Medicine

The purpose of the dermatology elective is to provide a learning environment for the student to develop basic outpatient and inpatient dermatology skills.

The student will be exposed to clinical pulmonary medicine including consultations, conferences, ambulatory service clinics, diagnostic procedures, pulmonary function testing and interpretation.

After the completion of the unit, students should be able to describe and discuss the topics in Public Health.

This unit focuses on professionalism as it relates to becoming a physician and issues of health care policy

This unit focuses on professionalism as it relates to becoming a physician and issues of health care policy

The student will be assigned to daily care (pre-op/peri-op/post-op) of patients who require care by anesthesiologists. The students will work under the supervision of an anesthesiologist in the main operating room, labor & delivery suite, pain clinic, endoscopy suites, cystoscopy, and other laboratories. Students will also actively participate in lectures and other teaching/learning sessions. Attendance and punctuality at these sessions are mandatory. Students will be assigned topics for presentation and discussion in teaching sessions. Training in managing airways will be accomplished by use of mannequins. Each student is required to write up a case report of a patient they encountered during the rotation or conduct a literature review of an assigned topic that will be written in the form of a paper suitable for publication. All students are required to maintain a log of all patients whose care they were involved.

A four-week elective offered by the department of dermatology, designed to provide experience in research in dermatology either clinical or laboratory. Research design methods will be analyzed. Statistical analysis methods will be assessed. The student will formulate and undertake a short research project and will prepare a written report describing findings of the research project.

This is a four-week elective offered by the Division of Gastroenterology in the Department of Medicine. It is designed to provide some experience in clinical gastroenterology research.

This four-week elective offered by the department of Infectious Diseases will expose students to broad concepts of cultural competency in the delivery of health care. Lectures and workshops on topics addressing the role of cultural competency in reducing health disparities and ensuring quality care for diverse populations will be presented. Specifically, students will be instructed in the BESAFE Model of Cultural Competency for clinicians. BESAFE addresses six core components: Barriers to Care, Ethics, Sensitivity, Assessment, Facts, and Encounters. Case studies will be used as a potent tool to illustrate and demonstrate the six components of BESAFE as they relate to real life clinical situations. Students will also be introduced to the National HIV Curriculum (NHC) and are required to complete the six (6) module accessible via this link https://www.hiv.uw.edu/. The NHC provides ongoing, up-to-date information needed to meet the core competency knowledge for HIV prevention, screening, diagnosis, and ongoing treatment and care to U.S. healthcare providers.

The objective of this rotation is to provide students with hands on clinical experiences that are specifically designed to mirror their upcoming roles as interns in postgraduate training. The medical Sub-intern will master specific core competencies and basic principles of inpatient medical care.

The elective in endocrinology is designed to acquaint the student with the presentation, evaluation, and management of patients with a spectrum of endocrine and metabolic disorders both on an inpatient as well as an outpatient basis. To this end, experience with adult medical, pediatric, and gynecologic endocrinopathies as well as some exposure to the basic science aspects of endocrinology is planned.

Senior medical students who choose an elective in gastroenterology are assigned to the G.I. Service at Howard University Hospital. Each student answers consultations along with the fellow, seeing and working up in-patients referred for gastrointestinal problems. The student will be expected to write the formal consultation after presentation of the case to an attending physician. In addition, the student will assist in (or perform under direct supervision) diagnostic maneuvers for assessing gastrointestinal disorders.

Emphasis is placed on clinical oncology and the clinical pharmacology of the antineoplastic agents. Students are expected to develop a diagnostic and therapeutic plan for each patient seen. Pathology, pathophysiology, staging and the selection of treatment modalities will be taught as well as the recognition and management of the complications of cancer and toxicity of its treatment. The student will participate in the section’s seminars, journal clubs and conferences. A pretest and post-test will be given. The preparation and presentation of a short paper will be required.

The student will be exposed to clinical pulmonary medicine including consultations, conferences, ambulatory service clinics, diagnostic procedures, pulmonary function testing and interpretation.

