Surgery
Boston University Medical Center
Division of Surgery Elective Applications
Director for BU Surgical Elective Program
Erica Brotschi, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Surgery
638-8443 (Myriam Castagne-Student Coordinator)
Office of Surgical Education Room C-520
Fourteen of the electives listed in the surgery section are administered through the Office of Surgical Education, the director is Erica Brotschi, M.D., and the Student Coordinator is Myriam Castagne. A special application which is required for these electives can be obtained from Ms. Castagne by telephoning her at 638-8443 or visiting her office, C-520.
Surgery: Clinical Clerkships in General,
Thoracic, Pediatric, Vascular, and
Gastrointestinal Surgery
400.1 Subinternship in Surgery
Instructors: (see below)
Locations: (see below)
Telephone: Myriam Castagne, 638-8443
Number of Students: (see below)
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The Department of Surgery offers fourth year students the opportunity to be subinterns at a variety of our major teaching hospitals. The student will be assigned patients to admit and follow during their hospital course. The student will work with the resident and attending staff in managing the patient’s surgical problems in the operating room, on the inpatient wards and in the ambulatory setting. Attendance at morning and afternoon rounds, morbidity and mortality conferences, and other teaching conferences is an important part of the rotation as well as being on call with residents. Instruction will focus on principles and pathophysiology of surgical disease, pre- and post-operative care, indication for surgical intervention, and procedural skills. This elective is especially suitable for any student wishing more intensive training in surgery than is possible during the required third year clerkship. It is available at the following locations, and may be arranged through Myriam Castagne, Office of Surgical Education.
1.Boston Medical Center – Newton Pavilion
a.General Surgery (Vascular Service)(400.1a)
Instructor: Jonathan Woodson, M.D. and Staff
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One Month
b. General Surgery (Oncology Service)(400.1b)
Instructor: Michael Stone, M.D, and Staff
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One Month
c. General Surgery (GI Service)(400.1c)
Instructor: James Becker, M.D, and Staff
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One Month
2. General Surgery-VA Boston Healthcare System (400.2)
Instructor: Erica Brotschi, M.D.
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One Month
3.Boston Medical Center – Menino Pavilion (400.3)
Instructor: Peter Burke, M.D.
Number of Students: Two
Period to be offered: One Month
4.Cape Cod Hospital (400.00)
Instructor: Stephen W. Brooks, M.D.
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One month
*The above electives satisfy the subinternship requirement
Note: Elective 400.2 requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
402.3 GS-3 General Surgery
Instructor: Peter Burke, M.D.
Co-Instructors: General Surgery Staff
Location: Boston Medical Center – Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443 (contact Myriam Castagne, C-520)
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Elective is a preceptorship type in which the student will be assigned to a group of staff surgeons whose interest span care of trauma patients, critically ill surgical patients. The student will work closely with the instructor in his activities at Boston Medical Center (primarily Menino Pavilion) in the evaluation, comprehensive physical examinations, treatment planning and operative care of all patients. The student will take calls with the instructor in the Emergency Room. Clinical rounds will be conducted daily.
In addition, the student will participate in the research activities of the department relating to trauma, critically ill surgical patients and burn patients.
Attendance at all regularly scheduled conferences conducted by the Division of Surgery, e.g., Academic Seminars, Surgical Grand Rounds, Mortality and Morbidity Conferences, Chief’s Conference, will be encouraged.
403.1 Surgical Intensive Care Unit
Instructor: Andrew Glantz, M.D. and Staff
Location:Boston Medical Center-Newton Pavilion and Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: 6 (3 per campus)
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Fourth year medical students are eligible to participate in the Surgical
Intensive Care Unit elective at Boston Medical Center. This can be a one or two month elective which can be spent at either the Newton Pavilion surgical intensive care unit or Menino Pavilion surgical intensive care unit. Students will be active members of the team and will participate in daily rounds and will be responsible for presenting in detail, all patients whom they have called on previously. He/she will defend the therapy initiated and propose a comprehensive treatment plan. Additionally, the student will participate in all procedures performed in the surgical intensive care unit. The Section on Critical Care offers daily teaching rounds as well as didactic lectures. It is hoped at the conclusion of this elective the student will have an appreciation of the problems and care of the critically ill patient.
