This clerkship is a mixture of hands-on patient care experience, unifying didactics and small group activities. Students are assigned to a specialty intensive care unit of their choice, where they become active members of the care team. They make daily teaching rounds, and follow, assess and treat critically ill patients. In addition, students will complete the self-directed Fundamentals of Critical Care Support course of the Society of Critical Care Medicine, study a set of core topics, give literature-based small group presentations to their peers and participate in a series of simulation exercises to enhance clinical learning.
Course Goals
The overarching goals of this clerkship are for fourth-year medical students to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to care for critically ill patients.
- Diagnosis and management of septic shock
- Hypoxic respiratory failure and ARDS
- Hypercarbic respiratory failure
- Mechanical ventilation and weaning
- Massive GI bleed
- Acute renal failure and dialysis
- Prevention of iatrogenic complications
- Invasive monitoring of vascular pressure
- ICU nutrition, sedation
- Analgesia
- Delirium in the critically ill
- End of life care including patient and family communications
Clerkship Director
Stephens, Robert Scott, M.D.
Assistant Professor of Oncology
Director, Oncology and Bone Marrow Transplant Critical Care
Associate Director
Wolpaw, Jed Thomas, M.D., M.Ed.
Residency Program Director
Co-Director, ACCM Clerkship for Medical Students
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Year Four Courses
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