Course Objectives:     To enhance the student’s knowledge of emergency and critical care medicine by actively participating in management of patients presented to our Emergency Service and those critically ill patients in our Critical Care Unit.  A special emphasis will be placed on advanced monitoring and diagnostic techniques for the critical patient.

Duties of Student:    The student will assume responsibility for all phases of patient management, including obtaining a history, performing a physical examination, performing diagnostic tests (e.g. radiographs, blood tests, etc.), providing treatment, nursing care, client communication, and record keeping.  Other duties may be necessary as warranted by each individual patient’s needs.  Students will be divided into two shifts:  day and evening.  The day shift students perform 8AM treatments for patients in the ECCM Service. Day shift students then participate in cage side rounds at 8AM and receive cases 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the night shift students receive cases 3:00 p.m. to midnight.  Instructional rounds will be given most days from 3:00 – 5:00 p.m Monday through Friday caseload permitting. Each student will be assigned to day shift for half of the rotation and to night shift for half of the rotation.  All students work six days per week (1 day off, taken Tuesday – Thursday in most circumstances).  The Emergency and Critical Care Medicine Service operates 24/7/365.  As such, patient care responsibilities will extend into and including all holidays that may fall during a given clinical clerkship with the exception of the Christmas and New Year holidays. The faculty reserve the right to modify the schedule to best meet the teaching, service, and research missions of the ECCM Service.

Evaluation of Student’s Performance:   Students will be evaluated based on their history and physical examination skills, medical knowledge, application of knowledge, clinical skills, record keeping, patient care, communication skills (client, faculty, staff), and attitude.  Completion of assigned CVM Core Competencies is required for this rotation. Completion of Clinical Competencies for SCS 695 is mandatory for successful completion of this clerkship.

Required Texts or Reading Assignments:   Students are expected to read as needed to fulfill the objectives and duties described above.  Assigned reading will be forwarded via e-mail on or before day 1 of the rotation.  Most appropriate texts and journals are available via the MSU library.

Recommended Reading:   Journals and current veterinary texts as needed to enhance case management. 

Required Equipment:    Leash, stethoscope, bandage scissors, suture removal scissors, penlight, reflex hammer (plexor)

Dress Code:    Clean white coat.  Appropriate clinical attire.  No jeans.  Clean surgical scrubs acceptable. Sweatshirts, fleece, etc. are unacceptable when seeing clients.

Time/Location to Report First Day of Rotation:  7:00 a.m., Small Animal Intensive Care Unit for orientation.  After orientation students will be assigned a day and night shift duty schedule for the remainder of the rotation.