Note: This elective satisfies the subinternship requirement
410.2 Cardiothoracic Surgery
Instructors: Harold Lazar, M.D., Benedict Daly, M.D., Oz Shapira, M.D., Hiran Fernando, M.D. and Curtis Hunter, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion, B-4
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The elective in cardiothoracic surgery is primarily clinical. Students are instructed in the diagnosis and surgical treatment of cardiovascular, pulmonary, esophageal, mediastinal and chest wall diseases, thoracic trauma and endoscopic diagnostic procedures. About two-thirds of the clinical work in this service comprise cardiovascular disease and one-third, non-cardiac thoracic surgery. In addition to developing a specific fund of knowledge regarding surgical treatment of cardiovascular disease, students are involved in the management of a large group of seriously ill and intensively monitored patients. This should permit developing knowledge in the diagnosis and management of problems occurring in each of the organ systems after major surgery. Students will also become familiar with monitoring techniques to assess the post-operative hemodynamic state, and with the use of treatment interventions such as catecholamines and other drugs, and the intra-aortic balloon.
Students may have the opportunity to observe in the OR the use of technologically advanced surgical procedures in both cardiac and general thoracic surgery using minimally invasive approaches and use of robotic assisted surgery.
420.2 Gastrointestinal Surgery
Instructor: James M. Becker, M.D. and Staff
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion and
Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month year round
Description of Elective:
Emphasis will be upon the application of surgical principles to the care of patients with gastrointestinal problems. The student will see all patients seen by the preceptor for these types of problems at Boston Medical Center. The student will attend office and clinic sessions and will work with the resident staff in the care of such patients. The student will also be expected to attend the weekly GI conferences. The student will also be exposed to surgical endoscopy, both diagnostic and therapeutic, and the new field of laparoscopic surgery. Additional, in-depth review of the patients’ problems will be expected.
420.3 Nutritional Support in Clinical Practice
Instructors: Caroline Apovian, M.D. and Peter Burke, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center – Harrison and East Newton Pavilions
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
This elective provides “hands on” exposure to the problems of malnutrition in the hospitalized patient in both medical and surgical wards. Instruction is by the Nutrition Support Team with time divided between both campuses at Boston Medical Center. Clinical responsibilities include completion of nutrition support consultations with full nutritional assessment and formulation of plan of nutritional intervention on all patients receiving parenteral nutrition, and many patients receiving enteral therapy. Metabolic and fluid management is closely monitored on daily rounds and adequacy of nutritional support documented. The Service follows approximately 10-12 patients daily. Advanced training in central venous access techniques is offered depending on patient need. It is the overall purpose of this elective to provide students planning careers in internal medicine or surgery with basic skills to recognize and treat all forms of malnutrition in adult hospitalized patients.
430.3 Pediatric Surgery
Instructor: Dr. Thomas Hamilton
Location: Pediatric Surgery, Dowling 2 South
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
This elective on the Pediatric Surgical Service will provide a broad
experience in the evaluation and operative management of neonatal and childhood surgical problems. It is geared toward those with an interest in surgery, pediatrics, or both. Ward round with the attending are made daily. Elective operative cases are performed all day Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Clinics are held Tuesday and Thursday afternoons. During the clinics, children who are seen for surgical conditions are discussed and scheduled for surgery; follow-up is provided for those who have recently undergone surgery. Every Thursday morning teaching rounds are held on a selected topic.
The medical student will receive teaching and supervision on the wards, in the operating room and in the pediatric emergency room. The student will assist in the operating room depending on his/her technical skills, and may be permitted to first assist or perform minor procedures with the attending.
Every Thursday teaching rounds are held with the attending and staff usually discussing one topic in depth. The medical student will also attend the numerous conferences available on the Pediatric and Pediatric Surgical Services.
434.2 Cardiovascular Research
Instructors: Oz Shapira, M.D. and
Harold Lazar, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion, B-4
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Current ongoing projects in the laboratory include reversal of reperfusion damage following cardioplegic arrest, evaluation and design of cardioplegic solutions, the use of lasers in coronary surgery, evaluation of arrest devices for the failing heart, prolonged storage of hearts for transplantation, and cryopreservation of tissue valves for transplantation and decreasing the inflammatory response of ischemia and cardiopulmonary bypass and their effect on endothelial function. All the laboratories are located on the medical school campus.
