PEDI 300 - Clinical Pediatrics

[304 Hours]

A clinical clerkship of eight weeks is served on the general pediatric, newborn wards and ambulatory clinics of the Children’s Hospital of New Orleans. A few students also have the option of serving the entire eight week clerkship on the Pediatric services of University Medical Center, Lafayette. Students are assigned patients on admission by rotation, and are responsible for taking histories, examining patients, and assisting in the work up of patients under staff supervision. Utilization of each patient as a learning experience in total child care is approached through completion of a pediatric work up involving assessment of the child’s mental and physical growth and development, nutrition, and socio-economic factors. Teaching rounds and conferences are held daily, but the student is expected to exercise initiative in learning about his/her own patients as well as other patients on the team. Students present cases to the pediatrics faculty and other members of their block. Significance and techniques of health/maintenance are emphasized through participation in well child clinics. Students spend time in local pediatricians’ offices in order to get a balanced appreciation of the practice of pediatrics. Didactics for the course include participation in Pediatrics Forums, small group modules aimed at helping students learn curricular material and gain clinical reasoning skills.