M3 Elective Offerings

M3 Elective Offerings were created as an opportunity for M3 students to be exposed to specialties during a two week experience.  These electives may also be taken in the M4 year based on availability.

FUNDAMENTALS OF DERMATOLOGY

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: No prerequisites for M3 students

THIS ELECTIVE IS OFFERED NOV – APRIL ONLY

PURPOSE: This elective will be a beginning exposure to the evaluation and care of outpatient dermatology patientsas well as an opportunity to learn from scheduled formal lectures, conferences, journal clubs, and inpatient consultations. Students may select this elective in order to explore the specialty of Dermatology or to have an earlier experience in advance of the M4 Dermatology elective.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES: 

  • Students should be able to perform a thorough skin exam
  • Accurately describe skin lesions using precise dermatologic language
  • Formulate a differential diagnosis and construct a logical treatment plan for common dermatologic diagnoses
  • The following competencies will be developed:  Obtain a full appropriate medical history; perform a skillful physical examination; Formulate a differential diagnosis and problem list; utilize data to reason and solve problems; Develop management plans; Consider cultural and socioeconomic factors in management options; Forma an effective therapeutic relationship; Construct a therapeutic plan for relieving pain, ameliorating suffering and Directed toward specific resolution of health problems; Counsel and educate patients and their families; Apply the principles of epidemiology and evidence-based medicine

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: Students involved in the elective will participate in all clinical and educational activities that may include lectures, seminars and the Dermatology Clinical Conferences. Instructional methods will include one-on-one teaching between student, residents and faculty members. Students will be able to observe patient evaluations, treatment planning and surgical procedures. Students will be exposed to a diverse patient population with a variety of skin disorders.

ASSESSMENT: Subjective clinical evaluation by faculty and/or residents  at the end of the rotation.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Program Number: ELEC 452
Location: UI Health – OCC; 1801 W. Taylor St, Suite 3E
Program Director: Dr. Michelle Bain
Coordinator: Barbara Balleza
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 312-413-7767
Duration: 2 weeks
Night Call:
No
Weekends:
No
Students Accepted: Min. 1 Max. 1

Lectures/Conferences per week: 2
Lab Hours per week: 0
Independent Study Hours per week: varies
Inpatient Hours per week: 0
Outpatient Hours per week: 12-16
Total number of hours per week: 30
Number of weeks of credit: 2

Updated: 6/16/20

FUNDAMENTALS OF MINIMALLY INVASIVE LAPAROSCOPIC SURGERY & ROBOTICS

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: Completion of Core M3 Clinical Clerkships is not required.

PURPOSE: 
This elective is intended for students interested in General Surgery with an emphasis on using minimally invasive surgery i.e. laparoscopic and robotic approaches.  The elective will allow students to experience all areas of operations involving abdomen-hepatopancreato biliary surgery, for gut operations, and colo/rectal surgery, thoracic, endocrine-thyroid, adrenal, parathyroid for benign and malignant pathology, bariatric surgery and some procedures involving transplantation-kidney.

COMPETENCIES:
Thorough working knowledge of minimally invasive procedures using both laparoscopic and robotic approaches.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: In addition to bedside,didactic rounds and outpatient clinics the students will also have the rare opportunity to try hands on simulation models and access to animals and the robotic lab when feasible with resident training.  Students will also be involved in divisional conferences and student presentations. Number of patients/week: 20   Inpatients and outpatients:60. Minimum of 4 weeks on rotation.

ASSESSMENT: Subjective clinical evaluation by faculty.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Requests to schedule this elective should be emailed directly to Tricia Harvat.

Program Number: ELEC 219
Location: UI Health
Program Director: Francesco Bianco, MD
Scheduling requests: Tricia Harvat – [email protected]
Coordinator: Danielle Jacobson – [email protected]
Phone: 312-355-1493
Duration: 2 weeks
Night Call:
Weekends:
Yes
Students Accepted: Min. 1 Max. 4
Housestaff Used as Faculty:
Yes
Lectures/Conferences/Faculty Contact:
Laboratory/Independent Study:  2-4 Hours
Outpatient: 6
Inpatient:
22
Total Hours /Week: 36

Reporting Instructions: The General Surgery team will wait for you at 6:15am at the surgery work room on the 8th floor. For assistance you can: Page the resident on call, pager #4101 (Dial 136from any campus phone and follow prompt instructions or dial312-996-2242 then enter pager 4101) or contact Dr. Bianco: email:[email protected], Pager 800.221.9116.

