The KU School of Medicine Emergency Medicine Clerkship is designed to provide MS4 students an immersive 4-week experience evaluating and managing patients with "undifferentiated" emergencies at The University of Kansas Hospital, a nationally ranked hospital and Level 1 Trauma Center. Students practice procedural skills and learn to recognize, resuscitate and stabilize seriously ill patients, as well as identify life-threatening pathologies. EM faculty provide direct supervision and bedside teaching. Students work clinical shifts, attend didactic lectures, participate in a specialized orientation and medical student didactic.

Educational Experience

• IV/US Access Lab
• Documentation
• EKG Review
• Simulation
• Chest X-Ray Review
• Airway Management

Goals

The Emergency Medicine Clerkship will expose the student to the skills needed for the management of acute, life-threatening illness and injury. The student will function at the level of a sub-intern and will be involved in all aspects of emergency care. From the patient’s initial presentation through diagnosis and development of the treatment plan, it is expected that the student will gain knowledge and confidence in his or her clinical diagnostic, therapeutic and procedural skills.  

Objectives

The student should be able to: 

• Assume responsibility for the management of patients at the level of a sub-intern.  
• Independently collect patient histories. 
• Independently perform physical exams.   
• Demonstrate the ability to generate appropriate differential diagnoses and develop diagnostic and therapeutic plans for patients presenting with the following complaints:  
  • Chest pain  
  • Shortness of breath  
  • Abdominal pain  
  • Vaginal bleeding and pelvic pain  
  • Headache  
  • Extremity trauma  
  • Lacerations and other minor wounds  
  • Fever  
  • Acute weakness  
  • Syncope  
  • Altered mental status  
  • Seizure  
  • Acute psychiatric complaints  
  • Back pain  
  • Acute trauma 
  • Acute ophthalmologic complaint  
  • Acute ENT complaints  
  • Pediatric patient 
• Participate in adult resuscitations and identify and describe the pathophysiology behind treatment protocols.  
• Demonstrate basic airway skills.  
• Demonstrate competence in basic procedural skills including venipuncture, suturing and IV placement.  
• Give concise and accurate verbal presentations and be able to defend your assessments and plans.  
• Communicate effectively with patients at the bedside, including counseling and education skills.  
• Demonstrate the willingness to engage in difficult conversations (with supervision).  
• Behave with honesty, integrity, respect and compassion toward all individuals. 
• Demonstrate punctuality and ability to complete patient care tasks efficiently.  
• Adhere to institutional guidelines, including those regarding attire, language, documentation and confidentiality.  
• Work effectively with residents, attendings, nurses and ancillary staff.  
• Recognize the role of the Emergency Department in the larger health care delivery system. 
• Identify advocacy and equity issues as they arise during the course of your daily clinical care.  

Clinical Responsibilities

• 13 clinical shifts
  • Develop data-gathering skills that are focused, complaint-driven, accurate and thorough
  • Compile data, differential diagnoses and create a management plan
  • Develop learning skills that focus on evidence-based medicine and critical appraisal of information
• 1 nursing/procedure shift
  • Observe an EKG being performed
  • Perform an EKG (tech assistance ok)
  • Observe a patient being placed on the monitor
  • Place a patient on the monitor
  • Start at least two peripheral IVs (with nursing assistance)
  • Start patient on supplemental O2
  • Observe two biocom reports
  • If possible, perform a straight cath or foley placement

Recommended Resources

• Tintinalli’s Emergency Medicine Manual

Clerkship Director: Kristi Bernath, M.D.

Dr. Kristi Bernath is a clinical assistant professor for the Department of Emergency Medicine and the director of simulation for the emergency medicine residency program. In addition, Dr. Bernath oversees the SANE program for the Emergency Department.

Interested applicants may contact Dr. Kristi Bernath, kbernath@kumc.edu, for further information.