CLERKSHIP PROGRAM

Goals

To educate the medical student in the basic knowledge and skills of obstetrics and gynecology and to give the student clinical exposures to the practice of women's health care.

Educational Objectives

At the conclusion of this clerkship the medical student under direct supervision will be able to demonstrate the ability to successfully:

• Perform a breast exam on the female patient and teach the patient self-examination

• Perform a speculum and bi-manual exam on the female patient

• Perform the hand maneuvers involved in a normal, spontaneous vaginal delivery

• Tie square knots using two-hand, one-hand, and instrument tie methods

• Recognize the surgical instruments commonly used in gynecologic surgery

• Repair a (simulated) simple episiotomy

• Counsel the female patient experiencing menopause

• Counsel the female patient diagnosed with vaginitis

• Counsel the female patient seeking information about contraception

• Present an oral description of a surgical case to the faculty preceptor

• Write a complete obstetrical history on a patient

• Give a formal case presentation of a patient to colleagues and faculty preceptor

• Demonstrate the requisite knowledge of obstetrics and gynecology by formal written subject examination

MD2000

At the conclusion of the clerkship through successful completion of the assignments and evaluations, the medical student will have achieved intermediate level competency in all nine of the MD2000 Curriculum Objectives:

Abilities

I. Effective Communication

II. Basic Clinical Skills

III. Using Basic Science in the Practice of Medicine

IV. Diagnosis, Management, and Prevention

V. Lifelong Learning

VI. Self-Awareness, Self-care, and Personal Growth

VII. The Social and Community Contexts of Health Care

VIII. Moral Reasoning and Clinical Ethics

IX. Problem Solving

Summary

The Brown University School of Medicine requires a clerkship in Obstetrics and Gynecology. The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Women's and Infants Hospital is the site for this six-week clerkship. On this core rotation students spend three weeks in labor and delivery, two weeks on gynecologic surgery in the operating room, and one week in subspecialty ambulatory clinics.

Students are actively taught by nurse midwives, residents, and attending physicians expectant management skills of the laboring patient and the specific hands-on skills of delivering a baby.  On their obstetrics rotation, students spend five nights actively participating in urgent care, obstetrical triage, and labor and delivery. On the gynecologic surgery rotation, students scrub with attending physicians and residents to observe the range of surgeries performed, with a concentration on learning pelvic anatomy and following patients' postoperative course. Students get exposure to the subspecialties of ob/gyn during one of their weeks on the rotation.

Students in the continuity clinics with the residents and nurse practitioners learn how to perform an adequate history and physical exam, with particular emphasis on breast and pelvic examination.  Students also learn the basics in providing prenatal care and how to conduct an proper historical and physical exam on both obstetric and gynecologic patients.

Students are assigned a physician preceptor, a resident, and a nurse practitioner in the clinic. The full-time academic physician meets with the student to help him/her prepare for the case presentation, assists the student in preparing for the final examinations, and provides guidance on the student's medical career plans.

Students are evaluated for their clinical performance by their preceptors, nurse midwives, nurse practitioners, and residents. At the conclusion of the clerkship students must successfully complete a series Objective Structured Clinical Examinations that consist of a demonstration of the technical and communication skills they acquired during the clerkship. Students are also graded on their performance on a written examination, key features examination, case presentation, and lecture attendance. Students must receive a satisfactory score in all areas to avoid receiving a deficiency. A grading formula is used to determine students who are eligible for "Honors".

Students will have met the criteria below to successfully complete the clerkship. These experiences will be gained through clinical exposure and the OSCEs students complete at the end of the clerkship.  

For more information about the clerkship program, contact Lori Boardman, MD by email at

LBoardman@wihri.org