Courses, Clerkships & Electives

Course #: MFSK201
Course Credit: 5

Directors:

Tom Poole, PhD (Cell and Developmental Biology)	Christine Stork-Medicis, PHARMD, MPH (Poison Center)

Administrator:

Emma Callahan-Brittain

 

This first Unit will prepare you for rest of the MS2 year and the Step 1 exam by focusing our attention on principles of pharmacology and general pathology. The foundations of pharmacology and pathology will include mechanisms of drug effects, cell injury and death, tissue repair and regeneration. We will then consider the pathogens responsible for, and the treatment of, skin infections.

Course #: MHON201
Course Credit: 4

Directors:

Diana Gilligan, MD, PhD (Biochemistry and Molecular Biology)	Scott Blystone, PhD (Cell and Developmental Biology)

 

Administrator:

Lizel Stover

 

Unit 2 covers benign and malignant disorders of blood and lymphatic organs. Hematopathology and molecular diagnostics are emphasized in the differential diagnosis of leukemias and lymphomas. Inherited and acquired blood disorders are studied, including defects in the development of blood cells and blood clotting factors. The selective and appropriate use of blood components in transfusion medicine are presented. Blood-borne pathogens are discussed with an emphasis on HIV pathophysiology, clinical presentation, and treatment. Pharmacological agents used to treat cancers are presented. The immunological basis for many hematological disorders is discussed and novel treatments that are immune-based are covered.

Course #: MENR201
Course Credit: 5

Directors:

Mary Lou Vallano, PhD (Neuroscience & Physiology)	Rachel Hopkins, MD (Medicine)

Administrator:

Lizel Stover

 

High yield clinical content in the Unit includes syphilis, systemic lupus erythematosus, sexually transmitted infections, arthritis, gout, breast cancer, and male and female reproductive pathology. Renal pathophysiology receives comprehensive attention in this Unit. Pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, and bone pathology, including derangements in metabolic homeostasis, will be covered. The pharmacology related to treating alterations within endocrine axes will be coupled with clinical case discussions. Congenital and consequent neonatal infection will be surveyed. Step 1 relevance will be maintained throughout by citing histopathologic, laboratory, radiographic, and patient characteristics that betray the mechanistic underpinnings of disease, which drive the Step 1 examination.

Course #: MCVR201
Course Credit: 5

Directors:

Rebecca Greenblatt, PhD (Microbiology/Immunology)	Amit Dhamoon, MD, PhD (Medicine)

 

Administrator:

Lizel Stover

 

This Unit builds on the foundation of MS1 Unit 5.  Students will use their knowledge of normal cardiac and pulmonary function as they learn to differentiate the deficiencies associated with infection, neoplasm, and anatomical pathology. Successful learners will be able to describe the common diseases that affect these systems, the most useful imaging and laboratory tests for differentiating among them, and the first-line treatments. When the first-line treatment is pharmacological, the Unit will include discussion of dosage and side effects. Lectures will include multiple examples of clinical relevance, and will coordinate, as do all other units, with case-based learning in the Foundations of Reasoning in Medicine course and clinical learning in the Practice of Medicine course.

Course #: MGSI201
Course Credit: 4

Directors:

Syed Bukhari, MD (Medicine)	Rebecca Greenblatt, PhD (Microbiology/Immunology)

 

Administrator:

Interim: Steven Doles

 

This Unit builds on the foundations of MS1 Unit 7 and MS2 Unit 5. Students will use their knowledge of normal endocrine and digestive function to understand the deficiencies associated with infection, neoplasm, and anatomical pathology of the pancreas, liver, and GI. Successful learners will be able to describe the common diseases that affect these systems, their clinical manifestations, the most useful imaging and laboratory tests for differentiating among them, and their first-line treatments. When the first-line treatment is pharmacological, the Unit will include discussion of dosage and side effects. Lectures and team-based learning sessions will include multiple examples of clinical relevance, and will coordinate with case-based learning in the Foundations of Reasoning in Medicine course and clinical learning in the Practice of Medicine course.

Course #: MNSY201
Course Credit: 5

Directors:

Dana Mihaila, MD, PhD (Cell and Developmental Biology)	Gita Ramamurthy, MD (Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences)

 

Administrator:

Lizel Stover

 

 

 

 

 

 

Unit 5 Nervous System will provide a vertical integration with the anatomy and physiology of the nervous system studied in the first year, as well as a horizontal integration between behavioral sciences, pathology and pharmacology of the nervous system in the second year. Students will be guided toward a clear understanding of human behavior, behavioral manifestations of illness, psychopathology, diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders, including the pharmacological principles of modern therapeutics (mechanism of action, clinical indications and side effects of the drugs). CNS and muscle pathology will be described with an emphasis on common tumors in adult and pediatric populations, as well as common neurodegenerative conditions. Modern evolving areas such as chronic traumatic encephalopathy and molecular features of tumors will be covered. Eye, and head and neck pathology, will also be discussed. Histologic features and prognosis will be emphasized.

