7521
Email: Selena.Craig@bmc.org
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
The course in clinical hematology/oncology is designed to prepare students to evaluate and manage hematologic and oncologic disorders. The student will be exposed to patients both in the ambulatory and inpatient hospital setting. He/She will be expected to participate in the initial evaluation of in-patient consultations. In addition, they will have the opportunity to work with an attending physician in at least one outpatient Hematology or Oncology clinical activity per week. The student will be instructed in the technique of performing a bone aspiration and biopsy. In addition considerable time will be spent with the attending interpreting both peripheral blood and bone marrow smears. The student will also attend the weekly clinical and research conferences, which will afford him/her an exposure to the scholastic activities of the section.
135.11 Basic Research in Hematology/Oncology
Instructors: Kevan L. Hartshorn, M.D., Adam Lerner, M.D., Carol L. Rosenberg, M.D. and David C. Seldin, M.D.,Ph.D
Location:Boston Medical Center, Evans Biomedical Research Center-EBRC 4
Contact:Selena Craig
Telephone: 638-7521
Email: Selena.Craig@bmc.org
Description of Elective:
This program is designed to provide students with an introduction to
investigational issues in several areas of hematology, immunology, and oncology, including exposure to basic laboratory techniques and current scientific endeavors. Students will have the opportunity to participate directly in on-going projects to obtain a conceptual and practical framework for utilizing laboratory research to address unresolved basic and clinical problems. A broad overview of research interests is provided below. Contact Selena Craig for additional information.
Dr. Hartshorn: Inhibition of phagocyte function by virus; lectin molecules in natural immunity
Dr. Lerner: Analysis of apoptosis pathways in normal and malignant lymphocytes
Dr. Rosenberg: Identification of genetic changes in premalignant lesions of the breast and other tissues
Dr. Seldin: Multistep pathways of lymphoma, autoimmunity and breast
cancer development in transgenic and knockout mice
140 Clinical Infectious Diseases[1]
Instructor: Paul Skolnik, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center-Evans Biomedical Research Center
Contact:Administrative Director, Infectious Diseases-650 Albany St., Room 607)
Telephone: 617-414-5150
Fax: 617-414-5280
E-Mail: patricia.achorn@bmc.org
Number of Students:One per location
Period to be Offered: Four consecutive weeks
Description of Elective:
The student will spend four consecutive weeks on the infectious disease consultation service at one of the BUSM affiliated hospitals, inpatient and outpatient experience at an affiliated community hospital, or experience outpatient care within the Center for Infectious Diseases at Boston Medical Center. A choice of hospital location is allowed as available positions permit; see description of specific elective offerings below. Available Infectious Diseases experiences include the following:
BMC East Newton Pavilion, Adult Infectious Disease Consult Service 140
Dr. Paul Skolnik, — one position
BMC Menino Pavilion, Adult Infectious Disease Consult Service 140
Dr. Paul Skolnik, — one position
Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center 140.6 [2]
Dr. David Thornton, 857-364-4669 — one position
Cape Cod Hospital 140.0
Dr. Alan Sugar, 508-862-5650 – one or two positions
MetroWest Medical Center 140.X
Dr. Thomas Treadwell, 508-383-1563 – one or two positions
Center for Infectious Diseases (CID), Adult Outpatient HIV/AIDS Clinic 101.3
Dr. Jon Fuller — one position
Boston Medical Center Menino or East Newton Pavilion: The primary focus for the elective is the care of hospitalized and ambulatory patients requiring infectious disease consultation (and primary HIV care). Students evaluate patients under the direction of the infectious disease fellow and present the cases at daily rounds with the attending physician or during clinic sessions to the outpatient fellow and preceptor. Case discussions are oriented around diagnosis, management, and pathophysiology. Involvement in clinical microbiology is expected.
The staff and fellows will also present lectures on selected topics in infectious diseases weekly. Regularly scheduled conferences include the following at BMC: a research seminar (monthly), core lectures (weekly), microbiology plate rounds (at least weekly), AIDS conference (weekly), ID case conference (weekly), and a journal club (monthly). Additional activities at individual hospitals include the following: Boston V.A. Medical Center - pulmonary conference on chest disease and tuberculosis (weekly), clinical conference (weekly), combined Micro/Infection Control/Infectious Disease bacteremia rounds (weekly).
Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center: [2]
Location: 1400 VFW Parkway Telephone: 617-323-7700
West Roxbury, MA 02132
Cape Cod Hospital:
Location: 104B Park Street Telephone: 508-862-5650
Hyannis, MA 02601 781 710 8105 cell phone
Students will gain experience in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases as seen in both outpatient and in-patient settings and will learn about out patient intravenous antibiotic therapy for chronic infections. Infection control procedures and rationale will be constantly reinforced and the prevention and management of antibiotic resistant infections will be stressed.
In-patient and outpatient infectious diseases are seen by consultation and office visits. General infectious diseases including cellulitis, osteomyelitis, endocarditis, meningitis, and other bacterial, viral, fungal, and parasitic diseases are seen. During the warmer months, tick-borne and mosquito borne illnesses assume a greater importance. There are 2 comprehensive case management programs within IDCS: HIV case management (over 130 active patients currently) and Hepatitis C Virus case management (over 150 patients (about 50% who also are HIV positive). The infectious disease service is actively involved in the new open-heart surgery program and participation in cardiac surgery rounds is encouraged.
The Infectious Diseases Consulting Service (IDCS) is the only infectious disease practice in Hyannis and the surrounding area. It is located across the street from Cape Cod Hospital and Alan Sugar, M.D., Professor of Medicine, Boston University School of Medicine, is the director of the program.
MetroWest Medical Center:
Location: 115 Lincoln St, Framingham, MA 01720
Telephone: 508-383-1563
Boston University medical students are very familiar with MetroWest Medical Center. Many of them do physical diagnosis there, and it is one of the core rotations for obstetrics and pediatrics.
ID at MetroWest does more than 700 consultations a year and has a busy outpatient clinic, in both general infectious disease, and travel medicine (2,000 patients a year). There is also a busy HIV service that has Ryan White funding, and provides care to nearly 200 active patients. Finally, there is a hepatitis C clinic where they are involved in a couple of protocols for the treatment of hepatitis C.
Students who wish an alternative to the main BUMC campus for an infectious disease rotation would get a lot of attention at MetroWest and would have both an ambulatory and inpatient experience. In addition to the elective, there are didactic lectures four days a week for the general medicine training program, grand rounds weekly, and other educational experiences.
Drs. Chinhak Chun, Jorge Fleisher and Thomas Treadwell are the board certified infectious diseases physicians at MetroWest Medical Center; both Dr. Treadwell and Dr. Fleisher completed the infectious diseases fellowship at Boston Medical Center. Dr. Treadwell is Adjunct Clinical Assistant Professor in Medicine at Boston University and sees patients at Boston Medical Center as part of the infectious diseases consult service.
Center for Infectious Diseases (CID), Adult Outpatient HIV/AIDS Clinic
The Center for Infectious Diseases, one of the clinical arms of BMC’s Center for HIV/AIDS Care and Research (CHACR), provides comprehensive care to approximately 1500 HIV-infected adults. Rotating students will largely be in the role of “shadowing” attending physicians who are seeing their regular patients, providing rotators the opportunity to observe how clients receive multidisciplinary care at all stages of the natural history of HIV infection. This experience is further enhanced by attendance at pre-clinic conferences and special teaching seminars given on many Wednesdays and Thursdays at noon.
[1] Once scheduled, a student will not be released from an infectious disease elective unless a substitute is provided.
[2] Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
150.6 Medical Oncology
Instructors: Daniel Jacobson, M.D., J. Carlos Vera, M.D.,
Valia Boosalis, M.D., Michelle Hankins, M.D., Lauren Oshry, M.D. and Ante Lundberg, M.D.
Location: Boston VA Medical Center, 150 S. Huntington Ave.,
Boston, MA
Contact: Selena Craig
Telephone: (617) 638-7521
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The student will work closely with the oncology fellows, nurse oncologists and senior staff as part of a hospital-based unit strongly committed to clinical research. This elective will include exposure to the fundamentals of chemotherapy, natural history of commonly encountered cancers, oncology clinical research and principles of interdisciplinary cancer care. Students will be actively involved in the evaluation and management of cancer patients on the wards and in the clinic. Various weekly activities include:
1. Multidisciplinary chest, head and neck, urology and general oncology tumor board conferences
2. Patient management conference
3. Clinical trials research conference
4. Oncology Clinics
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting with one month notice. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
160.1 Pulmonary Medicine-Clinical Consultation Service at
Boston Medical Center
Instructor: Arthur Theodore, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, R-3,Newton Pavilion/Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-4860
Number of Students: Two Seniors only
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The student will be an integral part of an active in patient clinical
pulmonary consultation service. He will be responsible for the initial consultation in patients with a variety of respiratory disorders. The student’s evaluation and plan of management will then be discussed with the pulmonary fellow and at daily staff attending rounds. The elective will provide an opportunity to evaluate chest roentgenograms, interpret arterial blood gases and pulmonary function tests, and discuss the role of and participate in such diagnostic procedures as fiberoptic bronchoscopy, pleural biopsy and thoracentesis.
