GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE PEDIATRIC CLERKSHIP
(Adapted from Syracuse and Binghamton documents)

Welcome to the pediatric rotation!  We hope that you take this opportunity to learn as much as you can about young children and adolescents.  Below are some guidelines for your clerkship.

1. Each student will do a 3-week inpatient and 3-week outpatient rotation. Students are responsible for knowing their schedule and are expected to attend all assigned inpatient or outpatient services every day, except school holidays.  (For example, if the holiday is on a Monday, you are off, unless you have signed up to take call on the unit on that day).  Be on time for lectures.  If you must leave a clinical session to attend a lecture or are sick, you must inform your senior resident or attending.

2. Each student must complete four Denver Developmental Screens.  Each student must be observed performing three complete medical histories and physical examinations.  (These may be done at any time over the 6 weeks, but I recommend doing the H&P’s during inpatient and the Denver’s during outpatient).  You may be observed by a resident or an attending.  Your supervisor should give you specific feedback and sign off on them.  These must be handed in to Ms. Carol Plumley before the last day of the clerkship.  Failure to complete these assignments will result in a “conditional status” for the clerkship.

3. Student lectures are scheduled every day at 8am.  All lectures are in the 4A Conference Room (#4334), except for Wednesdays (#5342).  In the event of unforeseen schedule changes, an updated schedule will be posted on the bulletin board outside Conference Room #5342.  If you are still unsure if there is a lecture, contact Ms. Carol Plumley, the clerkship coordinator at 464-5800

4. One of our explicit goals is to develop students as independent learners.  Some students may believe that conferences will not help on the final examination and are not worth attending.  The pediatric faculty members commit a great deal of effort into your conferences and students have consistently rated the conferences highly.  They are geared toward the clinical care of patients in the inpatient and outpatient settings as well as to cover a broad curriculum for your final exam.  Conference attendance will be recorded. Students with three or less absences will have 3 points added on to their final examination.  Thus, conference attendance may result in a higher grade on your final examination.  (NB:  The exam score will be reported in the narrative without the 3 points.  The 3 points will be added only in determining your final grade).

5. Recommended reading:  An abridged copy of Nelson’s Essentials of Pediatrics will be provided for your use during the clerkship.  These are distributed on the first day of the clerkship.  You will be expected to return the book in good condition at the end of the clerkship.  (Please see the handout on references for further information).  Most students will read the Kaplan board review book or Blueprints, but we would discourage you from relying on this as your main source for studying.   

6. CLIPP cases:  Students are required to supplement their patient encounters with these interactive pediatric cases available through the internet-based Computer-assisted Learning in Pediatrics Project (CLIPP).  These 31 cases cover more than 90% of the curriculum content for the third year pediatric clerkship.  They will also help you prepare for the final exam.  You are responsible for completing the following cases:  1,2,4,6,8,10,12,13,14,17,18,19,25,27,29,31.  For students completing all required cases, 5 points will be added to your final exam score.  (NB: As with the lectures, the exam score will be reported in the narrative without the extra points, but these points could make a difference in your overall final grade).

Directions for registering and logging onto CLIPP:

1. Go to www.clippcases.org.  Click “go to cases” in the left column, it will take you to the login page
2. Click the “register” link and on the User Data page, type in name, institution and e-mail address.  Click OK.  The system will send you 2 e-mails with your login and password.  When you get them, on the login page:
3. Type in your login and password, then click “login.”  The case selection page will appear.  Click a case to open it.
4. Make a note of your login and password and use them whenever you access the cases.
5. Note that once you have done a part of a case, the system will save what you have done as a “session.”  When you log in, you will cone to a case selection page.  Click the “resume session” link below the name of the author, and the case will open where you left off.  Also, there is a Clipboard button on the bottom navigation bar, which will give you a way to go back to cards in the case that you have already completed.  It will not let you skip ahead!
6. Changing your password: (if you want to)
1. On the login page, type in your login and your current password.  Then click the Edit user data checkbox right below the password field.  Click Login.
2. A user profile page opens and there are two fields to type in your new password.  After you do that, click OK. 

7. Clinical encounter table:  All students will be given a “Clinical Encounter Table” in their packet.  This is designed to help us and you track the types of patients you are expected to see during your clerkship.  Mid-way through the rotation, we will meet to review your tables and determine whether you are meeting requirements or whether remediation is needed.  The tables should be handed in to Ms. Carol Plumley on the last day of the clerkship. 

8. Feedback: Faculty and residents will give you feedback during the rotation. While it is the instructor’s responsibility to give you feedback, it is your responsibility to ask/remind them to do so.  If you feel you are not receiving appropriate feedback, do not wait until the end of the clerkship to let someone know.  You will have the opportunity to evaluate the clerkship in a verbal debriefing with Dr. Sveen on the last day (Friday, 8:30am, 4A conference room).  You will also evaluate the course on the Pediatric web site at the end of the rotation.  We take all evaluations seriously and value your comments. 

9. The final exam will be at 9 AM in Room #5342.  It is the subject exam from the National Board of Medical Examiners.  Students are expected at their clinical assignments until Thursday evening of the last week (you do not need to take call on the Thursday of the last week).

10. Final Grades:  Grades in Pediatrics are Honors, High Pass, Pass, Fail, and Conditional.  Grades are primarily based on your performance in small group teaching sessions and during patient care/clinical activities.  Residents and attendings will be asked to provide evaluations of your performance.  Approximately 40% of the grade is based on the inpatient rotation and 40% on the outpatient rotation.  The exam will count for approximately 15% and the remaining 5% will include completion of required assignments (4 Denver developmental screens and 3 observed histories and physicals).  A deficient grade from either the inpatient or outpatient rotation will result in a conditional or fail, depending on your performance in the other areas.   As mentioned previously, your clinical performance will constitute the bulk of your grade (see grading sheet for description of grades).

Remember, we are here to help you learn and succeed.  While teaching you is our responsibility, learning is ultimately your responsibility.  If you are having difficulty with assignments, learning situations or need any help, please contact us as soon as possible. 

Clerkship Director:  Anne Sveen M.D. (office 464-2034, beeper 441-3440)
Associate Clerkship Director: Robert Hingre M.D. (office 464-9442, beeper 467-0943)
Clerkship Coordinator:  Ms. Carol Plumley (office 464-7577)