This elective is an introduction to clinical geriatrics. The students will evaluate elderly patients at the Washington Center for the Aging Services (WCAS) and at Howard University Hospital. He/she will learn to appreciate the common and/or unique illnesses and disorders in the elderly.

During this four-week elective, students are exposed to broad concepts of internal medicine and their application in the delivery of comprehensive health care.

This elective is designed to acquaint the student with the recognition and management of various cardiovascular disorders as they present in various settings, as well as monitoring by telemetry. Daily teaching rounds by faculty emphasize the pathophysiology of cardiac illness, physical diagnosis, electrocardiography, hemodynamic monitoring, and patient management. The student’s educational experience is enhanced through interaction with cardiovascular medicine faculty and fellows, as well as through weekly imaging, electrocardiography, catheterization/electrophysiology, and clinical cardiovascular conferences. Students will have the opportunity to gain exposure to invasive procedures in the catheterization laboratory, the electrophysiology laboratory, noninvasive procedures including stress testing and echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. Each rotation block will include a lecture about academic career development in cardiovascular medicine for interested students.

This exciting elective is designed to acquaint the student with the recognition, diagnosis and management of various acute cardiovascular disorders, which require advanced cardiovascular treatment (e.g. acute myocardial infarction, complex arrhythmias, advanced heart failure) as well as monitoring by telemetry such as angina, atrial fibrillation, and heart failure. Daily teaching rounds by faculty will emphasize the pathophysiology of cardiac diseases, physical examination, electrocardiography interpretation, hemodynamic monitoring, preventive cardiology, innovations in cardiovascular medicine, and patient management. The student’s educational experience is enhanced through interaction with cardiovascular medicine faculty and fellows, as well as through weekly imaging, electrocardiography, catheterization/electrophysiology, and clinical cardiovascular conferences. Students will have the opportunity to gain exposure to invasive procedures in the catheterization laboratory, the electrophysiology laboratory, noninvasive procedures including stress testing and echocardiography, and transesophageal echocardiography. Each rotation block will include a lecture about academic career development in cardiovascular medicine for interested students.

The elective is designed to provide the student with supervised first-hand experience in the care and management of critically ill patients. Physical diagnosis, hemodynamic monitoring/support and respiratory monitoring/support are stressed. Students may be taught routine ICU procedures which include Swan-Ganz catheterization, arterial catheterization, etc. and will be introduced to computer applications to patient care.

The student is given broad exposure to the clinical practice of nephrology. He/she works as part of the ward team, doing patient workups, participating in daily attending rounds, and attending scheduled renal conferences. He/She becomes proficient in interpretation of blood chemistry and urine test results and observes first-hand the management of renal patients with acute kidney injury and chronic kidney disease including those on hemodialysis, peritoneal dialysis and those with renal transplant and fluid and electrolyte problems.

A four-week elective offered by the department of Internal Medicine; Division of Infectious Disease designed to: • Learn basic and advanced principles of the pathogenesis of infectious diseases and host-pathogen interactions which provide the basis for understanding infectious diseases; • Accumulate knowledge about practical approaches for the diagnosis, management and prevention of infectious diseases; • Learn the optimal use of antimicrobial agents, including their appropriate use, toxicities, cost-effectiveness as well as their mechanisms of action.; and • Be able to present a clear, cohesive, and in-depth presentation of an infectious disease topic to the infectious diseases team.

The student will be involved in the management of a variety of medical/surgical emergencies. During the four-week elective the student will attend four (4) laboratory sessions (splint suture, slit lamp and arrhythmia recognition) and the emergency medicine departmental conferences which are offered for a total of six hours each week, as well as emergency medicine conferences designed for medical students only. An emergency medicine workbook will be distributed for each student.

Safe use of laboratory practices quality control assessment, and statistical methods Development of protocols with familiarization of Institutional Review Board process. Structure and function assessment of protein hormones and their receptors; Clinical applications of the research presentation of research results in the form of manuscript.

Focuses on the role of the family physician in the therapeutic relationship in terms of the entire patient, family and community.