Our goal is to create an environment in the laboratory which will serve as a catalyst for learning and teaching. The student will work closely with the research fellow and technician, and will work both in large animal research projects, assisting in the open heart surgical procedures, and in an isolated heart laboratory where myocardial metabolism and endothelial function will be emphasized. Cardiopulmonary physiology will be stressed and the student will learn about designing and analyzing experimental data, and encouraged to create her/his own projects. There will be a two hour weekly research conference where data from the diverse research projects will be discussed. Students will be given background bibliographical information so that they are well versed in all ongoing areas of the research projects.
435.0 Private Community Vascular and General Surgery
Instructors: Ronald L. Nath, M.D. and Dennis Begos, M.D.
Location: Lawrence Memorial/Winchester Hospitals
Telephone: 781-279-1123
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
This is a unique and outstanding opportunity for a student to experience the world of private practice surgery. The student will be given the opportunity to round on private patients in the community setting, work-up selected problems and be an integral part of the total post-operative care including ICU support. The student will be able to scrub on all cases, and in the majority of instances, become the first assistant. During this elective, students have usually scrubbed on 30 to 40 major vascular, general and advanced laparoscopic operations, and have played a major role in each case. This is a hands-on rotation. The student will also be able to assist on minor cases, participate in out-patient surgery and colonoscopy, and see private consultations.
After morning cases are complete, the student will be able to go to Commonwealth Surgical Associate’s private offices and see patients, whether pre-op, post-op or nonoperative. This offers an unrivaled opportunity to follow patients from the office through the OR, and postoperatively. It is a one-on-one rotation with Commonwealth Surgical Physicians, allowing personal instruction and direct participation. Each student may choose to take as much responsibility for direct management of the patient as he/she desires, up to the level at which the rotation becomes similar to a subinternship. There is no requirement for night or weekend call, but availability for rounds and cases is encouraged. A strong emphasis is placed on surgical education, personally taught, with special units in anatomy, fluids and electrolytes, vascular diagnosis and treatment and intensive care.
This rotation is ideal for any student planning to become a surgeon or desiring a more personal insight into the field of community surgery. At the conclusion of this elective, the student will have had extensive hands-on operative experience, and an in-depth understanding of surgery and its practice in the community setting. Prerequisite: Completion of a clinical clerkship in Surgery.
Participation in this elective requires submission of the following materials to Dr. Nath’s office at Commonwealth Surgical Associates:
1. letter of good standing from the Office of the Registrar
2. copy of current immunization records
3. certificate of liability coverage
SURGERY: Special Clinical Areas and Research
465.2 Plastic & Reconstructive Surgery
Instructors: Gregory Antoine, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion and
Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: 2
Period to be Offered: 1 month
Description of Elective:
The elective in Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery will consist of a two week period with exposure to general plastic surgery with an emphasis on the aesthetic aspects of the field. This will provide the student with a broad basis in the area of elective plastic surgery.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Anesthesiology
505.2 Anesthesiology
Instructor: Elena Brasoveanu, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center
Telephone: Newton Pavilion 2817A (617)638-6981 (Contact: Alicia Sorrell)
Number of Students: Two to four
Period to be Offered: 2-4 weeks; individual arrangements
Description of Elective:
The elective program in Anesthesiology integrates the student into all clinical and academic activities of the department. This includes preanesthetic visits to evaluate patients for surgical and anesthetic risks and assignment to an attending and/or resident for instruction in the administration of anesthesia in the operating room. The students will gain experience regarding common anesthetic problems, management of the airway, endotracheal intubation, acid base balance and familiarity with anesthetic drugs, techniques and monitoring devices via actual placement and participation. The students will also spend time in the recovery room to become acquainted with immediate postanesthetic management and they are expected to see their patients on the ward postoperatively. The students will be exposed to the management of acute postoperative pain and chronic pain patients. The students will attend departmental lectures, seminars, discussion groups, staff conferences, and will be given assigned reading.*
All arrangements for electives must be made through the Medical Student Coordinator at Boston Medical Center.
*For the MS IV students who did not rotate through the BMC anesthesia service during the third year please collect the handout for your rotation from the Anesthesia Office either at Menino Pavilion or Newton Pavilion.
