The course is intended for students who desire direct patient care experience at the level of the intern. As patient care team members, students will undertake the full responsibility of an intern, including house call, and all primary patient management responsibilities. The student will be assigned to one ward team. Each team will carry approximately 10 to 15 inpatients with the senior student responsible for approximately 3 to 8 patients at all times.
Supervision is provided by junior and senior residents, as well as attending physicians.
It is expected that the experience will provide students with an understanding of the basic responsibilities of internship and familiarize them with common problems faced by pediatric interns while on call and managing patients. By the end of the acting internship, the student should be able to demonstrate that he can obtain a detailed history and physical examination on a child. He should be able to formulate a logical plan for diagnosis and treatment and work closely with the patient's parents. Students taking Pediatrics 859 should expect to be present for patient care responsibilities at all times. This includes weekends, particularly the last weekend of the clerkship, and holidays.