Clinical Rotators and Observers: Education
Clinical Rotator
Residents in good standing with their current institution are able to participate in a visiting rotation.
The Resident will working closely with the Endocrine Fellows and assigned Attending to address inpatient endocrinology and diabetes consultations as assigned. The resident will spend at least one week of the rotation with the fellow and attending on the diabetes inpatient consultation service.
The remaining 2-3 weeks are assigned to the inpatient endocrinology consultation service throughout the rotation. The Fellow on each service receives notification of each consultation and notifies the resident of the patient’s location, assigns the resident to accomplish a history, physical examination and assembly of relevant clinical data before review and discussion in preparation of presentation to the assigned inpatient service attending. The resident should ideally present each case they work up and be responsible for making and documenting a follow up assessment of the patient at appropriate intervals established through consultation with the fellow and attending.
In addition to the inpatient consultation experience, the resident will have the opportunity to attend up to four outpatient sessions weekly throughout the rotation.
½ day personal primary care continuity clinic
½ day Thyroid nodule clinic on Thursday AM from the end of Endocrine Consult rounds until 12:00 when assigned to Endocrinology consult service.
2 ½ day Diabetes outpatient sessions arranged through the Joslin Diabetes Center.
Clinical Observer
Purpose:
To outline guidelines for trainees and other visitors who wish to visit Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center as observers in graduate medical education programs.
Policy Statement: Periodically, individuals from outside the Harvard University community wish to come to Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) to observe within graduate medical education programs for purposes of learning about a specific aspect of medical care.
As a leading academic medical center, BIDMC actively promotes a mission of teaching. While supporting its commitment to education and training, it is imperative that BIDMC take measures which protect the safety and rights of patients by insuring that all individuals functioning in clinical areas have been properly screened and credentialed.
Observer Status For the purpose of this policy, any individual who comes to the medical center in an “observer” status must abide by the institution’s policies for visitors, even though the observer may be a qualified physician or health care professional. An observer must wear a BIDMC identification badge when on the premises. The observer agrees not to render patient care:
• He/she may not counsel patients.
• He/she may not perform or participate in the performance of any procedures.
The patient’s attending staff physician must receive permission from the patient to allow the observer to be present when care is being provided. Observers, while present at BIDMC, are the responsibility of the sponsoring attending faculty physician and sponsoring Department. Sponsoring attending faculty physicians shall not allow unqualified persons to practice medicine. Unqualified persons, include, but are not limited to, those on observer status, those without a Massachusetts license and those without proper institutional credentials. Permitting an unqualified person to practice at BIDMC is a violation of Medical Staff Bylaws and of regulations of the Board of Registration in Medicine. Such violations may result in the initiation of disciplinary action against the sponsoring physician.
Procedure(s) for Implementation The observer shall:
• Complete an Observer Data Form (Attachment A) and submit this form, along with a written request for observer status, which includes a description of the proposed educational experience, to the Graduate Medical Education Office.
• Sign and submit to the Graduate Medical Education Office, an Observer Agreement (Attachment B) to indicate understanding of the nature of observer status and agreement with its terms.
• Provide the following to the Graduate Medical Education Office:
(1) letter of recommendation from current training institution;
(2) curriculum vitae;
(3) documentation of eligibility for participation as an observer while in the United States;
(4) copy of medical license, if applicable;
(5) letter from sponsoring BIDMC faculty physician confirming approval by Medical Staff Department and outlining elements of proposed experience;
(6) documentation of health screening clearance by BIDMC Employee/Occupational Health Service; and
(7) signed Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) application.
• Be required to have all of the above documentation accepted by the Graduate Medical Education Office prior to beginning period of observation.
• Wear a BIDMC identification badge at all times.
• Be present in clinical/research areas of BIDMC only when accompanied by the sponsoring attending faculty physician or his/her designee. Period of Observership A period of observation cannot exceed one month (thirty days).
For extensions beyond one month, the sponsoring attending faculty member must submit a new request to the GME office. The dates of the observership must be confirmed in the Observation Agreement which is signed by the observer and the sponsoring attending faculty physician.
Exceptions The requirements of this policy do not apply to:
1. Visiting Professors who are invited to BIDMC for a period of one (1) week or less.
2. Applicants for faculty or residency/fellowship positions.
3. Medical students seeking to schedule a rotation at BIDMC (must be directly arranged through Harvard Medical School)
To apply please contact the Administrative Coordinator with specific dates. Please note all paperwork must be completed at least 30 days in advance of rotation
