Objectives:
A. Learn to obtain a complete and accurate medical history.
B. Be able to perform a thorough physical examination and succinctly record the findings.
C. Learn proper animal handling techniques and provide excellent nursing care for various medical problems.
D. Understand the pharmacologic agents commonly employed in small animal medicine.
E. Learn various pertinent clinical skills and diagnostic techniques applicable to small animal medicine.
F. Develop and be able to use good communication skills, both verbal and written, in your interactions with staff, peers, and clients.
G. Develop problem lists, differential diagnoses, and plan for Small Animal Internal Medicine cases.
Equipment:
Clean clinic jacket, name tag, stethoscope, bandage scissors, hemostat, suture scissors, mosquito forceps (or equivalent), thermometer, penlight, pocket notebook.
Course Material:
1. Reference material for this course will include class notes from VCS 444 and other courses pertinent to small animal medicine. It will also include veterinary textbooks and are expected to use the computerized search engines (i.e. Medline Veterinary Information Network).
2. Assignments in this clinical rotations will require students to research various subjects in reference materials available in the CVM library, Small Animal Medicine Library and on-line.
3. The Small Animal Medicine Library is divided between the two rounds rooms. This library is available because of the generosity of individuals and publishing companies. The textbooks must not leave the rounds rooms. The textbooks must be placed back on the shelves after use. It is the responsibility of the Medicine groups to assist in the care of these textbooks.
A. Students assigned to the Medicine Block should meet by 8:00 am on the block change day. A list of student assignments will be provided in the orientation packet and will be posted in the student breakroom (Room 1474). See Sandy Popelka with any questions. Students will be administratively assigned to either Medicine I or Medicine II.
B. A faculty member and/or resident will be scheduled as Chief-of-Service, along with a house officer(s).
C. Schedules within each section of Medicine may vary.
D. Emergency Care Assignment: Medicine students will be assigned to In-House and Emergency Care Backup and will be required to be in the VMC at scheduled times. These requirements factor into the rotation grade.
E. Internal medicine policy – students should expect to have rotation responsibilities for both weekends of the rotation and these extend through 8 AM on the switch day. No switching services (Med 1 to Med2 or vice versa) is permitted.
Rounds:
A. Rounds will be held on certain weekday morning at 8:00 am in most services. Hospitalized cases and those seen as outpatients will be discussed. Students should bring medical records and radiographs to rounds. Students should be prepared to discuss their cases in detail. Students are to complete the daily physical examination (not just TPR) on each of their cases by 8:00 am on weekdays and 8:30 am on weekends.
B. Additional rounds may also be held daily, toward the end of each weekday. Each hospitalized case must be SOAPed daily. One complete SOAP with updates as necessary will be performed each day the animal is hospitalized, with a final SOAP at discharge.
C. Rounds may be held on weekend days, depending upon the caseload and nature of the cases in the hospital. Students should plan to be available for these rounds and for patient care on weekends.
D. Grand Rounds: All medicine students are required to attend Grand Rounds. The only exception would be the need for a student to attend an emergency or critical care case.
E. Topic Rounds: All medicine students (VCS453, VCS454) will attend a topic discussion on second Friday of the rotation from 9:00 - 10:00 a.m. Faculty will present selected topic reviews at that time. Be prompt.
Housing is the responsibility of the visiting student.