Pediatric and Adolescent Medicine, Cardiology (Minnesota)
Description
Students in this elective are assigned to both the inpatient and outpatient pediatric cardiology teams under the direct supervision of a staff pediatric cardiologist. Most often, there will be pediatric cardiology fellows involved in the same educational experiences (or helping to provide the experience). The rotation typically consists of rounding with the inpatient team in the morning, followed by a variety of experiences in the afternoon catered to students' interests and the areas where there is the most activity.
For a minimum of two weeks, afternoons should be spent in the general pediatric cardiology clinic, as this is an area of highest yield for students' interests and the areas of most activity. Other afternoon experiences may include time in the echocardiography lab, electrophysiology lab, cardiac catheterization suite, heart transplant clinic, operating room and so forth.
Specific goals
- Become familiar with the clinical manifestations and course of patients with congenital cardiac defects
- Discuss basic diagnostic modalities in pediatric cardiology including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms and hemodynamic assessment in the catheterization laboratory
- Learn to take a history and perform a complete physical exam directed toward the cardiovascular system in both inpatient and outpatient settings
Activity outline
The students are expected to participate in morning rounds on the hospital service. The fellows help the students select patients of interest to take ownership of. Then the students pre-round on these patients daily and give a presentation of their daily course, history, physical examination and reports from consulting services.
The afternoons are primarily an observational experience in clinic. However, if students have any specific interests, we try to tailor their roles to those interests as much as possible. When involved in the outpatient clinical setting, students are expected to see patients prior to the consultant whenever possible, and join the consultant in discussing the patient's history and findings, and in planning any testing or observation. This may include interpretation of chest radiographs, electrocardiograms and echocardiograms. The spectrum of cardiac disorders evaluated in pediatric cardiology includes simple and extremely complex cardiac malformations, as well as patients with functional cardiac murmurs, arrhythmias, chest pain and syncope.
Conference schedule
| Monday | Tuesday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Students may also attend any general pediatric conferences including Thursday noon conference and Pediatric Grand Rounds. | ||||
|
6:30 a.m. |
7 to 8 a.m.Pediatric Case Conference | 7:30 a.m.Several conferences are held that change regularly (students discuss with fellows on service) | 7:30 to 8:30 a.m.Congenital Heart Center Grand Rounds (Core Conference) | 7:30 a.m.Several conferences are held that change regularly (students discuss with fellows on service) |
Method of evaluation
Evaluation is performed using personal feedback and MedHub evaluations. A pre- and post-test is available, which is recommended as well, and is typically administered in clinic at some point during the rotation.
Per Mayo Clinic institutional policy, faculty and residents/fellows will not complete any outside evaluations. You will be provided with an electronic performance evaluation via Mayo Clinic’s MedHub portal. A final summative evaluation will be sent to you and your school official upon completion of your clerkship.