UAMS Pediatric Residency Education ELECTIVE Rotations

General Prerequisites:

*Of 7 elective months, 4 must be chosen from these. Another 3 may be chosen from the other electives. A maximum of 3 electives may be taken off campus.

Must be a 2^nd or 3^rd – year pediatrics resident; 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th-year med/peds resident.

Must be approved by chief residents and/or program director.

Elective

Purpose

Allergy/ Immunology*

-To develop a working knowledge of normal development and pathophysiology related to allergy and immunology

-To develop the ability to recognize clinical presentations & physical findings related to allergy & immunology

-To develop the ability to diagnose common diseases in allergy & immunology and to differentiate those that deviate from the norm and need consultation/referral

-To develop skills in interpretation of immunologic evaluation & testing

-To begin to establish an understanding of immunology, rheumatology, genetics, pulmonary & infectious diseases as they relate to the patient with allergic & immunologic disease

-To appreciate the role of clinical & basic research in the care of patients with allergic and immunologic diseases

Anesthesia

Bariatrics–Child & Adolescent

(Study of Obesity)

-To help the resident learn about the different aspects of pediatric overweight.

-Course aspects include prevention, identification, intervention, monitoring, research, and advocacy.

Cardiology*

-To perform medical and invasive cardiovascular procedures considered essential skills for a general pediatrician as part of a multidisciplinary health care team

-To develop an understanding of key principles related to the use of cardiovascular drugs

-To recognize risk factors and identify appropriate screening and prevention strategies for atherosclerotic heart disease and hypertension

-To distinguish normal from abnormal cardiovascular signs and symptoms and identify common cardiovascular conditions that generally do or do not require referral

-To practice cost-effective cardiovascular health care and resource allocation that does not compromise quality of care

Child Health Promotion

-To provide experience that will enable the pediatric resident to develop systems-based practices with an introduction to state or national legislative activities, introduce the resident to the art of lobbying advocacy, gain an understanding of how advocacy groups function, observe legislative committee hearings regarding issues which are important to children’s health and well being

-To develop a basic knowledge of key child health issues on the state and/or national level from the provider perspective

-To obtain practical exposure from the provider perspective to advocacy activities, either through direct exposure to the legislative process or participation in community health projects

Child Maltreatment

-To provide the resident an opportunity to enhance clinical skills and fill in information gaps

-To experience and develop an understanding of the overall process of evaluation and management of abuse and neglect cases, from initial disclosure and investigation to comprehensive intervention in medical, social, psychological, and legal domains

-To develop a working knowledge of common medical, social, and psychological associations and sequelae of physical and sexual abuse, and their relationships to the developmental stage of the child

Community Pediatrics

-To identify important community systems and explore the pediatrician’s relation to those systems

-To acquaint the resident with various aspects of the broader community, including community-based health organizations

-To acquaint the resident with public health issues and public health policy that affect children

-To develop an awareness of access to public health services

Dermatology

-To distinguish between normal and abnormal skin conditions in children

-To effectively diagnose and treat common skin disorders in children

-To become familiar with common topical therapy

Gastroenterology*

-To develop an understanding of the pathophysiology, epidemiology, and diagnosis of gastrointestinal/ nutritional diseases of children

-To develop a working knowledge of diagnostic tests and procedures used to arrive at an appropriate diagnosis

-To develop a basic knowledge of treatments in order to formulate the most appropriate plan of care for the patient

Genetics

-To develop an understanding of inheritance patterns and common genetic syndromes

-To become familiar with indications for specific metabolite testing and interpretation of metabolic laboratory reports

-To develop ability to interpret cytogenetic and/or molecular genetic reports

Health Policy Initiatives

-To provide exposure to the tools, techniques, and resources available to analyze and apply current medical knowledge to populations of individuals through public health policy initiatives, and/or participation in the discussion of unmet health needs. 

-To raise awareness of unmet needs/areas for improvement, which could be addressed through public policy initiatives at the state and national levels through the Arkansas Department of Health, the federal Center for Medicaid and Medicare Services, the state General Assembly or U.S. Congress, or through public/private partnerships of concerned groups such as the AAP, public school associations or employer groups. 

-Enable exposure to the pediatric resident for health policy development and implementation through current ACHI initiatives.