*For those students choosing anesthesia as a revisit please contact the Medical Student Coordinator at Boston Medical Center.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Neurosurgery
510.2 Neurosurgery
Instructors: Anthony Jabre, M.D., F.A.C.S., James Reed, M.D., Jules Nazzaro, M.D., Shapur Ameri, M.D., Sin Choo, M.D., and Anand K. Devaiah, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion and Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Fourth year students electing Neurosurgery will have an opportunity to make daily ward rounds with an attending neurosurgeon, perform clinical examinations, discuss differential diagnosis and diagnostic procedures. Under direct supervision, the student may participate in patient management and follow up. The student will also have the opportunity to review and learn about the interpretation of different diagnostic tests, such as angiograms, CAT scans and MRIs of the central nervous system. The student will be able to attend and participate in weekly neurosurgical teaching conferences. Ongoing research projects within the department are available to stimulate the student’s academic interest. In the operating room, the student will be instructed about the duties of a surgical assistant and will be exposed to the surgical anatomy of the brain and spine. The student will also be encouraged to evaluate the patients post-operatively, especially in the setting of the intensive care unit.
511.2 Clinical Management of the Neurosurgical Patient
Instructor: Anthony Jabre, M.D., F.A.C.S. (ajabre@bu.edu)
Location: Boston Medical Center, Newton Pavilion and Menino Pavilion
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Fourth year students electing Neurosurgery may observe and participate in patient evaluation in the neurosurgery clinic. The student will be encouraged to continue to care for those patients, as they require hospital admission and elective surgery. The student will thus become familiar with the indication, risks and benefits of various neurosurgical operations. The student will participate in daily clinical rounds, and will have the opportunity to observe and assist in the operating room, in a wide variety of neurosurgical operations. The student will be taught basic interpretation skills of various radiographic tests, including angiograms, CAT scans, and MRIs. Through weekly teaching conferences, the student will be exposed to detailed review of current interesting or unusual cases, along with didactic lectures.
512.2 Transplant Surgery
Location: Boston Medical Center/Boston VA Medical Center
Telephone: 638-8443, Myriam Castagne, C-520
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The student will make daily clinical rounds on transplant patients at the Boston Medical Center and Boston VA Medical Center Transplant Service with surgical house staff and the transplant fellow. He/she will scrub in all transplant procedures and other surgical procedures necessary in transplant patients. He/she will participate in the procurement and preservation of human organs for transplantation. He/she will also participate in the didactic conference on transplantation which is held weekly on Monday afternoon at Boston Medical Center and Friday afternoon at Boston VA Medical Center. The student also participates in the on-going clinical trials conducted with new immunosuppressive agents.
Note: This elective requires completion of an additional VA Health System application and fingerprinting. Please obtain contact information from elective coordinator upon sign-up.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Ophthalmology
514.2 Ophthalmology – Four Week Clinical/Surgical Elective
Director: Jean E. Ramsey, MD Associate Professor of Ophthalmology and Pediatrics, jean.ramsey@bmc.org
Education Coordinator: 617 414-2020
Instructor/s: Faculty and residents of the BUSM Department of Ophthalmology
Location: Boston Medical Center YACC Eye Clinic
Number of Students: Maximum of 4 students at BMC
Period to be Offered: Four weeks
Eligibility: BUSM III or BUSM IV, or outside fourth year medical student whose school does not offer an ophthalmology elective. BUSM IV students applying to an ophthalmology residency will be given priority during the first and second blocks.
Goal:
To allow students, regardless of ultimate career goals, the opportunity to gain exposure to the clinical practice of ophthalmology.
To allow students interested in pursuing a career in ophthalmology, the opportunity to explore the specialty in greater depth.
Course Description:
The four week elective is open to BUSM III and BUSM IV students. Students will work with residents and faculty at BMC. Activities will involve examining patients in the outpatient clinic and the in-patient consultation service. Many of the patients will have trauma related ocular injuries. A clinic work sheet will be used to guide the student in the development of examination skills and to ensure that the student participates with faculty in a discussion of selected ophthalmic topics. Opportunities will be available, depending on student interest, to spend time on subspecialty services such as neuro-ophthalmology, retina, glaucoma, pediatric ophthalmology, cornea, and oculoplastics. Students will also have the opportunity to attend ophthalmic procedures in the office and surgical procedures in the operating room, such as cataract and glaucoma surgery, retinal detachment repair, and oculoplastic procedures.
Students will be asked to prepare a short (15 minute) Powerpoint presentation on a case relevant to his or her anticipated area of interest.