KEYWORDS: General Surgery, Hepatobiliary Surgery, Bariatric Surgery, Minimally Invasive & Robotic Surgery

Updated: 7/6/16

Fundamentals of Orthopaedics

PREREQUISITES:  Students must have completed their M3 Core Clerkships in Ob/Gyn or Surgery.

PURPOSE: The student should be able to perform physical examination of the musculoskeletal system, and should have the knowledge of principles, normal and abnormal findings of the various imaging modalities of the musculoskeletal system such as x-ray, tomograms, CT scan, MRI, and various nuclear scans. The student should also have theknowledge of etiology, clinical presentation, pathophysiology of the common musculoskeletal system disorders to be able to establish and formulate a treatment program.

COMPETENCIES:  In the process of completing this course students acquire the following competencies:
•   Diagnose and manage musculoskeletal trauma encountered in the emergency room or in primary care settings;
•   Evaluate and treat low back pain, tendon and joint injuries, and degenerative joint disease;
•   Recognize and evaluate musculoskeletal diseases and abnormalities that require specialized treatment.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES:
 Students will be assigned to the University of Illinois Hospital and clinics. The student will be assigned to the various services in small groups and will attend outpatient and inpatient activities. They will be provided with hands-on experience in examining the musculoskeletal system and in diagnosing and managing the various muscoloskeletal diseases. Students will rotate through the Orthopaedic Service Monday through Friday. Lectures and conferences will be conducted on Wednesday mornings. Students will be loaned the recommended reading textbook to be used during the two week rotation.

ASSESSMENT:  Student performance will be evaluated by Residents using the College of Medicine Clerkship Evaluation forms. Factors going into this will be performance skills and knowledge gained in patient evaluation and a written examination.
Recommended reading: Blueprints Orthopaedics, Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Program Number:  ELEC 340
Location:  UI Health
Program Director:  Alfonso Mejia, MD ([email protected])
Program Coordinator:  Janice Patton ([email protected])
Telephone:  312-996-7161 and 312-996-0223
Duration:  2 Weeks
Night Call:  Optional
Weekends:  Optional
Students Accepted:  1
Housestaff Used as Faculty:  
Yes
Inpatient/Faculty Contact:  4
Laboratory/Independent Study:  0
Outpatient:  36
Total Hours /Week:  40

Reporting Instructions:  Report to the Department of Orthopaedics, Room E290, for Orientation at 6:30 AM on the first day of the rotation. The Department of Orthopaedics is located at 835 S. Wolcott Ave Chicago, IL 60612.

Approved 10/06/22

Fundamentals of Otolaryngology

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: There are no prerequisites, but familiarity with sterile procedures and the operating room are helpful. Due to the limited number of rotating students the department can accept, priority will be given to M4s doing career electives during peak recruitment season (June-November). During this time, you will be placed on a waitlist and will be alerted of space for the elective 5 weeks prior to the start of the rotation.

PURPOSE: This rotation is a means for medical students regardless of career paths to increase their exposure to Otolaryngology. ENT complaints are some of the most common issues that patients raise to their physicians. Medical students who are interested in receiving subspecialty education on ear, nose and throat complaints will increase their ability to manage these conditions  whether they go on to primary care or other specialty. This rotation is also recommended for students considering otolaryngology as a career choice to help them confirm their choice and initiate faculty mentorship. The basic skills needed to perform a thorough head and neck examination will be demonstrated and students can gain exposure to pathologic disease processes.  Students will be assigned clinic and operating room experiences to become familiar with general Otolaryngology but may observe some subspecialty practices.

Students on this elective are expected to play a role in the inpatient care, outpatient clinic and in operating room procedures. Students will be introduced head and neck.  In the outpatient clinic, students may observe some basic endoscopic evaluation (rhinoscopy, flexible fiberoptic examinations).

In the operating room, students will be taught the basic operative techniques needed for maintenance of sterility, closure of surgical wounds, and prevention of complications. Because many of the areas in the head and neck have a very small working area, students are not scrubbed for all procedures, but endoscopic procedures are typically displayed on monitors.

