Goals and Objectives

Provide the medical student with a complete and unified approach for the evaluation and management of patients with common gastrointestinal problems that pediatricians may encounter in the practice of general pediatrics.

Prerequisites:  3rd Year General Pediatrics Clerkship

Department of Pediatrics: Gastroenterology Medical Student Education

1. The elective is based in the gastroenterology outpatient clinic.
2. The student will be assigned to evaluate patients with an attending during a clinic session. 
3. The student will also be involved in the gastroenterology inpatient consulting service.
4. The learning is case-based. During the elective, the student will be exposed to a wide variety of patients with common gastrointestinal problems such as constipation, diarrhea, vomiting, gastroesophageal reflux disease, feeding and nutritional problems, chronic abdominal pain, inflammatory bowel diseases, acute and chronic hepatitis, abnormal liver tests and jaundice.
5. The student will observe the procedures performed by fellows and attendings in the outpatient endoscopy unit and operating room. Procedures include upper endoscopies, colonoscopies, liver biopsies, gastrostomy tube placement and dilatations among others.
6. It is mandatory to present a talk on a Gastroenterology topic of your choice at the end of the rotation. An attending physician will supervise and help the student with the presentation.
7. The student is expected to participate fully in the Division’s activities during the elective period.
   

Suggested reading materials

1. The pediatric gastroenterology manual prepared by the gastroenterology faculty will be provided at the beginning of the rotation.
2. Additional reading will be focused on the problems presented by particular patients seen during the clinics. 
   

Duration of rotation: 4 weeks

Your evaluation will be centered upon 3 major areas:

1. Knowledge 
   • Knowledge of the facts
   • Understanding the concepts
   • Use of the resources
     
2. Skills
   • Problem solving
   • Verbal and written communication
   • Physical examination
     
3. Professionalism