The student will participate in a full program of teaching conferences including work rounds, chest x-ray conferences, formal interhospital chest conferences, physiology seminars and research conferences, and a special weekly student case discussion conference.
160.6 Pulmonary Medicine - VA Inpatient Clinical Consultation Service
Instructors: Drs. Jeffrey Berman, L. Jack Faling, Alan Fine, Eric Garshick, Ronald Goldstein, Daniel Gottlieb, Joel Karlinsky, Steven Lieberman, Jussi Saukkonen
Location:
VA Boston Healthcare System
1400 VFW Parkway
West Roxbury, MA 02132
Telephone:1 857-203-6478 Contact: Susan Cieri
Number of Students: One, Senior only
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
The student will work closely with the Pulmonary Fellow seeing consultations throughout the hospital. Experience will be gained in the evaluation and management of all types of respiratory disorders, interpretation of chest x-rays, blood gas data, and diagnostic methods used in the evaluation of lung diseases. Many patients will have complete pulmonary function testing and bronchoscopy in which the student may participate.
Students will attend staff attending rounds five times weekly. In addition there are weekly teaching chest x-ray conference, formal interhospital chest conferences and a journal club. The teaching service is a combined Boston University-Harvard Medical School service.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
163.1 Research In Pulmonary Cell, Molecular and Developmental Biology and Immunology
Instructor: Drs. Jerome Brody, Jeffrey Berman, Wellington Cardon,
David Center, William Cruikshank, Harrison Farber, Matthew Fenton, Alan Fine, Ronald Goldstein, Martin Joyce-Brady, Hardy Kornfeld, Mary Williams and others
Location: Pulmonary Center, Housman Building, 3rd Floor
Telephone: To schedule call Dr. Center at 638-4860
Number of Students: Five Maximum
Period to be Offered: Two to six months - plus ongoing during the school year
Prerequisite: Open to all students following completion of the first year
Description of Elective:
This elective offers practical and theoretical training in basic skills of cell and molecular approaches to research. Training includes methods of cell culture and transfection, biochemical and molecular analyses including protein, RNA, and DNA; cell cycle analysis; morphologic methods including immunohistochemistry and in situ hybridization; in vitro models of organogenisis and cell differentiation. Faculty study molecular regulation of connective tissue metabolism, molecular biology of T lymphocyte and endothelial cytokines, stress proteins, signaling pathways, molecular regulation of organogenesis and epithelial differentiation, genetic alterations in lung tumors, and AIDS virology and immunology.
165.1 Renal Disease
Instructors: Douglas E. Mesler, M.D., David J. Salant, M.D., Edward A. Alexander, M.D. and Staff
Location: Boston Medical Center, 650 Albany St, 5th Floor, Room 504, Boston, MA 02118
Telephone: 638-7330 - Tranika Corbett
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Each student, under the supervision of clinical fellows and staff, participates in the evaluation and management of patients with acute and chronic renal disease, fluid and electrolyte problems, acid-base disturbances, etc. The major focus of activity is the clinical consult services, where students are taught the skills of clinical evaluation of patients for renal disease and participate in daily work rounds as well as formal attending rounds (3-5 sessions per week). Students are expected to attend all clinical and research conferences, including clinical journal club, clinical conference, pathology conference and renal research conference. Active student participation, including patient presentation at clinical conference, is encouraged.
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a renal elective unless a substitute is provided.
165.6 Clinical Nephrology
Instructor: Robert J. Hamburger, M.D.
Location: Boston VA Healthcare System,
Boston, MA 02130
Telephone: 857-364-4662, (Irene Jones)
Number of Students: 2 students
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
This elective emphasizes the physiologic approach to the clinical recognition in evaluation of renal disease. The students, working closely and under the supervision of staff and renal fellows, participate in the work-up and management of their own cases, as well as discussion of others. This part of the elective is available for a period of four weeks or multiples thereof. The students participate in the outpatient Renal Clinics at the Jamaica Plain campus, under the direction of a staff physician. In addition, students also participate on the inpatient consult service at the West Roxbury hospital under the direction of the Renal Fellow and Renal staff physicians.