COMPETENCIES:

-Perform a general head and neck examination;
-Recognize common disease states in the head and neck;
-Be able to initiate appropriate differential diagnosis and parts of the work-up for common head and neck disorders;
-Understand medical management of common disease states;
-Perform procedures to manage common disease states such as epistaxis, simple lacerations, nasal fractures, ear wax, tonsillitis/pharyngitis and tracheostomy problems.

We also expect that students will demonstrate professionalism, cultural competence and will display appropriate interactions with patients.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: This elective program includes student participation in outpatient and inpatient care of Otolaryngology-HNS patients. Students on the elective will be expected to play a pro-active role in care and management of Otolaryngology inpatients.  Students perform history and physical examinations, form initial differential diagnoses, develop a plan for further work-up of disease processes and suggest proper management. As unique diseases arise, students are asked to perform literature research to gain a deeper understanding of the disease process encountered. Students may be asked to present a patient to an attending in clinic and should anticipate questions so that the student is able to justify management decisions.  Students are provided with reading/online resources for self-directed study.

ASSESSMENT: Student performance is evaluated by house staff and attending faculty with exposure to the student using the standard College of Medicine Clerkship Evaluation form. Knowledge and skills are rated during patient care situations and throughout the course of students’ didactic discussions with various faculty members.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Program Number:  ELEC 343
Location:
UI Health
Program Director:   
Tatiana Dixon, MD

Program Coordinator: Caroline Simpson
Email: [email protected]
Phone:
312-996-4347
Duration: 
2 weeks
Night Call: 
No
Weekends: 
No
Students Accepted: 
0 Min / 3 Max
Housestaff used as Faculty:
Yes
Inpatient / Faculty Contact:
Yes
Laboratory / Independent Study: 
5
Outpatient: 
No
Inpatient: 
Yes
Total Hours / Week:
40

Reporting Instructions:  Report to the coordinator at 1855 W. Taylor, EEI, Room 242.
Reporting Time:  9:00 am

Updated: 8/29/19

FUNDAMENTALS OF RADIOLOGY

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: none

PURPOSE:
In the current practice of modern medicine, imaging play an important role in providing diagnosis, treatment, and minimally invasive interventions. The widespread use of imaging tests is also contributing to the increased burden of healthcare costs and the potential of exposing patients to unwarranted risks such as radiation. The purpose of this course is to provide an introduction to radiology, including the basic science principles underlying various imaging modalities, their appropriate use in clinical practice, and understanding of the limitations of the technology.

The exposure to radiology will serve as a strong knowledge foundation in diagnostic and interventional radiology, as an appropriate and necessary component of undergraduate medical education to in-training physicians in all medical specialties.

OBJECTIVES:

  • Obtain wide exposure to clinical radiology and various subspecialties within the field of radiology, including X-Ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, Breast imaging and interventional radiology
  • Gain a general understanding of the basic techniques and physics of various modalities used for medical imaging
  • Learn the essential roles of diagnostic and interventional radiology procedures in patient care
  • Understand normal anatomy and pathophysiology correlations with imaging
  • Become familiar with the indications and utilities of various imaging procedures in the diagnosis and management of patients
  • Understand the risks of radiation and contrast media, imaging-related costs, limitations and alternatives
  • Gain insight into the patient’s experience during the exam, and the necessary preparation before the exam
  • Acquire knowledge in radiologic pathology in commonly encountered problems, basic image interpretation in radiography, CT and ultrasound, and follow-up recommendation
  • Learn the importance of supplying appropriate clinical information when requesting imaging studies through EMR and to use radiologist as a consultant in clinical management

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES:  Learning activities could include the following: Lectures, case reviews, conferences, ward-round, outpatient evaluation, term papers, library work, literature reviews, laboratory research, field activity, or group work.