At the end of the elective the student should:
(1) Be acquainted with basic anatomy and physiology of the eye
(2) Be able to take a basic history for eye-related chief complaints
(3) Perform a basic ocular examination
(4) Diagnose independently and begin emergency treatment for urgent conditions
(5) Recognize the need for urgent referral
(6) Diagnose and articulate the initial treatment of ocular conditions
(7) Diagnose and recognize the need for routine referrals
Methods: Clinical sessions, lectures, case conferences, assigned text book, Powerpoint case presentation
Evaluation: For BUSM students: Honors / High Pass / Pass / Marginal Pass / Fail
516.1 Laboratory Investigation in Diseases of the Eye
Instructors: Dr. Thomas Freddo, Dr. Vickery Trinkaus Randall,
Dr. Haiyan Gong, Dr. Matthew Nugent, Dr. Nadir Rahimi and Dr. Sayon Roy
Location: BUMC L-9
Telephone: 638-4550
Number of Students: One per advisor
Period to be Offered: Rotation of 8 to 12 weeks minimum
Description of Elective:
This course will require a minimum of 2 months and will consist of full time basic research in one of the laboratories in the Ophthalmology Department. Areas of investigation include ocular ultrastructure and ophthalmic pathology, corneal wound healing and epithelial repair, diagnosis and treatment of corneal and uveal inflammatory disease, mechanisms underlying glaucoma and pathogenesis of eye-related macular degeneration and diabetic retinopathy. The course will be directed in a manner designed to acquaint the student with the research techniques of and their application to solving clinically related problems. Efforts will be made to design an individual research project for each student and the student will be required to present his/her results at the termination of the course. A project that is mutually satisfactory to both the student and the instructor must be designed before a student will be accepted for this course. Longer term projects are also available with previous discussion with faculty member.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Orthopedic and Fracture Surgery
550.3 Trauma and Fracture(Shortell Service)
Supervisor: Paul Tornetta III, M.D.
Instructor: William R. Creevy, M.D. and Paul Tornetta III, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center
Telephone: 638-8934, Contact: Lynnette St. Louis
Number of Students: Four
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The elective will be shaped according to the individual student’s future objectives. In particular, there is access to pediatric and adult trauma as well as hand trauma and spine trauma. As an orthopaedic team member, the student will participate actively in the care of patients seen in the operating rooms, emergency rooms, clinics, and on the floors. Most of the time will be spent in the emergent care of patients, fracture reduction, application of casts and splints, and participating in the daily work effort.
Students are encouraged to go to the operating room to scrub on cases. The basic schedule begins with ward rounds, followed by a conference at 6:15 am in which the attending staff reviews all of the patients treated the previous day and their x-rays. There are teaching conferences on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and some Tuesdays. These conferences include grand rounds, didactic lectures and a weekly case review of all operations performed during the week. Attending physicians run all conferences.
Guest lecturers are frequently present for grand rounds presentations.
This elective offers multiple opportunities in the clinical and academic environment from which the student can draw. The elective is a busy one but should be extremely educational. The opportunity to get involved in research also exists.
554.0 General Orthopaedic Surgery
Supervisor: Mark Lemos, M.D.
Location:Lahey Clinic, 41 Mall Road, Burlington, MA 01805
Telephone: 617-638-8934, Contact: Lynnette St. Louis
Number of Students: 2
Period to be offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
This elective is for fourth year medical students interested in pursuing a career in Orthopaedic Surgery. This elective can be focused on: adult reconstruction, hand surgery, sports medicine, foot and ankle surgery, spine surgery, or orthopaedic research. Students will participate in the care of patients treated in the outpatient clinics, emergency room, hospital, and operating room. Students will work as members of the orthopaedic resident team. In addition, medical students will participate in resident lectures and have the opportunity to do orthopaedic research.
554.1 Orthopedic Pediatric, Foot and Ankle and Hand Surgery (Cotton Service)
Supervisor: Andrew Stein, M.D.
Instructors: T. Desmond Brown, M.D. and Andrew Stein, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center
Telephone:(617) 638-8934,Contact: Lynnette St. Louis
Number of Students: Three
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Boston Medical Center has an active orthopaedic staff with the majority of operative procedures being reconstructive operations. The student will work with three orthopaedic surgeons specializing in foot and ankle, pediatric, and hand surgery. The student will act in the capacity of a junior resident with regular patient responsibilities, clinic and operating room duties. He/she will attend teaching conferences and rounds of the orthopaedic staff. It is not intended that the student act as an observer in this elective but as an integrated part of the patient care team.