The preceptorship elective exposes students to primary care medical setting during their basic professional training years. Students work on a one-to-one basis with a primary care physician in a private office setting, or community health clinic. Each student is assigned to a preceptor, who shall orient the student to office procedures and management. The student may be involved in nursing home visits, hospital rounds, medical meetings, and other practice-related activities. The preceptor shall emphasize the family physician’s role as a member of the health care team providing longitudinal and comprehensive care. Primary Care is defined as care for patients in the ambulatory settings in the following areas: general internal medicine, family medicine, gynecology, pediatrics, and adolescent medicine.

The student will be exposed to clinical pulmonary medicine including consultations, conferences, ambulatory service clinics, diagnostic procedures, pulmonary function testing and interpretation.

Neonatology is the study of the neonate. Pathophysiology of the neonate and disease states of the fetus and the newborn, both term and preterm are discussed. Basic principles of newborn resuscitation are reviewed, and skills assessed.

Endocrine and metabolic influences in health and disease are studied. Both outpatients and inpatients are managed. Some clinical genetics are included.

This elective is designed to introduce students to common medical presentations of Problems. The assessment of the adolescent in terms of developmental, psychological and environmental influences will be reviewed. Students will be exposed to different clinical settings that provide adolescent health care. Students are also expected to spend time on an individual research project and attend any scheduled didactic lectures.

Emphasis is placed on management of children and adolescents with hematological disorders especially sickle cell disease and children and adolescents with HIV infection. Basic laboratory studies such as interpretation of peripheral blood and bone marrow smears are taught. Opportunities are available for clinical and biochemical research for students who are interested.

The student will be taught the evaluation and care of children with allergies such as asthma, eczema, and allergic rhinitis. Evaluation and care of children with suspected immuno-deficiencies will also be taught. Activities include attendance at three clinics per week, consultation, lectures, presentations, and discussions.

This is an elective clerkship in the evaluation and physiatric management of patients with disabilities. Emphasis will be given during the first four (4) weeks to functional evaluation and disability assessment. The student will receive experience in the prescription of common physical modalities (heat, light, sound, electricity, water, and therapeutic mechanical energy) and in the coordination of rehabilitation team efforts to deliver comprehensive care.

The purpose of the elective is to give the student a more detailed theoretical and practical experience in general Psychiatry. The student will be expected to: Develop thorough knowledge and experience in the conduct of an initial interview including the mental status evaluation; Acquire keener recognition of symptoms and greater familiarity with psychiatric terminology; Develop knowledge and skill in consultation and liaison psychiatry; Develop knowledge and skill in addiction psychiatry; Develop skills in working with children and adolescents as well as adults; Develop skills and knowledge in working with the severely mentally ill and their rehabilitation; Develop an increased awareness of terminology in accordance with DSM V; Develop an increased awareness of the psychiatric therapies including insight oriented therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, interpersonal therapy hypnotherapy, in individual and group settings. • Develop an increased awareness of pharmacotherapy, contraindications, mechanisms of action, actions, interactions and side effects of drugs commonly used and experience in novel agents in late stage clinical drug trials.; Develop knowledge and skill in formulating a treatment plan, to monitor such plan and make necessary changes based on the patient's response.

This is a four-week elective that can be extended to a year. As part of the overall goal of helping the medical student to develop the skills to become an independent practitioner the objectives are to: Further develop diagnostic skills for psychiatric disorders and related disorder; Further develop treatment management skills for psychiatric disorders and related disorder; To further expand the knowledge base for psychiatric and related disorders.

The student will develop skills in diagnosing mental and substance abuse disorders and in the use of psychiatric research assessment instruments and clinical protocols. The student will also gain knowledge about new treatment interventions in psychiatry. The elective also offers opportunities to conduct an in-depth literature review and secondary data from local and national databases. Research opportunities are available to medical students through multiple research grants. Projects explore understanding of the psychology, culture and biology of post-traumatic stress disorder, related sleep disturbances, the genetics and treatment of bipolar disorder and novel treatments for depression, schizophrenia, opiate addiction. Opportunities will be provided for community outreach, interventions involving the faith community, homeless shelters, and public schools. Integrated care research projects are being done involving HIV or hepatitis C. Students will be expected to develop publishable research papers, and or to present poster or paper presentations at local or national meetings.

