Giving students the opportunity to observe and participate.
This fourth-year elective provides the student with the opportunity to immerse him/herself in a true combined EM/IM clinical experience. It is primarily an emergency medicine elective (allowing a full standardized EM evaluation), that also gives exposure to internal medicine in both the outpatient and inpatient settings.
Our MS4’s will have at least 10 shifts in the emergency departments of Christiana Hospital in Newark (annual ED census 120,000+) and Wilmington Hospital in Wilmington (annual census 65,000+).
This will provide them with the opportunity to experience both the intensity of a high volume, high acuity, tertiary care facility and the complexities of a county-type, inner city facility. Our system does not have many subspecialty residencies, which allows our residents to gain experience in all types of procedures. Several shifts are with a dedicated teaching resident providing individualized instruction.
Additionally, students are paired with upper level EM/IM residents to work at least three to four days on one of the inpatient units (ICU or medicine floor), and at least two half days in the outpatient setting. The EM/IM clinic at Wilmington hospital provides a unique perspective on caring for medically complex patients in an underserved urban setting. While the internal medicine exposure is not to the level of a full sub-internship, students definitely get a great feel for what it is like to be a combined EM/IM resident at ChristianaCare. There is daily interaction with EM/IM trained residents and faculty, as well as ample time spent with the EM/IM program director for input and feedback.