3rd Year Medical Student Surgery Clerkship: Perioperative Medicine Selective

About Our Perioperative Medicine Selective

Anesthesia Pic2The goal of the two-week Perioperative Medicine Selective as part of the third year Core Clerkship in Surgery is to provide a more comprehensive exposure to the field of anesthesia and the range of issues associated with management of perioperative patients. This selective will particularly benefit medical students interested in a career in Anesthesia. It differs from the one-week anesthesia rotation in that it is primarily outside of the operating room and is intended to provide a well-rounded introduction to the field of anesthesiology.

Assignments

Below are the assignments for this rotation:

Assignment Description

Preoperative Clinic
(One Day)

The student will learn about:

  • Anesthetic H&P
  • ASA Guidelines
  • NPO Guidelines
  • Airway Assessment
  • Preoperative cardiac assessment for non-cardiac surgery
  • Formulation of an anesthetic plan

Acute Pain Service
(Two Days)

The student will learn about:

  • Comprehensive management of postoperative pain via regional techniques
  • IV
  • Oral medications

Knowledge of pain management transcends specialty boundaries and will be of use to any student.

Regional Anesthesia
(One Day)

The student will:

  • Review basic anatomy
  • Learn about advanced techniques of nerve blocks and postoperative analgesia

Post Anesthesia Care Unit
(Two Days)

The student will:

  • Learn about perioperative fluid, electrolyte, access, and pain management issues
  • Learn about evaluating respiratory status and managing hemodynamics
  • Review skills such as EKG and chest x-ray interpretation
  • Attend codes with the code team

Simulation Center
(One Half Day)

The student will have hands-on practice with:

  • IV placement
  • Arterial line and central line insertion
  • Intubation
  • General OR management

Longitudinal
(One Day)

The student will pick one complex patient from PAT or the OR schedule to follow throughout the preoperative course, including:

  • Preoperative holding area preparation
  • Intraoperative management
  • Postoperative care, including the plan for postoperative pain control

Elective
(Three Days)

The student will spend three days in the anesthesia subspecialty of his/her choice. The student may customize the experience by choosing from any available subspecialty including (but not limited to): obstetric anesthesia, critical care, chronic pain/pain clinic, and echocardiography.