Students are encouraged to go to the operating room to scrub on cases. The basic schedule begins with ward rounds, followed by a conference at 6:15 am in which the attending staff reviews all of the patients treated the previous day and their x-rays. There are teaching conferences on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and some Tuesdays. These conferences include grand rounds, didactic lectures and a weekly case review of all operations performed during the week. Attending physicians run all conferences.
Guest lecturers are frequently present for grand rounds presentations.
554.2 Orthopaedic Sports Medicine, Adult Reconstruction and Spine(Leach Service)
Supervisor: Anthony A. Schepsis, M.D.
Instructors: Christopher Bono, M.D.,
Timothy Foster, M.D., Thomas Einhorn, M.D.,
G. Richard Paul, M.D.and Anthony Schepsis, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center
Telephone:(617)638-8934, Contact: Lynnette St. Louis
Number of Students: Three
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
This elective is for fourth year medical students interested in pursuing a career in orthopaedic surgery or a sports medicine related field. The student will be involved with inpatient/outpatient as well as on the field evaluation and treatment of athletic injuries. This includes sports medicine clinics at Boston Medical Center and Boston University. The student will also be involved closely with inpatient care of the orthopaedic service patients and with the surgical procedures performed by the preceptor. Furthermore, the student will be expected, at the appropriate time of year, to attend intercollegiate athletic events with the preceptor for on-the-field management and care of athletic injuries.
Students are encouraged to go to the operating room to scrub on cases. The basic schedule begins with ward rounds, followed by a conference at 6:15 am in which the attending staff reviews all of the patients treated the previous day and their x-rays. There are teaching conferences on Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and some Tuesdays. These conferences include grand rounds, didactic lectures and a weekly case review of all operations performed during the week. Attending physicians run all conferences.
Guest lecturers are frequently present for grand rounds presentations.
555.0 Pediatric Orthopedics
Supervisor: David M. Drvaric, M.D.
Location: Shriners Hospital for Children
516 Carew St.
Springfield, MA 01104-2396 (413) 787-2057
Telephone:(617)638-8934, Contact: Lynnette St. Louis
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The student will work at Shriners Hospital for Children in Springfield, Massachusetts. This institution has 400 inpatient beds, three operating rooms, extensive outpatient clinics, a Gait Analysis Laboratory, and a Department of Orthotics and Prosthetics. The student will participate in Outpatient and inpatient activities as well as daily teaching conferences. Time will be allowed for clinical research. The elective will be quite valuable for future orthopaedic surgeons, pediatricians, radiologists, and family practitioners.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Otolaryngology
560.1 Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery
Instructors: Kenneth Grundfast, M.D., Chairman; Gregory Grillone, M.D.,Vice-Chairman; Anand Devaiah, M.D., Director of Medical Student Education; Charles Vaughan, M.D., Clinical Associate Professor; and associates
Location: Boston Medical Center, Children’s Hospital Medical Center
Telephone: 638-7066 Yara Nunez (Tuesday-Thursday, 10 am-12 pm)
Number of Students: Two
Period to be Offered: One month
Objective:
To expand knowledge of clinical and surgical aspects of otolaryngology-head and neck surgery; learn how to take history relevant to head and neck disorders, learn how to properly examine the head and neck.
Description of Elective:
This elective provides an intense learning experience for students interested in a career in Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery, and for others with specific interest in head and neck cancer, facial plastic and
reconstructive surgery, allergy involving the nose and sinuses, and the auditory system. Students observe and work with faculty and residents in the Department of Otolaryngology – Head and Neck Surgery at the Boston Medical Center or the Boston Children’s Hospital. Approximately half of the time is devoted to learning how to evaluate and treat ambulatory outpatients with otolaryngic disorders. The other half of the time is spent observing and assisting in the operating room and evaluating hospitalized patients. Students are encouraged to attend weekly teaching conferences including Monday morning case conference, Pathology conference, Radiology conference, Audiology conference, Tumor Board conference, and structured Wednesday afternoon didactic lectures.
