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Neurology

Your goal is to acquire the basic skills of neurological assessment of the adult and pediatric neurology patient.

Objectives

  1. Mastery of Procedural and Analytical Skills:
    1. History taking and physical examination performance based on neurobiological principles; clear, concise and thorough oral and written presentation of the above
    2. Formulation of a differential diagnosis and management plan in patients with neurological problems based on lesion localization and relevant history
    3. Functioning as a clinical clerk on a neurological ward
  2. Attainment of Knowledge:
    1. You are expected to have an in-depth knowledge of your patients’ disease entities, including all related anatomical, physiological, pathological, pharmacological, and clinical aspects.
    2. You are expected to know all material presented in the adult and pediatric didactic seminars.
  3. Display of Appropriate Attitudes and Behavior:
    1. You are to function as a clinical clerk, an active and important member of the inpatient team. As such, you are expected to be present on the ward from 8 AM until 5 PM daily and to participate with the ward team on rounds. You are responsible for your patients and should be performing the following:
      • Initial history and physical examination
      • Daily pertinent follow-up notes
      • Being aware of all investigations ordered on your patients, and their outcomes
      • Be involved in the performance of procedures (blood drawing, LP, et al.) on your patients, and performing these procedures yourself when feasible (under supervision)
    2. You are expected to maintain an attitude of respect toward your patients
    3. You are expected to behave appropriately to fellow students and faculty”

Describe the process used to specify the number and kind of patients and the clinical settings needed to meet the clerkship objectives. How are students’ clinical experiences verified to assure that objectives are being met?

Site visits are conducted 1-2 times per year by the clerkship directors to monitor activities and patient assignments at each site. Students from all sites meet with the clerkship directors midway through the clerkship to provide feedback regarding their experiences. The oral examination at the end of each rotation will further provide documentation to the clerkship directors of the variety of patients seen during the rotation.

If resident physicians teach in the clerkship or otherwise supervise medical students, how are they informed about the clerkship objectives and prepared for their teaching role?

When residents are recruited they are informed of the important role they have in educating our medical students; this is reiterated annually at orientation each July. Many of our residents have in fact been graduates of this medical school so they are quite aware of the important role that they play. The ward attendings remind the ward team each month that the students are integral members of the team; the residents have the responsibility of reading, correcting and co-signing the students’ progress notes in the patient charts as well as providing bedside teaching at work rounds and sign-out rounds.