Critical Care Medicine

Location

Overlook Medical Center

Duration

Four weeks or two weeks, depending upon preceptor availability:

• Four-week rotations start on the first Monday of the month
• Two-week rotations start on the first or third Monday of the month

Offered

Year-round

Prerequisites

Successful completion of all third-year core clerkships

Description:

The Critical Care Medicine elective allows 4^th year medical students to study the pathophysiology and treatment of organ system failure and to better understand the complex interaction between the patient, the patient’s family, the disease process, and the Critical Care Team.  

Learning Experience:

Students will:

• Follow individual patients under the supervision of house staff and intensivists in a 24-bed, Medical/Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.
• Round with the multidisciplinary Critical Care team and attend daily intake rounds
• Take an active role in the discussion of pathophysiology and management
• Prepare 2-3 brief presentations on patient-related topics
• Read pertinent material to supplement discussions on sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, cerebral resuscitation, circulatory support, trauma, ventilator management, myocardial infarction, cardiogenic shock, and other critical care topics

Goals & Objectives:

• To receive exposure to critically ill medical and cardiac patients
• To understand the pathophysiology of disease processes
• To understand the clinical management of disease processes

Feedback & Evaluation

Feedback and evaluation will be done by attending preceptors and residents. Students will also evaluate their preceptors and residents, and the elective.