Family Planning Clerkship Student Roles and Responsibilities

MSIV Clerkship Student Roles in the Family Planning Clinic

There are 3 clinical experiences in which the student is exposed to during his/her time on the Family Planning Clerkship.

1) Pre-Procedural Unit:

Each student will be involved in pregnancy counseling and clinical work up.  Students should end their sessions with an understanding of the informed consent process.  They also should have an understanding of termination options at different gestational ages (ie medical, surgical and induction).  Understanding when and how medical terminations are done.  Also the legal implications of termination of pregnancy in this country and how it affects patient care.  Clinically students will be expected to do routine gyn exams including bimanual exams, the pap test and well as STI screening including genital cultures and wet preps.  Patient will also have the opportunity to learn to use the ultrasound machine and have basic exposure to transvaginal ultrasound.

2) Family Planning Clinic:

Family Planning clinic occur with our nurse practitioners and fellows.  During these sessions students will be exposed to contraceptive options.  Students will be involved with IUD insertions and follow ups.  They also will be exposed to Implanon insertions and counseling.  Complex contraception issues and pre-sterilization work ups are done in the fellow clinics and student should be involved in this care.  Complications and routine follow up after surgical and medical terminations are also seen in these clinics.

3) Gynecological Procedure Units:

In this unit many of our out patient family planning procedures are done.  This includes termination of pregnancy, uterine aspirations for possible ectopic pregnancies, early pregnancy failure management and hysteroscopic sterilizations.  During this experience students will be exposed to specimens for different gestational ages and get an understanding of embryonic and fetal development.  Students are expected to have both observational and hands on experience depending on the complexity of the procedure.

MSIV Clerkship Student Responsibilities on Family Planning Rotations:

Students are expected to be at the outpatient clinical facility on Yawkey Ambulatory Care Center 4^th floor by 8 am Mondays through Fridays

Family Planning outpatient clinics

The amount of hands on experience will vary from clinic to clinic.  This can be a very difficult experience for our patients and we must always consider the patients comfort level.  In the family planning clinic and the pre-procedure clinic student should be able to collaborate on the patients care plan.  Students should be able to help explain contraceptive options to patients and offer explanations on how and when to take the medications.  Students are also expected to review histories in logician, perform an appropriate physical exam, and help develop a care plan under the guidance of the attending physician.  In the procedural unit student are expected to assist with procedures, give support to patients and evaluate tissue along with the faculty.

Inpatient Care:

Occasionally we will have patients admitted to the GYN service for an induction termination.  Student will be expected to round with the covering attending on these patients.  Any family planning patient admitted for complications of an outpatient procedure will also be seen with the student.

Call:

There is no overnight or weekend call as family planning student.

MSIV Clerkship Evaluation Process:

Student evaluations are compiled by the Clerkship director after receiving feedback from the residents and attendings on service, and the clinic faculty. To receive Honor s the student is required to receive excellent clinical feedback AND participate in an academic exercise: a case report, research project, prepare a quality improvement review, protocol development or teaching project.