MEL 7259: Emergency Medicine Elective 15-16

Teaching will be done on a one-on-one basis. Students will be assigned to emergency room shifts in such a way that they experience emergency activities during the day, night, and weekends. Preceptors will be emergency room physicians also trained in primary care and family practice. If desired, students may accompany EMTs in ambulances.

In the emergency room, the student will initially assess each patient and propose treatment plans. The student may elect to follow the admitted ER patients throughout their hospital stay. Under the direct preceptor supervision, the student may perform simple procedures. These may include suturing, insertion of the catheters, IVs, injections, and others as appropriate.

Objectives

Develop competence in rapidly assessing ER patients (triage)
Learn the initial management of common problems and critical patients
Learn effective CPR
Recognize complications of medical care and drug side effects
Sensitize the student to the emotional impact of major trauma
Teach the student how to deal with family members during an emergency medical crisis
Inspire in the student empathy, compassion, good judgment, and common sense
Perform simple procedures under direct preceptor supervision, as noted above
Stimulate the student's interest in primary care and family medicine

Evaluation

Fund of medical knowledge
Ability to apply this knowledge, clinical judgment, and common sense
Enthusiasm, tenacity, professionalism, and idealism
Student case log and case presentations
Student's reading about selected emergency patients (selected by student)

Preceptor evaluations

For FHNP: contact Dr. Michael Longley at (727) 943-3699 or (813) 769-7252.