We welcome prospective applicants to spend time with us, either informally or for a formal clinical rotation. Many clerkship opportunities are available, and frequently these clerkships can be tailored to meet the personal desires of the student.

Housing is offered at no charge to the student.

These electives can be requested any time throughout the senior year, however the appropriate paperwork MUST be completed before the elective begins.

For specific information on the electives offered, please click the appropriate link. For more information on electives or to arrange a clinical elective, please contact:

Mrs. Gayna Faulconer
MUSC Student Services
Program Coordinator -- SCAHEC
171 Ashley Avenue
Charleston, South Carolina 29425
(843) 792-4439
faulcong@musc.edu

Allergy and Immunology | Cardiology | Emergency Medicine | Family Medicine | Neonatology | Radiology | Surgery

Allergy and Immunology
Title: Allergy - Immunology
Instructor: Stephen Imbeau, M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 2
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Year Round

Description
This clerkship will allow the student to recognize clinical problems in allergy-immunology, to gather the important historical details, to perform the proper examinations including ENT examinations, and to perform and analyze the allergy work-up. Students will work in the clinic and manage the work-up of three to four new patients each week. Four hours of patient care will be the minimum for each day. The student will also participate in the emergency treatment and any hospital consultations. The student will learn the rudiments of allergy skin testing and pulmonary function testing. Each patient contact will be thoroughly reviewed by the instructor and a complete write-up of each new patient work-up will be graded.
Course objectives

• Learn to perform an allergy history and physical
• Learn to recognize and treat allergy syndromes
• Learn special procedures and treatment plans

Instructional methodology (approximate # of hours per week)

• Lectures - none
• Rounds/Discussions - 4
• Patient contact - 30
• Lab - none
• Patient load - 2-3 per day
• Call - none

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Cardiology
Title: Cardiology
Instructor: E. Conyers O'Bryan, Jr., M.D.
Location: McLeod Health
Florence, SC
Number of students: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
Through didactic and clinical office, clinic and hospital experiences the student will be introduced to the interpretation of electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, and other graphic studies including stress testing; the role of consultant in the evaluation and management of selected cardiac patients presenting acute or chronic cardiovascular disorders. In addition, the student will elicit and conduct detailed histories and physical examinations and subsequent presentation of findings, the cardiopulmonary resuscitation technique including situations and the participation in cardiology conferences.

Course objectives

• Identify, on a normal cardiac x-ray series (four views), the location of the heart, the bronchi, the esophagus, the diaphragms and the sternum with 80% accuracy
• Examine the following areas in such a way as to obtain reliable information regarding the normality or abnormality of the peripheral arterial pulses and carotid pulse: the jugular venous pulse; the liver and hepatic pulsation; the extremities; the lungs; the heart, rhythm, size, pulsations, thrill sounds, murmurs, friction rubs; ophthalmoscopic examination
• Differentiate innocent versus pathologic murmurs; comprehend and apply clinical therapeutics as related to: the in-hospital and long-term management of patients with myocardial infarction; the treatment of acute pulmonary edema; the treatment of rhythm disturbances; the fundamentals of cardiopulmonary resuscitation
• Identify on photomicrographs of ventricular and atrial wall, the endocardium, the myocardial fibers and their nuclei and the epicardium with 80% accuracy

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Emergency Medicine
Title: Emergency Care
Instructor: Peter D. Hyman, M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 2
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
The course will provide an interactive, yet academic introduction to Emergency Medicine. The emphasis will be to develop the student's ability to rapidly create appropriate differential diagnoses based on historical and physical examination findings. These findings will elicit further diagnostic and treatment decision-making, in addition to numerous procedures. All patient-student interactions will be performed under the close supervision of the Attending Emergency Physician. The student will also learn about the management of emergency conditions from the patient's and medical staff member's standpoint. In addition to the mastery of basic sciences and development of a strong clinical acumen, the student will realize that compassion and communication are crucial physician and mid-level provider attributes. Throughout the rotation, the student will work with emergency medicine Residency trained and board certified Emergency Physicians.

Course Objectives

• Be acquainted with the efficient and compassionate care necessary for patients in the Emergency Department (ED).
• Perform specific skills and procedures necessary for patient care in the ED.
• Recognize and treat common emergencies (trauma, burns, drug O.D., shock, coma, head injury, psychiatric emergency, orthopedic injuries, fracture, medical emergency, acute abdominal pain)
• Interpret laboratory results and radiograph findings.

Instructional Methodology
Patient contact in the ED is in 12-hour shifts under the supervision of Emergency Physicians. Independent and regular reading of Rosen's Emergency Medicine Concepts and Clinical Practice and Tintinalli's Emergency Medicine Comprehensive Study Guide. Independent viewing of films.
Students Report to: Please call Dr. Andre Creese, (843) 777-5440, or Ms. Kristen Palles, (843) 777-5345, two weeks before the rotation begins.

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Family Medicine
Title: Family Medicine Ambulatory Care
Instructor: Richard Howell, M.D.
Location: McLeod Family Medicine Residency Program
Florence, SC
Number of students: 2
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
The student will work with the faculty members as well as the family medicine residents. Assessment utilizing the problem -oriented approach will be made at all levels of care including acute care, chronic care, and preventive care. The student will be exposed to patient care in both the Family Medicine Center and the McLeod Regional Medical Center. Emphasis will be placed on history taking, physical assessment, laboratory data interpretation, and differential diagnosis. The student will be exposed to office management and record organization as well as a team approach utilizing various health care professionals. Appropriate methods of referral to community resources and consultants will be stressed. Inclusion of inpatient care is an option. Evidence-based medicine, pharmacology and patient education receive special attention.