Student Responsibilities – Fourth year medical students are required to do the following:
1. Be present and on time for clinics, rounds, surgeries, conferences
2. Acquire specified knowledge and skills (as delineated in “Otolaryngology Student Knowledge/ Skills Checklist”)
3. Assist residents in providing patient care
4. Prepare a ten-minute talk/seminar on a chosen topic and submit a two to three page summary of the talk with references
Participation, Expectations of Performance, and Grading
The Department of Otolaryngology uses elements adapted from the ACGME Residency Review Committee Guidelines for General Competencies in Medical Education as a basis for student evaluations. Because the clinical rotation can be considered an opportunity to begin learning skills that a medical school graduate will be expected to acquire, we shall judge student performance in the categories of the six ACGME1 competencies listed below:
1. Patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health programs and the promotion of health
2. Medical Knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate sciences, as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care
3. Practice-based learning and improvement that involves the investigation and evaluation of care for their patients, the appraisal and assimilation of scientific evidence, and improvements in patient care
4. Interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and other health professionals;
5. Professionalism, as manifested through a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities, adherence to ethical principles, and sensitivity to patients of diverse backgrounds;
6. Systems-based practice, as manifested by actions that demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.
Requests to drop this elective must be submitted in writing to Ms. Yara Nunez, Education Program Coordinator at least 30 days prior to the start of the elective. Students who wish to drop the elective less than 30 days prior to the start must request special permission from Anand Devaiah,M.D., Director of Medical Education. All requests must be in writing.
560.11 Research Elective in Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery
Supervisor: Jeffrey H. Spiegel, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, D608, 88 E. Newton St.
Telephone:638-7933
Number of Students: 2
Period to be offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
This elective is designed for students willing to take the initiative and devote time to planning, investigating, and implementing an independent study that will culminate in preparation of a manuscript for publication in a peer reviewed medical journal. The student is required to meet with Dr. Spiegel two months prior to beginning the elective to review potential projects and arrange a mentor. Although most projects should be designed for completion within the four week elective, students may need to devote additional time to complete the independent study project after conclusion of the one month elective rotation. Students who have taken this elective have had high success at having completed projects presented at a national Otolaryngology meeting and subsequently published.
SURGICAL SPECIALTIES: Urology
570.1 Urology
Instructor: Robert Oates, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center DOB 606
Telephone: 638-8451 Contact: Karen Clements
Number of Students: Three
Period to be Offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Full-time clerkship of one month’s duration offered by the Urology Department for three students during each month. Students will be assigned to one primary hospital (Boston Medical Center or Boston Veterans Administration Medical Center). Students will be able to participate in all departmental activities at both hospitals. Students will participate in all aspects of general urology, functioning as integral members with the urology resident staff. They will be assigned to perform primary urologic consultations on patients from other services; in addition they will participate in the evaluation and management of urology service patients. Students of exceptional excellence may be assigned to striker positions during their elective. They will become proficient in the evaluation of a variety of urologic problems, including urologic neoplasms, neurogenic bladder, renal transplantation, reconstructive urologic surgery, urinary calculus disease and obstructive uropathy. Students will be direct participants in all department conferences and will be expected to contribute to the didactic teaching program of the department.
571.2 Clinical Elective in Sexual Medicine
Instructors:Ricardo Munarriz, M.D.
Location: Center for Sexual Medicine, DOB Suite 600, BUSM
Contact: Ricardo Munarriz, M.D. email: munarriz@bu.edu
Number of Students Per Block:M One
Period to be offered: All Blocks
Description of Elective:
Students will learn about the specialty of Sexual Medicine and what makes Sexual Medicine unique in regard to patient care. Sexual Medicine is the medical discipline that embraces the study, diagnosis and treatment of sexual health concerns of men and women. It is based on knowledge primarily from the areas of endocrinology, gynecology, neurology psychology and urology, but incorporates other disciplines as well.
The elective is primarily an outpatient experience. Students choosing this elective will observe patients being evaluated and treated and potentially participate in ongoing clinical research at the Center for Sexual Medicine. Students will have the opportunity to observe patient examinations and patient surgeries, and accompany physicians on rounds. They will learn how to 1) generate a sexual health history, 2) perform an appropriate physical exam, 3) make an assessment and 4) develop a plan of therapy. They will be invited to attend ongoing educational programs including but not limited to rounds and sexual medicine information sessions for the general public.
The student must demonstrate that he or she is not embarrassed discussing sexual health issues, is comfortable using the vocabulary of the genital anatomy, and is not judgmental about the sexual practices of others.
This elective is offered only to students attending Boston University School of Medicine or medical schools with established exchange programs with Boston University.