Course #: MFRM201
Course Credit: 5

Director:

Matthew Thornton, MD (Emergency Medicine)

 

Administrator:

Amber Gray

 

This longitudinal course is designed to promote the thought processes necessary to develop a student's intellectual capacity as a practicing physician. Similar to FRM-1 in the MS1 year, FRM-2 is an active, case-based learning course that integrates with the horizontally constructed system-based Units of year 2, in order to align with content for each individual block. These interactive sessions are done in small groups of approximately 10 students. FRM-2 is primarily designed to teach the clinical reasoning skills necessary to evaluate patients, understand disease and make rational, evidence-based decisions. These goals will be accomplished through small group sessions, during which students will be expected to work through clinical cases in order to elicit the main teaching points of the sessions, develop differential diagnoses, and concept maps for the diagnosis and treatment of the disease their simulated patients will possess. Students will continue to have exposure to the domains of ethics, law, biostatistics, epidemiology, economics, public policy, medical anthropology and sociology, and population health, which were taught during Patients to Populations in the MS1 year. In addition, Evidence Based Medicine (EBM) is a component of this course.

Course #: MPOM201
Course Credit: 8

Directors:

Marissa Smith, MD (Pediatrics)	Paul Klawitter, MD, PhD (Emergency Medicine)

 

Administrator:

TBD

 

Students will further master efficient medical interviewing, physical examination and communication skills with patients. Students will explore how to synthesize data gathering information into a plausible explanation of the patient’s health status. Students will learn patterns of disease and syndromes in a small group setting with peers and by working closely with standardized patients. They will also continue to develop their skill at efficiently presenting a patient in, and develop initial treatment plans for, a variety of common diagnoses seen in clinical practice.

Syr/Bing Course #: CBHX2400
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 1

Director: Thomas Curran, MD
Syr Administrator: Kathy Szczech
Site Director: Sally Hartwick, MD
Bing Administrator: Donna Dranchok

In this longitudinal concurrent case-based course which spans the third year, students meet in small groups with a faculty tutor to discuss ethical issues presented in patient care and practice communication skills. Students bring their own cases for discussion, and faculty provide other cases to provide the opportunity to discuss and learn about ethical principles and a method of case analysis for ethical concerns raised in patient care. Advanced communication skills are addressed in this course.

Syr/Bing Course #: EMED1300
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 2.5

Directors: Jennifer Campoli, DO
Syr Administrator: Denise Dexter
Site Director: James Distin, MD
Bing Administrator: Julia Milewski

EM Pocket Card

This two week rotation introduces students to core concepts and principles in Emergency Medicine. Emphasis is on focused history and physical examination skills, developing a differential diagnosis, and developing clinical care plans. Principles of trauma care, shock and critically ill patients, and other acute life threatening illness will be taught in the clinical setting as well as in the Simulation Center.

Syr/Bing Course #: FAMP1600
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 4.5

Directors: Tom LaClair, MD
Syr Administrator: Meghan Bocyk
Site Director: Lazarus Gehring, MD
Bing Administrator: Donna Dranchok

FM Pocket Card

"This ambulatory-based clerkship provides training in the basic tenets of primary, family-based care. Clinical preventive medicine and the treatment of acute and chronic diseases are emphasized in both clinical and didactic aspects of the clerkship.

What are the goals of the clerkship? The goals of the clerkship are for every medical student to:

• have point-of-care training in a family doctor’s office
• demonstrate competence in the core knowledge and skills of family medicine
• understand the role of the family physician

Additionally, students will recognize that high quality information, balanced with patient preferences and clinical judgement, is the basis for intelligent decision making. Developing an understanding of the intellectual process and acquiring the skills for life-long learning will assist students in achieving the goals of the Family Medicine Clerkship."

http://www.upstate.edu/fmed/education/clerkship.php

Syr/Bing Course #: MDCN2000
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 10

Director: Zachary Shepherd, MD
Syr Administrator: Lisa Oliver
Site Director: Abdelhamid Ben-Selma, MD
Bing Administrator: Maureen Savona

IM Pocket Card

Through active participation in the care of inpatients and outpatients, the third-year student continues to develop knowledge and skill in diagnosis and acquire experience in the fundamentals of treatment.Students take medical histories, perform physical examinations and outline programs of treatment on assigned patients.

Syr/Bing Course #: NEUR3000
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 5

Directors: Michael Vertino, MD, Michael Galgano, MD (Neurosurgery)
Syr Administrator: John Reidy
Site Directors: Yahia Lodi, MD 
Bing Administrator: Maureen Savona

Neuro Pocket Card

This five-week clerkship integrates neurology and neurosurgery instruction. Students see common and uncommon neurological disorders and obtain concentrated training in taking a neurological history and performing a neurologic examination. A core curriculum emphasizes neurologic topics common in general practice. Core Topics in ophthalmology are also included.