Course objectives
The student will demonstrate their effectiveness in taking a quick and pertinent history including appropriate physical, emotional, social, and family data, performing thorough examinations, and interpreting laboratory data. The student will formulate appropriate care plans and will describe the environment in which the disease arose as a way of discovering an etiology.

Instructional methodology
The major portion of this elective will be spent discussing patient encounters, hospital rounds, house calls, and time at community resource centers. Daily topic conferences will be presented in the Family Medicine Center at noon. Selected literature articles will be chosen for review. (The core family medicine textbook will be: Family Medicine. Robert Taylor, M.D., Editor, 2nd Edition).

Title: Family Medicine Externship
Instructor: William H. Hester, M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Year round

Description
Student will work on the Family Medicine Teaching Service; 441 bed acute care regional hospital with a team consisting of an attending, senior resident and 2 interns. Student will have exposure to all critical care units.

Course objectives

• Admission H&P on each assigned patient
• Discharge summary
• Present patients at morning report
• Attend procedures on assigned patients
• Discuss consultants role in management

Instructional methodology (approximate # of hours per week)

• Lectures - 5
• Rounds/discussions - 4
• Patient contact - 30
• Lab/X-ray - 2
• Patient load - 2
• Call - every 4th night

Neonatology
Title: Neonatal Care Externship
Instructor: Joseph Harlan, M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
This course exposes the student to several aspects of inpatient neonatal care. The student becomes familiar with normal newborn behavior and care requirements, develops some proficiency in recognizing and treating neonatal illness and learns techniques necessary for stabilization and transport of the sick newborn.

Course objectives
Upon completion of this course, the student will be able to demonstrate competence in gathering and recording a perinatal history and neonatal physical assessment (e.g. significant maternal history, perinatal events, APGAR score, gestational age: Downes' score). The student will be able to provide a differential diagnosis for some of the more common neonatal disorders and will have basic competency in resuscitation, stabilization and transport of the sick neonate. The student is expected to complete NRP (Neonatal Resuscitation Program) certification.

Instructional methodology
The major portion of this elective will be spent in the Newborn Intensive Care Unit. First hand observation and participation in daily ward rounds, patient care discussions, and medical-surgical procedures will be supplemented by student attendance at scheduled conferences, specific reading assignments, and further independent study of an assigned patient's particular problems. Attempts will be made to optimize the student's exposure to acute neonatal care (in the Delivery Room, neonatal transports from referring hospitals and in the NICU). The motivated student can expect a commensurate increase in responsibilities. One to two hours will be set aside each week for student discussion with a medical staff member regarding problems, progress and review of assigned reading material.

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Radiology
Title: Radiological Science
Instructor: Raymond L. Thomas, M.D. and Bruce W. White, Jr., M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
This course gives the student instruction and experience in all branches of radiological science. Emphasis is placed on imaging techniques. The student is exposed to a variety of imaging techniques including radiography, fluoroscopy, nuclear medicine, and ultrasound. In addition, the student is shown laboratory testing in nuclear medicine and therapeutic techniques using radiation. Approximately three-fourths of the course is devoted to diagnostic radiology. The remaining time is divided among nuclear medicine, ultrasound, and radiation therapy.

Course objectives
The student will have participated in the performance of all routine imaging procedures, and will have gained understanding of their clinical usefulness. The student should be able to make limited interpretations of basic images such as chest films and brain scans, and should be able to use imaging more effectively in his clinical work. In addition, it is hoped that the student will gain some understanding of the potential for future development of imaging techniques.

Instructional methodology
Principles and techniques will be presented during regularly scheduled lectures (2 hours per week). The student will participate in the performance of all studies (this will include a short history, limited physical examination and a review of the hospital chart). All images will be reviewed and critiqued daily by the student and instructor. During the course, problems will be given and these problems will provide direct individual experience with a variety of imaging methods.

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Surgery
Title: General Surgery
Instructor: Joseph M. Pearson, Jr., M.D.
Location: McLeod Regional Medical Center
Florence, SC
Number of students: 1
Duration: 4 weeks
Credit hours: 5
Course offered: Fall, Spring

Description
This educational experience offers the medical student an opportunity for one-to-one teaching with a General Surgeon. It combines hospital and office experience. The rotation includes attending rounds and patient management responsibilities. The medical student will have the opportunity to assist in the operating and emergency room. The student will complete a history and physicals on patients assigned and, utilizing the information gathered, present the patient to the attending. The student will be expected to suggest possible solutions to the problems defined.

Course objectives
Upon completion of the course, the student will be able to perform a history and physical and establish a plan of care for the problems defined. The student will be able to take definitive and immediate action including ordering laboratory and x-ray studies in selected cases. The student will interact with consultants as directed by the attending.

Instructional methodology
Skill demonstration and return demonstration in surgery, emergency room and office environments. Didactic information will be provided in a discussion format, the student will be required to utilize a case study method of reading, examining and presenting to the attending in selected cases. The student will be free to attend the lectures, which are available in the hospital and the Family Medicine Center.