Emergency Medicine Externship: University of Florida College of Medicine – Jacksonville
Target Audience: 4th year medical students pursuing residency training in Emergency Medicine.
Applicants will have successfully completed the 3rd year core clerkships (including IM, Surgery, OB/Gyn, Pediatrics).
Course Description
Goals and Objectives
This rotation is designed for the student interested in emergency medicine (EM) as a career. EM’s role in the house of medicine has grown rapidly in recent decades. It has become clear that there are certain attributes and skills needed to assure success and satisfaction in this field. While all physicians need training in the handling of basis medical emergencies, this is generally covered in the standard 4th year emergency medicine rotation. We aim to provide a little more.
Students deciding whether to make a career of emergency medicine need exposure to other aspects of life as an emergency physician; the rigors of shift work, the communication skills necessary for SAFE transference of care, the efficiency needed to make rapid patient dispositions, the ability to manage patients simultaneously, and the appropriate use of resources and consultation services. We also provide advisement on how to prepare for residency, evaluate different training programs, navigate the application process, interview effectively, etc.
Focused goals of the experience include:
1) practice the recognition of “sick” vs “not-sick” patients
2) refine skills in stabilization of acute life threatening emergencies
3) enhance ability to developing “complaint-based” differential diagnoses
4) experience the continuum of initial evaluation, stabilization, treatment and disposition of the acutely ill or injured patient
5) foster deeper understanding and appreciation of the complimentary interactions between the ED and the rest of the health care system
6) refine ED case presentation skills
7) develop a mini-mentorship relationship with an academic emergency physician.
Curriculum:
Shifts – Students will perform approximately 15×8 hour shifts (mix of days, nights and weekends) in various areas of our ED (Resus/Trauma, Emergency Critical Care, Intermediate/Flex care and Pediatric ED). http://hscj.ufl.edu/emergency-medicine/
EMS – Students will also experience one shift riding with our Jacksonville Fire Rescue Department (www.JaxFire.org).
Case Presentation Workshop – Expedited and efficient (yet complete) case presentations are a core skill of competent emergency physicians. We will hold a workshop designed to help rotators develop and fine-tune the skillset necessary to formulate and deliver ED-style case presentations. In a mock change-of-shift format, participants will have a chance to present a brief “sign-over” case. Classmates and faculty will discuss the presentation and the case, with an emphasis on the pearls and pitfalls of the abbreviated ED reporting format.
Zoo Day – Nobody has a snakebite clinic! Envenomations and many other environmental emergencies fall into the realm of the ED. One morning will be dedicated to discussion of the management of poisonous snake bites and other critters of ill repute. This will be followed by a field trip to the Jacksonville zoo (www.jacksonvillezoo.org). An uncommon behind-the scenes introduction to the Zoo’s herpetology division, tour of Zoo hospital and the rest of the grounds is always a rotation highlight.
Toxicology – Jacksonville hosts one of Florida’s three Poison Control Centers (http://www.aapcc.org ). Students will spend one of their shifts paired with our toxicology team, which staffs this center, and works closely with our ED. An introduction to the basic tenets of poisoning, overdose and other toxicologic emergencies will be highlighted, as well as a tour of the poison control center itself.
Simulation/Didactics/Journal club – All educational activities are open to students. Weekly residency didactic conferences (Thurs 8a-12p) provide education on core emergency medicine content. Journal clubs (evening of 3rd calendar Tuesday) critically evaluate new (or classic) EM articles, with an eye toward EBM and critical appraisal of the literature.
Preparing for Residency and the Match – One workshop will be dedicated to advisement and helping students navigate the path from medical school to residency. Topics driven by students’ particular needs.
Other student specific didactics and selected simulations and workshops occur on a rotating basis, including some of:
- Ultrasound in the ED
- International/Global medicine
- Drowning
- EKG analysis
- Pain Management and Palliative care in the ED
- Administration and Advocacy in Emergency Medicine
- Sepsis and septic shock
- Online education/FOAM/social media in EM education
- Pediatric EM
Examinations – No rotation would be complete without ‘em! Visiting students will take the National EM M4 exam (SAEMTESTS.org; developed by the The Society for Academic Emergency Medicine). Counts as 20% of final grade.
Course Faculty and Staff
- Thomas K Morrissey MD, PhD (Director) tom.morrissey@jax.ufl.edu
- Debra Eurom (Course Staff) debra.eurom@jax.ufl.edu
- Dani Brown (Course Staff) dani.brown@jax.ufl.edu
Meeting Place and Time
Orientation on the first Monday (usually 8:30am) of the rotation. Complete details emailed ahead of time.
Recommended Resources
- http://cdemcurriculum.com/ (Interactive web-based EM curriculum)
- http://www.boldcityEM.com
- http://saemtests.org/ (Students will be provided with login/password for practice exams)