Students are assigned patients on the ward, in the newborn nursery and in diagnostic outpatient clinics for independent history taking, examination and clinical and laboratory evaluation followed by discussion with a staff physician. In addition to general pediatric clinics, subspecialty clinics are held in the fields of adolescent medicine, prematurity, diabetes, endocrinology, gastroenterology, hematology, allergy, cardiology, neurology, rheumatology, nephrology, birth defects and developmental disabilities.
Clinical experience is supplemented by participation in daily conferences, lectures and seminars.
All fourth-year students are encouraged to spend elective time in pediatrics. The general pediatric elective provides extensive exposure to common pediatric problems in the outpatient clinics and a shorter period of intensive inpatient training with increasing responsibility in both areas. Preceptorship with a practicing pediatrician, laboratory and clinical research or a combination of these also may be arranged. These programs should not be confused with research fellowships, which are available during students' clinical years. Arrangements for such fellowships may be made through the department chair.