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GENERAL SURGERY THIRD-YEAR
CLERKSHIP
THE PHILOSOPHY
The Surgery Clerkship will expose students to the principles and practice of surgery, recognizing that most students will have no further formal surgical education. These questions underlie the educational objectives:
- How does one appropriately evaluate the common surgical problems?
- How do surgeons make interventional decisions and prioritize the treatment options?
- How does one weigh the risks and benefits of the treatment options? (considering the patient's problem, overall health, and life expectancy)
- How are post-operative outcomes assessed?
The clerkship will address these broad questions through the defined core curriculum seminars and problem sets on which the seminars are based. The objectives will be further augmented by your participation on the clinical team. You will be expected to assume responsibility for patient care and participate in the evaluation of patients and the decision-making process. Participation in the seminars will:
- Provide an opportunity to solidify your knowledge base and problem solving skills.
- Provide an opportunity to ask questions and participate actively in the learning process.
- Facilitate the development of your skills of self-directed learning.
Participation on the clinical teams will:
- Provide an opportunity to see and solve problems.
- Demonstrate your initiative and professional behavior.
- Develop your interviewing and physical diagnosis skills.
- Enhance your work habits and interpersonal skills.
THE EVALUATION
THE CURRICULUM
The General Surgery
Third Year Clerkship is eight weeks in
duration. Students will spend
four weeks on a General Surgery rotation,
which focuses on the principles of General
Surgery.
Four weeks are spent
on general surgical rotations. Students
may choose from Surgical Oncology at
MCV
Hospital (MCVH), or General Surgery at
MCVH or General Surgery at the McGuire
Veterans Administration Hospital (VA),
or Trauma/Emergency Medicine at MCVH.
Students
may spend two or four weeks on the
following subspecialties:
Neurosurgery, Vascular Surgery, Urology,
Cardiothoracic Surgery,
Plastic Surgery, Pediatric Surgery, Transplant
Surgery, Otolaryngology,
Orthopedics, Ophthalmology, or Community
Surgery.
While on the general
surgery rotation, students make a weekly
case presentation to the Chairman.
The core curriculum topics in surgery
are covered by the general surgery
faculty on Thursdays. Students are
also required to attend lectures, weekly
Grand Rounds and D&C
conferences. Each service has conferences
specific to their specialty and students
are expected to attend those conferences
as well. A list of these conferences
is in the course syllabus.
The Department
of Surgery has identified a rotation
liaison for each of the general
surgery rotations:
Dr. Huan Vu,
Surgical Oncology at MCVH
Dr. Rao
Ivatury, Trauma and Emergency Surgery
at MCVH
Dr. Jeanie Savas, General Surgery
at VA Hospital
Dr. James Maher, General
Surgery at MCVH.
Dr.
Jeannie Savas is the General Surgery Clerkship
Director
Each student will turn in a case report
following the examples in their student
handbook at the end of his or her first
four-week rotation. Dr. Savas will grade
these reports, which count as part of
the final grade. The department gives
the National Board of Medical Examiners
Shelf Exam at the end of the eight-week
period.
Students will be expected
to assume responsibility for patient
care and participate in the evaluation
of patients and the decision-making process.
Participation in the clinical teams will
provide the opportunity to see and solve
problems, demonstrate initiative, develop
interviewing and physical diagnosis skills
and enhance work habits. The core curriculum
seminars will provide an opportunity
for students to solidify their knowledge
base and problem solving skills. Students
are expected to read, ask questions and
participate actively in the learning
process.
HOW TO CONTACT US
Jeannie Savas, M.D.
Director, M-III Surgery Clerkship
VA Surgical Services
2nd Floor, Room 2A-180
Richmond, VA 23298-0068
Phone: 675-5000 (ext 2915)
Email: jasavas@vcu.edu
Diane Hundley
Coordinator, M-III Surgery Clerkship
West Hospital, 16th Floor, East Wing
Room 16-201
P.O. Box 980443
Richmond, VA 23298-0443
Phone: 827-1032
Fax: 828-5595
Email: cdhundle@vcu.edu
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