Internal Medicine -- Cardiovascular Diseases - Rochester

Description:

The cardiovascular elective is a 3-4 week clerkship on one of the four cardiovascular services at Saint Marys Hospital. All of the services include a mixture of cardiac and vascular patients. Mayo Medical School students may elect to split their 4 weeks ino 2 weeks each of hospital service and coronary intensive care unit.

Specific Goals:

The primary goal of this elective is to develop proficiency in the diagnostic evaluation and management of patients with cardiovascular disorders. Students will have the opportunity to:

1. Improve basic skills in physical diagnosis using a real or simulated (Harvey) patient.
2. Gain familiarity with ancillary diagnostic procedures (e.g. electrocardiography, echocardiography, cardiac catheterization/ angiography and nuclear medicine).
3. Determine appropriate laboratory and diagnostic tests.
4. Manage acute and chronic cardiovascular problems.

Activity Outline:

Students work as an integral part of a team consisting of one consultant and three or four medical residents. Students attend rounds each morning and are expected to work up at least one new patient each day. These patients are presented to the supervising resident and the consultant. Students, with assistance from the team, are expected to supervise the evaluation and treatment of these patients. They are urged to take in-house call with their supervising resident; however, this is not mandatory.

There are formal teaching conferences every day, in addition to bedside teaching conducted by the supervising consultant. Students do not perform specific procedures, but they are encouraged to accompany their patients to the laboratories when special studies are being performed.

Method of Evaluation:

Residents and consultants who work with students prepare formal grading sheets, narrative comments and a final evaluation summary. This information is shared with students before their departure.