Electives in Anglophone Settings >Emergency Medicine

Department of Emergency Medicine

Clerkship Elective in the Emergency Medicine Department

Application must be submitted at least 4 months prior to the elective date

There are a limited number of elective positions available in Emergency Medicine at the University of Ottawa. Preference is given to students in their last year of medical studies. Please look over the policy carefully to ensure that you have the requirements needed to process your application.
Medical students from the University of Ottawa and other universities are encouraged to look over the policy for Emergency Medicine.

Objectives:

To provide the student with the opportunity to gain experience in assessing a wide range of clinical problems seen in a teaching hospital emergency department;
To improve the student's ability to take an accurate and concise history and physical exam in the undifferentiated patient;
To improve the student's ability to develop a differential diagnosis, investigation plan, treatment, and disposition of the undifferentiated patient;
To improve the student's technical skills in providing patient care in the ED.
To improve communication, collaboration, and professional skills required for patient care in the ED.

Description:

The student will have the opportunity to assess and manage a broad range of patients presenting to the emergency department of a tertiary care university teaching hospital. The student will hone their ability to do focused history and physical exams, develop a differential diagnosis, and make decisions regarding patient investigations, treatment and disposition. This elective affords the opportunity for hands-on care for the full range of patient presentations from minor complaints to major life-threatening illness and injury. The student will be supervised by clinical teachers of emergency medicine. The student will be able to participate in a variety of teaching opportunities: weekly academic half day, journal club, PGY1 rounds, and Emergency Medicine grand rounds.

Location:

Ottawa Hospital - Civic or General Campus

Policy:

Must have done 6 months of Core Clerkship OR must have done 3 months of Core Clerkship PLUS 4 weeks of Emergency Electives prior to the Elective date
Minimum of 3 weeks
Maximum of 4 weeks
Must be available for day/evening/weekend and overnight shifts
Maximum of 4 shifts per week spread out over the various areas in the ED
Maximum of 4 elective students at any 1 time (2 at each site)
Maximum of 2 outside university students at any 1 time
All non University of Ottawa electives must first go through the Faculty of Medicine, electives office to ensure proper paper trail.
No out of country electives

Preclerkship Elective in the Emergency Medicine Department

Preclerkship Electives for the summer of 2012 Application form

Preclerkship (1st and 2nd year) University of Ottawa Student Electives (Observerships) in the Department of Emergency Medicine for the Academic Year 2011-2012

Preclerkship electives will only occur from March to August due to the high volume of senior electives from September to February.

The students will shadow a staff physician or senior resident. They typically will not see patients by themselves or perform procedures on patients. Students must apply 4 months ahead of their requested time period. Due to the high demand for learners in the ED, the students cannot be guaranteed any particular time period in advance.

Goals:

1) To introduce the student to the clinical discipline of Emergency Medicine.
2) To introduce the student to the working environment of the ED
3) To introduce the student to the unique nature of Emergency Medicine practice.
-concise histories and physical exams
-simultaneous patient evaluation and treatment
-triage-distinguishing serious patients from those with minor complaints

The DEM will offer 2 types of electives:

1 week observership:

This will occur within the student’s Spring break time or in the summer
This will last 10 hours for 1st year students and either 20 hours (mandatory elective) or 10 hours (non-mandatory elective) for 2nd year students.
The length of each shift will not exceed 4 hours.
There will be a maximum of 2 students at 1 site at any time
The shifts can occur during the day, evening, or weekend.
The shifts will be assigned by the Undergraduate Coordinator, Margaret King

Longitudinal observership over 1-2 months:

1st year students: 10 hours
2nd year students: 10 hours for non-mandatory elective and 20 hours for a mandatory elective.
Each shift length will be 4 hours in duration.
First year students will be matched with either a senior resident or staff, 2nd year students will only be matched with staff.
The observership with the resident and student must be completed within the 1 month block of the resident.
The observership with the staff may be completed over a 1-2 month period.
The student and staff/resident will be notified of a pairing for an observership. The student will then contact the staff/resident by email to arrange a schedule. Staff physicians must ensure they do not book the junior observer when they will be supervising a clinical clerk. (Staff will receive a clinical clerk schedule from Margaret King.
Staff and residents must ensure that the junior observer does not slow down patient care or flow in the ED.
The student schedule will be set based on the schedule and availability of the resident and staff.

Evaluations:

The student will receive an evaluation at the end of their elective. The students are also expected to evaluate the elective and must send this evaluation to Ms. Margaret King before they will be credited for the elective. Students must bring an evaluation form during their final shift of the elective.

Canceling an Elective:

After the student is notified of an elective, they must contact the staff or resident they have been paired with to set the schedule during the subsequent month. If the student is unable to do the elective within the following month, they must notify Margaret King immediately, who will assign another student to the elective.

Elective Medical Student Guidelines for Clinical Shifts:

Please arrive promptly and dress appropriately and conservatively. (no jeans, short skirts, sandals, logo t-shirts, bare midriffs, low cut tops or shirts)
Students should have lab coats and student ID.
Before you start your shift, introduce yourself to your staff.
Discuss goals for the shifts and preceptor expectations.

Applying for this elective:

Please contact Margaret King, Undergraduate Program Coordinator, DEM via email: mking@toh.on.ca

Revised: October 18, 2011

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