To provide a broader understanding of the principles of radiology and a familiarity with the many diagnostic techniques available, their values and limitations, and how they may best be used in the management of the patient. To train the student in the basic skills of image interpretation with emphasis on, but not limited to, the brain, neck, chest, abdomen, pelvis and extremities.

Introduction to basics of radiation physics, radiation biology and clinical radiation oncology.

Daily rounds with surgical teams and attending physicians; participation in conferences and clinics; involvement in the care of severely ill surgical patients in intensive care and recovery room areas; assistance in patient work-up, preoperative, operative and postoperative care; also personal discussion with residents and attending physicians on a variety of surgical topics. On occasion, assistance with and participation in research projects will be required.

This is a four-week elective offered by the Division of Neurosurgery in the Department of Surgery. Daily rounds with the attending, outpatient clinics, in-patient pre- and postop management, and the consultation service will provide the educational experiences that will allow students to meet the educational objectives of this rotation.

A four-week elective offered by the department of Ophthalmology designed to: Obtain skills in ophthalmic history and examination; Gain knowledge of ophthalmic disease; Observation of surgical procedures; Participate in teaching conference and rounds; Participate in patient consultation; Learn the proper use of the slit lamp biomicroscopy, indirect and direct ophthalmoscope.

Students will: Participate in the pre-operative, operative and postoperative care of orthopaedic patients; Make daily rounds with orthopaedic team that includes residents and attending physicians; Participate in orthopaedic clinics; Actively participate in conferences, including preparation of brief presentations on a variety of orthopaedic topics.

Students are required to attend daily rounds with Hyperalimentation and the Intensive Care Unit teams, assist in patient management activities and participate actively in central venous pressure measurements, and in monitoring of patients with arterial and Swan-Ganz catheters. Students will also assist in critical postoperative patient care.

The student will participate fully in the primary care of urologic inpatients and outpatients under the direct supervision of attending and resident personnel. He/she is expected to participate in daily rounds, surgery, clinic and conference. If interested, he/she can be assigned to a clinical research problem.

The student will be exposed to and interact with patients who present with common gynecological diseases in the hospital and the clinic with emphasis on diagnostic procedures and therapy.

 Clinical experience in dealing with high-risk obstetrics and basic ultrasound training.

The student will have clinical experience in obstetrics dealing with basic physiology and anatomy of mother and fetus. Some high-risk obstetrical cases will be included.

This is a four-week elective. The goal of this elective is to further develop knowledge and skills in problem-focused emergency evaluation of individuals with mental illness, crisis management and planning of appropriate disposition. Students will further advance their theoretical psychopharmacologic therapy knowledge to manage a variety of psychiatric symptoms. Students will further their skills in collecting data evaluating and making diagnoses in emergency psychiatry. Note: Students will not be working with international medical students.

This course is ONLY accessible to students who during their first three years of medical school have spent a long summer rotation in Dr Wang’s laboratory and wish to complete the write up on a project that is almost completed. This is a four-week elective offered by the Department of Radiology in the Molecular Imaging Laboratory. It is designed to provide added time to complete a previous experience in clinical radiology research.

This four-week elective offered by the Department of Surgery is designed to provide senior medical students with exposure to aspects of surgical oncology.

Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to: Label diagrams of external and internal structures of the ear, nose, and throat; Describe and discuss the physiological functions of the anatomical structures of the ear, nose, and throat; Describe and discuss logical growth patterns pertinent to ENT development; Complete a patient's history and physical examination; Identify and complete necessary tests for diagnosing ENT problems; Identify, recognize and explain signs and symptoms of ENT abnormalities and diseases presented by patients; Identify and recommend treatment for common conditions, abnormalities and diseases associated with ENT.

Students will become skillful at history taking, ophthalmologic examination, diagnosis and management of common disease: dry eye; red eye; glaucoma; cataracts; retina; strabismus; trauma. Students will be involved in weekly lecture series, grand rounds and combined retina lectures. Students will observe surgery and become a part of the resident team.