  • Student is assigned to the resident and attending radiologist in charge of the section/subspecialty to participate in imaging review sessions and interventional procedures
  • Student will assist radiology residents in reading rooms by looking up EMR and research indications for imaging studies, communicate urgent/critical results, review imaging protocols
  • Student will observe and assist technologists in performing imaging procedures
  • Student is required to attend multidisciplinary tumor board and daily resident noon case conferences
  • Student is required to complete a PowerPoint presentation on a selected imaging topic

ASSESSMENT: Based on:

  • Attendance and participation
  • Feedback from supervising radiology staff
  • Quality of PowerPoint case presentation

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Program Number:  ELEC 433
Location:  UIH
Program Director: Dr. Edward Michals
Email: [email protected]
Coordinators: Cara Hoover
Email: [email protected]
Duration: 2 weeks
Night Call:
Weekends: Yes
Students Accepted: Max. 4
Housestaff Used as Faculty: Yes
Lectures/Conferences/Faculty Contact: 35 hours
Laboratory: N/A
Independent Study:
5 hours
Outpatient: N/A
Inpatient: N/A
Total Hours /Week: 40

Approved:  01/03/23

FUNDAMENTALS OF TRANSPLANT SURGERY

DESCRIPTION:

Special Features:

1. Direct involvement and patient care opportunity under direct supervision of transplant attending surgeons.
2. Exposure to customized didactic sessions on transplant surgery and critical care
3. Participation in multiple organ donor procurements, both at UIC as well as outside (may involve chartered flights). These procedures are excellent opportunity to review and view surgical anatomy.
4. Participation in organ transplant procedures
5. Participation in transplant candidate evaluation


Service Organization

The transplantation section cares for patients involved in kidney,pancreas, and liver pre-transplant evaluation, transplantation, and post-transplant management. The working day is organized around morning work rounds, typically occurring at 7:30 am and briefer afternoon rounds at about 4:00 pm

Monday and Thursday are our scheduled operating days and typically will include living donor kidney transplants, vascular access surgery for hemodialysis patients and general surgery for transplant patients. Sometimes living donor liver or small bowel transplantation may take place as elective cases. Depending on elective surgery schedules,morning round may occur earlier than 6:30 am.

Necessarily, liver and pancreas transplants, as well as about half of the kidney transplants, occur on an urgent basis dictated by the availability of cadaver organ donors. This makes the schedule always contingent and subject to sudden revision.

There are no in-house calls for students. However, all surgery cases off hours are open for participation to interested students.

Newly-coming students shall contact Dr. Mario Spaggiari by email ([email protected]) prior to the first day of rotation to set up an appointment for introductory learning session. The feedback for the rotation will be given at the end of rotation. Without these two sessions the rotation shall not be considered complete. In his absence, Dr. Ivo Tzvetanov ([email protected]) will cover.

Students shall make their contact information available to the team of house staff and the attending on their first day of rotation.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

PROGRAM NUMBER:  ELEC 677

COORDINATOR:  Joanna Olazar
EMAIL: [email protected]
SITE: UI Health
STUDENTS ACCEPTED:  Max – 4

Scheduling Information: Please contact Tricia Harvat at [email protected] to schedule an elective.

Approved: 12/12/22

Fundamentals of Urology


PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM:
Students must be a current M3 student.

PURPOSE: Student clerks spend two weeks on the inpatient and outpatient Urology Service at University of Illinois Hospital.  The student will be assigned to the urologic service and will be supervised by an attending urologist.

COMPETENCIES:
In the process of completing this course, students acquire the following competencies:

-Perform a urologic history and examination sufficient to recognize commonly encountered urologic problems;
-Learn the principles of abdominal, prostate, and external male genitalia examination required for common urologic diagnosis;
-Develop ability to provide appropriate differential diagnoses for symptoms and physical findings encountered;

-Observe and become familiar with the common diagnostic procedures utilized by urologists to diagnose urologic disease;

-Become familiar with the various urologic subspecialty areas and understand what compromises appropriate therapy for the most common urologic diseases.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: The clinical clerkship comprises a two-week rotation with an orientation at the beginning. Dependent upon the hospital assignment, each student will have the opportunity to attend various conferences relating to urologic patient care. Students will also have the opportunity to observe both inpatient and outpatient urologic care, common urologic diagnostic procedures, both inpatient and outpatient surgical procedures. At the end of the rotation, the student should have gained a practical knowledge of the clinical field of urology, as well as a basic understanding of the more commonly encountered urological problems.

ASSESSMENT: Completion of an on-line College of Medicine “Final Course Evaluation” is required before receiving a final grade.

