Rotation: Neurology Elective
Site:
- VAMC, Amarillo
Instructors:
- Rachel Philip, M.D., Rush Snyder, M.D.
Makeup of team (responsibility of each team member):
- Attending on staff: Supervise, teach & examine patients with their team.
- Resident: Initial evaluation & follow up of inpatients, attend rounds, see new patients in the clinic, supervise and teach students, give brief presentations on topics.
Students: Examine and follow patients under resident's supervision.
Days per week (night call):
- Five days per week, no night calls.
Usual time of attending rounds (meeting place):
- Usually between 1 - 3 p.m. on the inpatient floor.
Types of patients encountered:
- Men and a few women, middle aged to elderly during inpatient, outpatient and consult settings.
Educational goals/competencies:
Patient care:
Obtain history and physicals and develop a clinical approach to localizing a lesion through a good neurologic exam, develop accurate assessment and plan, order pertinent labs and radiology investigations. Obtain practical experience in interpretation/reading CT, MRI, EEG, etc. Procedural competencies: lumbar puncture
Medical knowledge:
Get acquainted with common neurologic disorders including stroke, headache, seizures, spinal cord compression, neuropathy, disturbed gait, in coordination, loss of consciousness, memory impairment, weakness/paresis (generalized or localized), abnormal speech, sleep & movement disorders.
Interpersonal/communication skills:
Good history taking and interaction with patients, family members and other consultants, informed consent with procedures, prompt record keeping, entering unambiguous orders.
Professionalism:
Emphasize treating colleagues, nurses, and other health care staff with respect, maintain patient confidentiality, adhere to principles of academic integrity and demonstrate compassion in relationships with patients and families.
Practice-based learning and improvement:
Bedside teaching rounds, with emphasis on clinical findings, case presentation and formulation. Trainees are encouraged to attend formal didactic sessions including neurology morning report and lectures, to present topics after review of current literature, and to incorporate evidence based medicine system of learning.
Systems-based practice:
Knowledge of rehab programs in the area, criteria for qualification, use of social workers/case manager as resources.
Text/references to be consulted:
- Neurology section of Harrison's Textbook of Internal Medicine
- Weiner, H. and Levitt, L. Neurology for House Officer, Williams and Wilkins.
Methods of evaluation:
- Daily discussion of patient's problems or situations.
- Written evaluations are submitted by the attending on staff regarding intellectual skills as well as professionalism, ethics and humanistic qualities.