Syr/Bing Course #: OBGY3600
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 5

Directors:  George Stanley, MD
Syr Administrator: Christine Rydelek
Site Director: Patrick Ruggiero, MD
Bing Administrator: Kelly Cortright

OB/Gyn Pocket Card

Online core topic modules and active participation in patient care form the basis for this clerkship. We provide clinical opportunities for students to develop skills and knowledge related to antepartum care, management of normal labor and delivery, postpartum care, and common ambulatory and inpatient gynecologic concerns. We emphasize the importance of women's health care in all aspects of a well-educated and prepared physician.

Syr/Bing Course #: PEDS5600
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 5

Directors: Jennifer Nead, MD & Leah Bennett, MD/MPH
Syr Administrator: Chris Kuehnle
Site Director: Karolina Petro
Bing Administrator: Kelly Cortright

Peds Pocket Card

Provides students with a basis for understanding the interrelationships of growth factors and development in health and disease. Students develop basic skills in taking pediatric histories; perform physical examinations on newborns, infants and older children; assess the childrens developmental levels; and interpret clinical data. Preventive pediatrics is emphasized.

Syr/Bing Course #: PRVM6400
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 0.5

Director: Travis Hobart, MD, MPH
Syr Administrator: Zoreslava Osiv
Site Director: Christopher Ryan, MD
Bing Administrator: Donna Dranchok

Pop Health Pocket Card

A longitudinal course covering public health, clinical prevention and emergency preparedness topics during the clinical rotations.

Syr/Bing Course #: PYCH6800
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 5

Directors: Rachael Kuch-Cecconi, MD
Syr Administrator: Cassandra Read
Site Director: Purushothaman Muthukanagaraj, MD
Bing Administrator: Maureen Savona

Psych Pocket Card

In this psychiatry clerkship, students learn interviewing techniques, refine diagnostic skills, prepare case studies and participate in the treatment programs of the ward to which they are assigned. Liaison/consultation psychiatry is also emphasized. Students learn to evaluate patients in the ER and outpatient clinics. Faculty provide seminars to review psychopathology and treatment methods.

Syr/Bing Course #: SURG8200
Syr/Bing Course Credit: 7

Directors: Alex Helkin
Syr Administrator: Rebecca Bellini
Site Director: Leonard Anderson, MD
Bing Administrator: Julia Milewski

Surgery Pocket Card

During this clerkship, the student participates in the care and management of patients on general surgical services as well as subspecialty services. Bedside, clinic, and operating room instruction is supplemented by Wise MD case and Skills Modules and sub-speciality lectures. Students learn to recognize problems of a surgical nature, to understand the relevant pathophysiology and to gain some familiarity with surgical therapy.

Syr Course #: FAMP1650
Syr Course Credit: 4
Director: Lauren Meyer 
Syr Administrator: TBD

The Rural Medical Education Program, known as RMED, is an elective course tied to a clinical site placement for third-year medical students. Participating students complete the Family Medicine clerkship at a rural, or small town, clinical site. In addition, participating students complete the RMED Elective (FAMP1650) in a small-town environment. For the elective, an emphasis is placed on the continuous and comprehensive care of patients. Students develop skills in the diagnosis and management of a wide range of common ambulatory and secondary hospital problems of patients across the age spectrum. Students participate in office hours and conduct inpatient rounds, laboratory work, night call, and case presentations with community-based attendings. The Rural Medical Education Program maintains a number of host facilities/practices/hospitals and preceptors in rural areas but students are also able to pursue other sites through discussion with Dr. Lauren Meyer, Director of the Rural Medical Scholars Program. Students must have completed FAMP 1646 – Introduction to Rural Health – to participate. Preference will be given to those students that have completed all first- and second-year Rural Med coursework. Students with academic deficiencies or professionalism concerns cannot participate.

Intramural Electives

• The College of Medicine offers over 200 electives. In January of the third year, students enroll in the Elective Lottery to select their electives for the fourth year. This process is faciliated through the Registrar's Office and is described in detail here: Electives and Elective Lottery. All electives offered through the College of Medicine can be found in the Course Selection Handbook. If students want to create an elective experience that they do not see offered in the Course Selection Handbook, they can propose a Unique Elective.

Away Electives

• "Away Electives", which involves spending several weeks at other medical schools, at the Center for Disease Control or the National Institutes of Health, or seeing patients in medically underserved parts of the United States or in other countries. Some students take an away elective the summer after their first year at SUNY Upstate.

Unique Electives

•  Unique Electives, are electives proposed by students who wish to do research in a specific field which will allow them more in depth exposure to that particular area of medicine.  The forms should be filled out six weeks prior to the date that research/elective is scheduled to begin.

All MSIV are required to take at least one Acting Internship(AI) consisting of four credits at Upstate Medical University. Approved Acting Internships can be found here.

This required, three-credit capstone course is designed to prepare students for their first day as an intern. The course consists of large-group lectures, small-group discussions, procedures and simulations.

MSIV students are required to take and pass Step 2 CK as a graduation requirement. Our students must sit for both components of the exam by December 1st of their fourth year.

The CSE is required to be taken by all students transitioning to the MSIV year. Students must pass the CSE as a graduation requirement. The exam is taken in the Clinical Skills Center and consists of multiple stations that test the clinical skills acquired throughout the MSIII year.