Genes to Society: A Curriculum for the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Core Clerkship in Pediatrics

The core clerkship in Pediatrics is an eight-week experience in which students care for patients in both inpatient and outpatient (ambulatory) settings. The clerkship focuses on general pediatrics, but students participate in the care of patients with sub-specialty needs as well.

After a three-day program of educational sessions/lectures intended to orient students to Pediatrics (PRECEDE), students spend approximately four weeks rotating in an inpatient setting and four weeks rotating in an outpatient setting. Additionally, students are required to complete a one-day rotation at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, an affiliated hospital for children with developmental disabilities and rehabilitation needs.

Throughout the clerkship, there are weekly lectures presented by exceptional faculty. These serve as an aid in preparing students for the National Board of Medical Examiners shelf exam in Pediatrics, which is administered at the end of the clerkship.

PRECEDE Overview

PRECEDE (Pre-Clerkship Education Exercises) sessions are intended to introduce students to fundamental skills and knowledge that they will utilize at their inpatient and outpatient sites. Students spend three days at the start of the clerkship and two days at the midpoint of the clerkship involved in this program.

A few examples of Pediatrics PRECEDE sessions include:

An afternoon devoted to neonatal care. Students participate in a series of “mini-sessions” regarding the topics of a hip exam, common images in neonatology and common neonatal problems. They are then escorted to the nursery and given the opportunity to perform a newborn exam on a newborn patient under the instruction of a faculty preceptor.
A session on gathering sensitive medical and social histories from adolescents in which standardized patients portray youth in the Simulation Center exam rooms.
A session on otitis media in which students learn how to properly perform pneumatic otoscopy on a simulator and diagnose common problems of the ear.
A simulation of respiratory distress in an infant.

Learning Objectives

To gain a basic knowledge of somatic growth, neurodevelopment, sexual development and be able to apply this knowledge to issues of acute illness, health maintenance, disease prevention and available public health interventions in children.
To acquire the skills (data gathering, physical exam, lab interpretation) and knowledge necessary for the diagnosis and initial management of common acute and chronic illnesses.
To demonstrate an understanding of the health care system for children in the United States, including health disparities and primary care vs. specialty care.
To develop an understanding of the influence of family, community and society on the child in health and disease.
To learn some of the local, regional and federal resources available for children in order to advocate on the patient’s behalf.
To develop outstanding communication skills that will facilitate the clinical interaction with children, adolescents, families and colleagues. Such skills will foster accurate diagnosis, patient satisfaction, reassurance and patient safety.
To improve your clinical competence in the pediatric diagnostic process (history, physical, clinical reasoning) while accepting feedback on these skills in a professional manner.
To understand the role of additional medical professionals and enlist their aid as part of the health care team when appropriate. This includes nurses, nurse clinicians, physician consultants, therapists, home care providers and social workers.
To understand and serve as a resource for families on disease and injury prevention strategies to include proper infant nutrition, newborn screening, trauma prevention, developmental screening and immunizations.
To practice in and foster a working environment with the highest professional standards of respect, accountability, commitment, humanism and cultural sensitivity.

The learning objectives are modeled after the National Pediatrics Core Curriculum, developed by the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics.

Clerkship Director

Michael Barone, M.D.
Associate Professor of Pediatrics
Assistant Dean for Student Affairs

Associate Director

Robert Dudas, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics

Time Commitment and Clerkship Length

The clerkship runs for eight weeks.

Clinical Site for this Clerkship

Inpatient

Johns Hopkins Hospital - View map
Howard County General Hospital - View map
Sinai Hospital of Baltimore - View map

Outpatient

East Baltimore Medical Center - View map
Greater Baltimore Medical Center - View map
Pavilion Pediatrics: Johns Hopkins at Greenspring - View map
Johns Hopkins Hospital Pediatric Emergency Department - View map
Sinai Hospital - View map
Harriet Lane Clinic - View map
Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center - View map

Inpatient/Outpatient Combined

St. Agnes Hospital - View map