Medical School Courses
Second Year
The Department participates in the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course. Basic history-taking and physical examination skills are taught in the context of surgical problems.
Third Year
Students participate in a 12-week clinical clerkship, and may rotate at several facilities, including Hahnemann, Graduate, Crozer-Chester Medical Center, Monmouth Medical Center, Easton Hospital, and Allegheny General Hospital. Students spend eight weeks in general surgery and four weeks on the surgical subspecialties. A program of interactive tutorials covers the core curriculum. Intensive educational strategies, as described above, are used during the clerkship. The curriculum followed on all campuses is comparable. During this clinical clerkship, students follow their patients closely during the hospital stay and in outpatient clinics, and assist in operations. Work-up of surgical patients and management of both simple and complex problems are emphasized. Students are an integral part of the management team and work closely with the house staff.
Fourth Year
An innovative fourth-year rotation in Surgery, based on principles of lifelong learning and individualized student-centered instruction, is offered to all students. Students rotate for four weeks on a general surgery service or on the subspecialties to achieve the educational objectives they design individually with their preceptors. In addition, electives are offered in the surgical subspecialties and in the Surgical Intensive Care Units.
During these rotations, students function as subinterns. They are assigned more clinical responsibility and actively participate in the total care of surgical patients. Basic surgical techniques, including problem-solving, are taught, both at the bedside and in the operating room. Students participate in surgical conferences, and attend weekly Grand Rounds, where a vast array of surgical topics is presented by University and guest faculty.
Opportunities also are available for students to participate in research programs. |