Acute Care Surgery

Duration: 4 weeks

Distribution of student's time:
85% inpatient care
5% outpatient care
10% conferences/lectures

Average number of patients seen each week: 10

On-call responsibility: Every 4 days

Enrollment/Period: 2 maximum, upon availability

Prerequisites: Required Surgery clerkship

Clerkship Objectives:

• The student will participate as a team member on a busy acute care surgery service seeing emergency room and inpatient consults.
• The student will participate in rounds each day and present patients, help with wound care and other minor bedside procedures (negative pressure wound therapy, drain and line removal.
• The student will spend time in the operating room with gradually increasing hands-on experience and have the opportunity to observe and assist with invasive bedside procedures (lines, chest tubes, etc.)

Evaluation:

• Engagement as a team member with active participation on rounds and in the OR.
• Evidence of self-directed learning and application of this in the interpretation of clinical data and care of patients.
• Participation in conferences.

Methods to be used in student evaluation:

• Observation and assessment of performance by faculty and house officers.
• Assessment of written report and/or oral presentation.

Description:
During this course, the student will function as a member of a busy acute care surgery team, working closely with faculty, residents, and advanced practice providers. They will be exposed to a variety of patients with traumatic and acute surgical conditions. They will have the opportunity to develop their knowledge and clinical decision-making skills with regards to the initial resuscitation, ongoing work-up, and definitive medical and surgical care of these patients.