Hematology/Oncology*

-To develop an understanding of the evaluation and treatment of common hematologic problems, including anemia, hemoglobinopathies, and neutropenia

-To develop an understanding of common oncologic problems, their initial presentation, evaluation, and treatment strategies in children, including acute leukemias, brain tumors, Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphomas

-To develop skills in evaluation of and develop management plan for common complications of malignancy and chemotherapy

-To develop an understanding of acute and delayed side effects of commonly used chemotherapeutic agents

Infant Development

-To develop an understanding of normal infant development

-To learn to distinguish between normal and abnormal behavior, feeding, and other behavior-related issues

-To learn to distinguish between behavioral issues and signs of illness

-To learn to administer appropriate developmental tests, such as the Denver Development Test

Infectious Diseases*

-To develop an understanding of the importance of the epidemiological sciences as they relate to the infectious diseases of infants and children

-To develop the ability to make informed decision about diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for the different infectious diseases of children based on the patient

-To be able to utilize anti-infective agents, such as antibiotics, antifungals, antivirals, and antiparasitic agents

-To learn how to order and interpret the basic assays in the clinical microbiology, serology, and virology laboratories

Nephrology*

-To gain familiarity with the outpatient evaluation & treatment of common pediatric renal diseases, including hematuria, proteinuria, urinary tract infection, urolithiasis, enuresis, & hypertension

-To interpret basic laboratory & radiographic studies as they relate to renal anatomy & function

-To develop skills in the evaluation & management of common renal emergencies, including acute renal failure, hypertensive emergencies, and fluid & electrolyte disturbances

Neurology*

-To establish an understanding of basic neurological principles

-To be able to identify and demonstrate components of the neurological exam and to understand the emergency implications of certain neurological findings

-To develop an understanding of how to evaluate and develop a treatment plan for specific neurologic diseases seen in children such as epilepsy & headaches

Pharmacology/ Toxicology

-To develop specific medical knowledge about the recognition, management and associated complications of common poisonings and overdoses

-To develop an understanding the factors which might influence the measurement of drug levels of specific drugs

-To understand causes, classifications, and clinical findings of adverse drug events and medication errors with commonly used drugs

Psychiatry

-To provide an opportunity for residents to increase awareness and skill in evaluation and treatment of psychiatric disorders in a specialized pediatric setting

Pulmonary* - Outpatient

-To broaden experiences in an ambulatory setting relating to evaluation and management of patients with a variety of pulmonary diseases and conditions, including general pulmonary disorders, cystic fibrosis, asthma, bronchopulmonary dysplasia, technology-dependent children, and respiratory control disorders

-To develop knowledge of general principles of respiratory therapy

-To develop a working knowledge of service options for pulmonary patients, such as home mechanical ventilation, ambulatory flexible airway endoscopy, pulmonary function testing, etc.

Radiology

-To gain familiarity with the use of the radiologist as a consultant, feel more comfortable discussing radiologic procedures with patients and families and become more efficient in their choice for radiologic procedures for diagnosis and follow-up of pediatric patients

Research

-To develop fundamental skills of clinical research design, statistical methods, and data analysis

-To explore funding opportunities and develop writing skills for academic publications

-To develop paper or abstract to be submitted for publication or presentation

Rheumatology

-To develop the ability to make informed decisions about the diagnostic and therapeutic interventions for different rheumatological diseases of children

-To develop skills in ordering and interpreting basic assays in serology, as well as the ability to order and interpret surveillance laboratory data to follow patients with specific disorders and/or patients on specific medications

-To begin to establish an understanding of immunology, genetics, and infectious diseases as they relate to the rheumatological diseases of children

Special Interest

(Original)

-Enhance educational interests for which a particular elective rotation is not a part of the currently approved curriculum

Sports Medicine

-To perform a musculoskeletal exam appropriate for sport specific activities

-To develop an understanding of the importance of physical activities in the health of children, adolescents and adults

-To experience on the field coverage for sports activities and to understand the multidisciplinary approach to on the field emergencies

-To identify some of the most common sports injuries along with the mechanism of trauma and the physical findings associated with specific injuries

-To discuss health care provider coverage for mass activities such as races, etc.

Transport

-To develop skills in initial assessment and management of the severely ill and injured pediatric patient

-To develop skills all aspects of transport medicine, including EMS systems, flight physiology, flight safety, survival training, & stress management

-To develop skills emergency procedures, including endotracheal intubation, surgical airway placement, & intravascular access