Students often take the shuttle provided by the V.A. and Boston University between the Jamaica Plain Campus and the West Roxbury Campus.
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a renal elective unless a substitute is provided.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
167.2 Renal Disease Research
Instructors: Dr. David Salant, Dr. Edward A. Alexander,
Dr. James Kaufman, Dr. Jerrold Levine, Dr. Wilfred Lieberthal,
Dr. John H. Schwartz and Dr. Michael Shia, Dr. Steven Borkan, Dr. Douglas Mesler and Dr. Laura Dember
Location: Boston Medical Center, Boston VAMC
Telephone: 638-7330 E428
Number of Students: To be arranged
Period to be Offered: Three to six months
Description of Elective:
By special arrangement with the individual faculty members, students may work on clinical research projects or in the laboratory on problems such as immune mechanisms of renal injury, renal cell physiology and pathophysiology, ischemic renal injury, gene regulation, molecular biology of cell receptors or other studies ongoing in the renal section.
170.1 Clinical Rheumatology
Instructor: Robert Simms, M.D. and Associates
Location: BUMC, Evans 5
Telephone: 638-4312 Contact: Mary Lou Kemp
Number of Students: 2
Period to be Offered: 1 month
Description of Elective:
Students will participate in all activities of the clinical rheumatology service, including in-patient consult rounds, arthritis clinics, and a formal teaching program. Students will see in-patient consults at Boston University Medical Center under the supervision of the clinical arthritis fellow and staff and present these cases to the faculty attending of the month. Students will be expected to read and informally report on recent writings which are pertinent to the patients they work up. Students will also spend four half-days per week in the Boston Medical Center and VA Arthritis Clinics.
The elective also includes 3 to 4 hours per week of formal education to teach students the central concepts and basic skills of rheumatology. Clinical rounds are made 3-4 times per week.
171.1 Rheumatology Research
Instructors: Drs. Robert Simms, David Felson, Shyr-te Ju,
Robert Lafyatis, Timothy McAlindon, Martha Skinner and Russell Widom
Location: BUMC, Evans 5
Telephone: 638-4310
Number of Students: 2-4
Period to be Offered: 2-6 months
Description of Elective:
The student will have the opportunity to spend two or more months working closely with a faculty preceptor on a research project. The project may be part of an ongoing effort or one that the student develops in consultation with the preceptor. Projects will relate to autoimmune, connective tissue and rheumatic diseases and the basic biomedical sciences which relate to their pathophysiology.
Current areas of investigation include:
A) Scleroderma and Raynaud’s phenomenon: clinical, immunologic, metabolic and molecular studies.
B) Biochemical immunological and clinical aspects of amyloid
C) Epidemiologic studies of rheumatic disease
D) Health services and outcomes research in rheumatology
E) Basic immunology and cell biology
F) Clinical studies in various rheumatic diseases
Students participating in this elective will have the opportunity to learn fundamental approaches to biomedical investigation including critical review of published work and experimental design and analysis. Depending on the particular project elected, skills in molecular biology, cell biology, immunology, biochemistry and biostatistics and epidemiology will be gained. Students wishing to take this elective should contact Dr. Joseph H. Korn or, if the particular interest area is known, the suitable faculty member. Enough time should be allowed for discussions with faculty to plan the details of the elective.
180.1 Dermatology
Instructor: Marie-France Demierre , M.D. and Staff
Location: BUMC, J-200
Telephone: Contact: Daniella Adrien
phone: 638-5523; 414-4177/7469
Number of Students: Three
Period to be Offered: Four weeks
Description of Elective:
The department offers a four-week, full-time clinical elective to meet the needs of the students. This clinical elective program includes observing and participating in the care of patients in the Skin Service of BMC-ACC and in consultations on in-patients of the Boston Medical Center.
Students will work closely with the dermatology residents and attending staff. They also are given lectures covering basic diagnoses and therapies of skin diseases; and are urged to attend and participate in the teaching activities of the department. These include clinical grand rounds, journal club, and lectures and seminars on a variety of clinical and basic science subjects related to dermatology.
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a dermatology elective unless a substitute is provided.
Note: Elective can be taken for four weeks only. There will no exceptions.
180.13 Research in Skin Cancer Prevention and Detection
Instructor: Alan Geller, RN, MPH
Location: Doctor Office Building 801A
Telephone: 638-7126
Number of Students: 1-2 per rotation
Period to be Offered:Throughout 12 month academic calendar
Description of Elective:
Student(s) will work with experienced skin oncology prevention team to conduct epidemiologic and behavioral research in skin cancer prevention. Work will include independent and supervised research on innovative studies and manuscript writing.
