This elective is particularly useful for students contemplating a career in surgery, pediatrics, or emergency medicine. The student functions as a sub-intern on their service, rounding with the team, participating in surgery, and evaluating patients referred to the service from the emergency room or in the hospital. There is no required call, but the student will be expected to stay late 1-2 nights per week. Surgery Core Rotation and Coordinator Approval. Offered each quarter.
Space is limited to three students per rotation.
The dynamic and challenging physiology of the preoperative and postoperative cardiothoracic patient is an ideal setting in which the student may become familiar with the basic principles of surgical critical care. At the end of this rotation, the student should be familiar with the techniques of ventilator management, myocardial management, and support including the intra-aortic balloon pump and ventricular assist devices. In addition, we stress the interpretation and application of data provided by the commonly used monitoring devises such as pulmonary artery catheters to assist in clinical decision making. The prevention and treatment of specific organ dysfunction and nutritional support is emphasized. This elective has been designed to meet the needs of all medical students, not just those wishing to enter surgery.