Course Objectives

The course objectives are designed to achieve the clinical competencies and objectives of the Florida State University College of Medicine as applied to pediatrics, as well as to incorporate the educational objectives of a third year-clinical clerkship in pediatrics as defined by the Committee on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics.
 

There is one critical competency:
The student will be able to recognize the child who is seriously ill
 

Learning Objectives
The student will:
I. Demonstrate appropriate core knowledge of the Pediatric Patient

a. Describe the signs and symptoms of the common acute pediatric illnesses (as based on the COMSEP curriculum)

b. Describe the signs and symptoms of the common chronic pediatric illnesses (based on the COMSEP curriculum)

c. Be able to RECOGNIZE THE CRITICALLY ILL CHILD

II. Participate in Pediatric Inpatient Care

a. Obtain and present the historical and PE findings necessary to assess the hydration status of a child

b. Calculate and write orders for “rescue” bolus IV fluids

c. Calculate and write orders for IV maintenance fluids

d. Calculate drug dosages for a child based on body weight

e. Discuss the “ABC” assessment of a critically ill or injured child

f. Demonstrate knowledge of how to use ORS for mild to moderate dehydration

g. Interpret laboratory and imaging studies

h. Observe the delivering of “bad news”

i. Recognize the readiness for newborn discharge

j. Participate in negotiating a discharge plan with a family

III. Demonstrate an ability to provide age-appropriate anticipatory guidance

a. Identifying when a child is ill (teaching the parent to do this)

b. Injury prevention, including infant safe-sleep position

c. Nutrition

d. Growth and Development

e. Immunizations

f. Poisoning hazards

g. Choking hazards

h. Water safety and prevention of drowning

IV. Advise mothers regarding Breast-feeding issues

a. Describe advantages of breast-feeding

b. Recognize common difficulties experienced by breastfeeding mothers

c. Advise how to approach the jaundiced newborn who is being breast-fed

d. Experience working with allied health professionals who teach breast-feeding (lactation consultants, OB nurses, nursery nurses, etc)

V. Demonstrate the ability to assess Growth and Development

a. Accurately measure and plot OFC, height, and weight on age-appropriate standardized growth charts

b. Recognize normal and abnormal growth patterns, particularly FTT

c. Calculate the BMI and use this in the assessment for obesity

d. Demonstrate an ability to assess the following using appropriate resources:

i. Psychosocial development

ii. Language development

iii. Motor development

iv. Physical maturation, including signs of puberty (Demonstrate knowledge of the Tanner Scale)

e. Demonstrate an understanding of gestational age as it relates to growth and development

VI. Perform accurate and comprehensive physical examinations:

a. Perform a complete newborn physical examination, to include the Ortolani and Barlow hip maneuvers, as well as assessing for the red reflex

b. Observe a gestational age assessment using the Ballard scale

c. Perform complete physical examinations of the infant, including hip examinations

d. Perform complete physical examinations on toddlers

e. Perform complete physical examinations of the school-age child, including sports-assessment physical exams

f. Perform at least 1 physical exam on an adolescent patient that demonstrates respect for privacy and modesty, and employs a chaperone when appropriate

g. Learn techniques for examining the infant and toddler while on mother’s lap

h. Look for signs of physical or sexual abuse as part of all physical examinations; Summarize the physical findings expected in the “shaken-baby” syndrome, and describe the responsibilities for reporting suspected events

VII. Successfully conduct “dyad” interviews:

a. Student must include age-appropriate questions to the child as well as the questions to the parent or caretaker

b. Conduct a full adolescent interview using the HEADSS method to ask sensitive questions:

 i. The student successfully separates the patient from the parent for the HEADSS interview

 ii. The student remembers to address the issue of confidentiality with the adolescent

 iii. The student addresses the life style-choices of the adolescent (potential high-risk behaviors), including alcohol use, tobacco use, recreational drug use, and sexual behaviors. If the adolescent is engaged in high-risk behaviors, the medical student responds in a non-judgmental manner

 iv. The medical student will specifically ask the adolescent about any suicidal thoughts

VIII. Demonstrate professionalism in relating to children, families, faculty, and staff

a. Self-analyze to become aware of personal biases or prejudices

b. Respect cultural differences observed in varying patient populations

c. Observe rules of privacy and confidentiality