180.14 Dermatopathology
Instructors: Jag Bhawan, M.D., H. Randolph Byers, M.D., Ph.D. and Lynne J. Goldberg, M.D.
Location: BUSM – J400
Telephone: 617 638-5574
Contact: Darlene Jones
Number of Students: 1
Period to be Offered: 4 weeks
Description of Elective:
The elective is designed to give the highly motivated student exposure to the practice of dermatopathology. Much time will be spent in periodically supervised independent study of dermatopathology teaching sets. The student will attend several weekly dermatopathology conferences given by the dermatopathology faculty and fellows, as well as related conferences in the dermatology department including Grand Rounds, clinical-pathologic correlation sessions and clinical dermatology lectures.
185.1 Neurology
Instructor: Dr. Janice F. Wiesman and Staff
Location: (See below)
Telephone: (See below)
Number of Students: (See below)
Period to be Offered: Concurrent with Scheduled Blocks
Description of Elective:
The Department of Neurology offers a variety of fourth year elective
programs. Since Neurology is now a required rotation for BUSM students, electives will be offered to non-BUSM students and accommodated on a first-come, first served basis. Arrangements for combinations of electives or specially structured electives will be reviewed and permission granted by the Department. Under appropriate circumstances, the Department will organize joint programs or consecutive rotations with other clinical or basic science departments.
Applicants for electives in Neurology must contact the Department of
Neurology at 617-638-5350 for further information and assistance in preparing programs.
Our programs utilize Newton Pavilion and Menino Pavilion, Boston VA Medical Center, and other affiliates. Elective requests for specific locations will be accommodated where possible or alternative location assignment will be offered.
BUSM 4th year students will not be allowed to substitute Neurology electives for the 4th Year Required Rotation in Neurology.
1.Clinical Neurology: Dr. Wiesman and Staff
A.Newton Pavilion185.2
The student participates as a subintern in the supervised evaluation and treatment of patients either on the Neurology Unit or the Consult Service as a member of the team of junior end senior Neurology residents, and staff attending neurologists. The student will spend his/her time working up and assuming supervised responsibility for his/her patients, attending twice weekly formal Visit rounds, and other conferences, including the weekly Neurology Grand Rounds and CPC. Emphasis is placed on developing skill in performance of the neurological examination, acquiring familiarity with neurophysiologic testing (Evoked Response, EMG, Sleep and EEG Laboratory monitoring) and with Neuroradiologic testing (CT Scan, Cerebral Arteriography) and others. Teaching conferences with Psychiatry, Neurosurgery, Neuroradiology, Epilepsy, Stroke and Neuropathology occur weekly or biweekly. Limited to two students per block (month).
B.Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center185.6
This elective provides the student with the same opportunity to participate as a subintern in all inpatient adult neurology under the supervision of neurology residents, fellows, and attending staff physicians as offered at BMC. Responsibilities of this elective are assisting in the active evaluation and treatment of patients with neurological disorders and participating in the scheduled teaching activities and conferences of the Department of Neurology, in the weekly Neurology Grand Rounds and CPC. Limited to two students per block (month).
C.Menino Pavilion:185.3
Students will have supervised patient responsibility on the Neurology Consult Service and participate in the regularly scheduled teaching activities of the Service.
2.Behavioral Neurology:
Students will be involved in the neurological and mental status evaluation of patients and will participate in the management of patients in the inpatient and/or outpatient setting under supervision. Emphasis is placed on neurological approach to patients with dementias, aphasia, sleep disorders, etc. Limited to one student per block (month) arranged through the Department of Neurology at 617-638-5350.
3. Neuropathology: Dr. Kowall and Staff 188.1
1 to 3 months at the Geriatric Research Education and Clinical Center (GRECC), E.N. Rogers VA Medical Center, Bedford. Organized instruction in gross and microscopic neuropathology including preparation of brain for autopsy, study of surgical gross and microscopic specimens, preparation of neuropathology report and protocol for Clinical Pathology Conference preparation at monthly CPC. Limited to two students per block (month)and arranged through the Department of Neurology at 617-638-5350.
Accessible by public transportation.
4.Human Neuropsychology MED ME 775: Dr. Goodglass and Neuropsychology Staff. 192.1 - 1 Semester, Thursday 4-6:30 p.m.