Recommended textbooks:  None required.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION

Program Number:  ELEC 383
Location:  MHMC/ALGH/SFH/WSVA/ACMC/UI Health/AIMMC
Program Director: Dan Garvey, MD ([email protected])
Program Coordinator: Namrata Soni ([email protected])
Telephone: 312-996-9331
Duration: 2 Weeks
Night Call: No
Weekends: No
Students Accepted: Min: 1  Max 4
Housestaff Used as Faculty:
Yes
Inpatient: 12
Outpatient: 25
Laboratory/Independent Study:
Total Hours /Week: 40

Reporting Instructions:  820 S. Wood St., Suite 515
Reporting Time: 
7:00 am

KEY WORDS: Urologic diagnoses, urologic diagnostic procedures, urologic therapy.

Updated:  6/26/17

FUNDAMENTALS OF VASCULAR SURGERY

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: Students must have completed the M3 Core Clerkship in Surgery.

PURPOSE:
Themajor objective of this program is to provide senior medical studentswith an in-depth experience in peripheral vascular surgery.Additionally, students will be given the opportunity to function asjunior house officers.

INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES: Thestudent will be involved in the initial diagnostic work-up, theoperative procedure and postoperative care and follow-up of patients onthe vascular surgery service. Time will be spent in a non-invasivevascular laboratory so that these diagnostic techniques maybe learned.The student will scrub on those patients for which she/he is responsibleand will be able to perform some basic surgical procedures. The studentwill also have the opportunity to participate actively in the frequentconferences and case presentations on ward rounds. The student will gainexperience in the care of patients with a variety of vascular diseaseincluding, but not limited to, carotid disease, PVD, aortic and venousdisease. At the end of rotation, students will also be expected toprepare a short presentation on a topic related to vascular disease.

ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Program Number: ELEC 702
Location: UI Health
Program Director: M. Borhani, M.D., [email protected]
Assistant Program Director: Dr. Havelka  Email:  [email protected]
Coordinator: Shellie Cross, [email protected]
Telephone: 312-996-8459
Duration: 2 Weeks
Lectures/Conferences/Faculty contact: 4
Night Call: No
Laboratory: 0
Weekends: Yes, depending on case and patient volume
Outpatient: 8
Students accepted: Min. 1, Max. 2
Inpatient: 28
Housestaff used as Faculty: Yes
Total hours/week:
40

KEYWORDS: Please contact coordinators 2 weeks prior to your scheduled vascular rotation

Updated: 10/9/15

FUNDAMENTALS OF WOUND CARE

PREREQUISITES AND PLACEMENT IN THE CURRICULUM: Completion of M3 Surgery Core Clerkship is not required.

PURPOSE: To provide medical and surgical experience to the treatment of complex non-healing wounds. This is including but not limited to the treatment of wounds of various etiologies such as diabetic, surgical, venous,arterial, and pressure wounds. Also, instruction is provided related specifically to debridement, skin substitutes, biopsies, as well as the use of wound healing modalities and negative pressure wound therapy.


COMPETENCIES: 
Students will review and understand the fundamental principles of wound healing and the physiologic sequelae of diabetes and malnutrition. Students will also gain knowledge of basic wound care and the management of complex wounds.


INSTRUCTIONAL FEATURES:
Students will participate in all aspects of the wound healing service, including and not limited to the care of inpatient and outpatient wound care problems, skin grafting and other surgical procedures both in an inpatient and outpatient setting, clinic, didactic, and attendance in weekly journal clubs. Number of patients/week: 20-40 inpatients and30-50 outpatients. Minimum of 2 weeks on rotation.


ASSESSMENT:
Subjective clinical evaluation by faculty.


ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION:

Program Number: ELEC 218

Location: UI Health
Program Director: W. Ennis, DO
Coordinator:  Shelley Cross   Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 312-996-3253
For Scheduling Elective contact:  Tricia Harvat  Email: [email protected]
Duration: 2 weeks
Night Call: No
Weekends: 1 weekend
Students Accepted: Min. 1  Max. 2
Housestaff Used as Faculty: No
Lectures/Conferences/Faculty Contact:
Laboratory/Independent Study: 0 hours
Outpatient: 20 hours
Inpatient: 18 hours
Total Hours/Week: 38

Reporting Instructions: Students should contact the coordinator a week in advance of the rotation to receive the schedule.

Updated: 5/10/21

Click here for the full M4 Elective Catalog.