Neuropsychology of Language, and Related Functions: The organization of language in the brain will be examined with references to the clinical varieties of aphasia in adults and children. Data from clinical pathological correlations will be reviewed along with that from current psycholinguistic research. The nature of cerebral dominance and its relation to language and non-language functions will be discussed, with reference to evidence from clinical and experimental research, including split brain studies. Special attention will be devoted to the apraxias, agnosias, and other lateralized selective cognitive deficits. Demonstrations of patients and video recordings will be used to illustrate the lectures. To arrange elective, please contact 617-232-9500, ext. 4005.
5.Human Neuropsychology MED ME 776: Dr. Kaplan
and Neuropsychology Staff 191.1 Boston VA Medical Center, Spring semester, Thursdays 4-6:30 p.m. Neuropsychology of Perception, Memory and Intelligence. The course will stress the application of information processing concepts to the assessment of a number of neurological disorders. There will be a thorough review of the role of both cortical and subcortical structures in perception, memory, and general intelligence, as measured by standardized tests. Special emphasis will be placed on theoretical issues involving visual agnosia, constructional apraxia, amnesia, and dementia. The instructors will attempt to identify and to compare the cognitive processes underlying these neurological disorders. Clinical interviews with patients with constructional apraxia, amnesia syndromes and dementia will be presented via videotape recordings. To arrange elective, please contact 617-232-9500, ext. 4005.
6.Clinical Geriatric Neurology: 1-2 months at the Bedford VAMC. Supervised inpatient and outpatient experience in Geriatric Neurology focused on the diagnosis and treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. Rotations will include the geriatric evaluation unit, outpatient clinics, adult day care program, respite program and long term care in the dementia study units. Experience will include clinical diagnosis, outpatient management, psychopharmacology, interdisciplinary treatment team process, and an introduction to bioethical issues, such as the formulation of advance directives. A full complement of teaching conferences is available to students. Students will be able to participate in ongoing clinical research projects which include investigations of circadian rhythms and light therapy for the treatment of insomnia and agitation, development of scales for measuring the severity of dementia in institutionalized patients, discomfort in non-communicative patients, and agitation and resistiveness to care.
(Contact: Neil Kowal, M.D.)
7.Private Practice: Preceptorship in Neurology - Neurological Referral Center, community neurologists (Drs. Feldman, Wolf, Kase, Auerbach,
Browne, Babikian, Ellias, Saint-Hilaire, Otis, Wiesman and Hersh), Neurology Staff.
This elective has the student “shadow” a practicing neurologist for 1 to 2 weeks. To arrange elective rotation, please contact 617-638-5350.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
185.0 Outpatient Pain Management
Instructor: Mohamed Hamouda, M.D. and Fereshteh Sharonah Soumekh, M.D.
Location: Boston VA Medical Center
150 S. Huntington Ave
Telephone: 232-9500 Coordinator: Manisha Thakore-James, M.D.
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: 4 weeks
Description of Elective:
Students will have a tutorial in pain management with an emphasis on the neurology of pain.
Students will evaluate and treat patients with chronic pain; utilization of the devices of pain management; pharmacologic treatments of pain and the psychiatric aspects of pain management will be included.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
033.2 Geriatrics/Home Medical Care
Instructors:Lisa Norton, M.D., Serene Chao, M.D.,M.Sc., Dan Oates, M.D., M.Sc. and Matthew Russell, M.D., M.Sc.
Location: Robinson 2700 - Boston Medical Center, Robinson Complex
Telephone: 638-6109
Course Director: Lisa Norton, M.D. lisa.norton@bmc.org
Course Administrator: Jill Whitney
www.bumc.bu.edu/geriatrics
Number of Students: Varies (see note below)
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
During this rotation, students will have the unique opportunity (few medical schools offer this experience) to go out regularly on house calls with a physician or nurse preceptor. There will also be home visits, which trainees will conduct independently (paired with one other student). Additional experiences may include going to community sites such as an adult day health center or nursing home. Students will attend lectures, prepare a written case study and participate in a Geriatrics OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Exam). Both physician and nurse preceptors will evaluate students’ performance in the rotation. Course objectives include: students will learn about common geriatric syndromes, understand and use functional assessment in the evaluation of older adults, work with an interdisciplinary team including nurses, social workers, and community health care providers to develop care plans, and learn about home care and what is possible to provide medically for elderly patients living in the community.
Note: This is a required rotation at BUSM but may be taken as an elective by external students on a space available basis only.
