Medical students program

Morristown Medical Center

4 weeks

• August–May
• 3 students per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The diagnostic radiology rotation provides a basic orientation to diagnostic radiology, including nuclear radiology, ultrasound, breast imaging, CT, MRI and special procedures.

Students will:

• Observe and become familiar with the mechanics and formats of fluoroscopic examinations, interventional procedures, ultrasound, nuclear medicine and CT scanning
• Conduct film interpretations on a one-on-one basis with staff radiologists in daily reading sessions
• Participate in daily teaching sessions for students and residents, covering specific areas of interest, moderated by a staff radiologist
• Utilize the extensive book and audiovisual library of selected radiologic topics and complete teaching files located in the department of radiology conference area

• To obtain a basic overview of diagnostic radiology
• To become familiar with numerous radiology procedures
• To gain knowledge in film interpretation
• To continue education via the extensive book and audio library
• To receive one-on-one interaction with radiologists

The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

• 4-week rotation: Work twelve, 8-hour shifts, including day, night, and weekend shifts
• 2-week ultrasound rotation: Monday–Friday scan shifts with the Ultrasound staff
• Prerequisite: 4-week emergency medicine clinical rotation

• Every month, starting on the first Monday of the month
• 11 students per month

• Successful completion of all rotations in pediatrics, surgery and internal medicine
• Students must be approved by the student education coordinator

The emergency medicine clinical elective offers 4th year medical students a challenging clinical experience with a broad range of clinical pathology in a closely supervised environment, emphasizing work ethic and interpersonal skills.

Students will:

• Attend a 5-hour conference, 7:00am–12:00pm every Wednesday
• Attend 7:00am–8:00am. Resident morning conference and present one 15-minute case presentation during their rotation.
• Have the opportunity to expand experience with optional ultrasound shifts, EMS ride along (trucks or helicopter) or autopsy observation

• To learn the basics of emergency medicine with one-on-one instruction from board-certified, attending physicians
• To participate in history taking and physical exams
• To determine diagnosis and treatment plan for patients

The attending preceptor will provide consistent written evaluations and will offer feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

4 weeks

• August–March
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The family medicine clerkship exposes 4th year medical students to Family Medicine in the inpatient and outpatient ambulatory care settings. Students will work with residents and attending physicians and will attend resident didactics.

Students will:

• Work with residents and attending physicians in outpatient ambulatory care settings
• Meet patients from a variety of backgrounds, take histories, conduct physicals, develop differentials, and present to attending physicians and senior residents
• Participate in home visits for homebound patients
• Round with the family medicine inpatient team and follow patients throughout their care
• Attend conferences and didactic sessions
• Participate in procedure training and skills workshops, learn suturing, perform joint injections and conduct gynecological procedures
• Work with ONMM fellowship trained physicians who perform OMM as a part of their primary care practice

• To understand family medicine in the inpatient and the outpatient ambulatory care settings (pediatric and neonatal, adult, maternal and geriatric patients)
• To develop definitive care plans in outpatient and inpatient settings and to expand outpatient care skills
• To perform and present a focused patient history and physical exam and to expand patient assessment and management skills
• To observe how family medicine is integrated into the spectrum of care delivered within a multi-specialty institution
• To learn the role of family medicine within the community
• To realize the importance of empathy and sensitivity to cultural and economic issues when interacting with patients and members of the health care team

The attending preceptors and residents will provide consistent written evaluations and will offer feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

2 or 4 weeks rotation

• August–May
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first or third Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The family medicine osteopathic neuro-musculoskeletal manipulation clerkship exposes medical students to osteopathic neuro-musculoskeletal manipulation (ONMM) in both the inpatient and outpatient settings. Students will work with attending physicians and fellows, delivering osteopathic manipulation therapy to patients of all ages, including women in labor.

Students will:

• Learn how to incorporate the core tenets of osteopathic medicine
• Work with fellow and attending physicians in the outpatient ambulatory care settings
• Develop familiarity with applying osteopathic manipulation therapy for pain and medically related complaints
• Meet patients from a variety of backgrounds and have the opportunity to perform ONMM on patients with a diverse assortment of ages and conditions
• Round with the ONMM Consult Service in the inpatient setting
• Attend didactic sessions specifically focused on improving ONMM skills

• To understand how to apply ONMM in the inpatient and outpatient ambulatory care settings
• To observe how ONMM is integrated into the spectrum of care delivered within a multispecialty institution
• To strengthen palpatory skills and to improve osteopathic manipulation therapy delivery abilities and comfort

The attending preceptor will provide feedback during and at the end of the rotation, as needed. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

4 weeks

• July–June
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The infectious diseases elective introduces 4th year medical students to the diagnosis and treatment of common infectious diseases, emphasizing general internal medicine and clinical microbiology. Emphasis is placed on a rational and sophisticated approach to the use of common antimicrobial agents.

At the end of this rotation, students will have a greater appreciation for the use of patient history, physical examination, bacteriological statistics, epidemiology, gram strain and basic microbiological laboratory tests.

Students will:

• Spend time in the clinical microbiology laboratory to gain insight into its proper usage, function and limitations and to gain experience in gram stain and common cultures and serologies
• Be exposed to a wide variety of infectious disease diagnoses for inpatients and outpatients, as well as to common problems in internal medicine, which may masquerade or present as infectious diseases
• Have one-on-one teaching sessions and formal didactic lectures about common infectious diseases
• Participate in teaching and consultation rounds in general medicine and infectious diseases

• To observe patient interviews and examinations
• To interview and examine at least 2 patients and to present written report to the attending physician
• To review techniques of specimen examination and interpretation of findings

The attending preceptor will provide consistent written evaluations and will offer feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

4 weeks

• July–October or February–June
• 3 students per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The internal medicine sub-internship allows 4th year medical students to act as sub-interns on an active internal medicine service or an intensive care unit, seeing a wide variety of diagnostic and acute care problems within internal medicine and its subspecialties. Emphasis will be placed on history taking, on performing complete and sophisticated physical examinations, and on making rational choices of diagnostic studies and therapies.

Students will:

• Be given patients on a rotational basis as part of the hospitalist medical team consisting of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year medical residents
• Take histories, perform physical examinations, and order laboratory and diagnostic tests, as well as choose therapies, when necessary, under the supervision of 1st, 2nd, and 3rd year residents, the chief resident, and the teaching attending physician
• Attend daily morning report and noon conferences

• To gain broad exposure to a variety of acute medical conditions
• To obtain clinical and cognitive abilities required for problem-solving and decision-making in clinical medicine

The attending preceptor will provide feedback during and at the end of the rotation, as needed. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

2 or 4 weeks

• July–June
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first or third Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The nephrology elective familiarizes 4th year medical students with the workup and treatment of patients with renal diseases.

Students will:

• Round daily in the hospital and dialysis unit with an attending nephrologist, having direct involvement in consultations and management of hospitalized and outpatient nephrology patients
• Be acquainted with dialysis modalities (hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis)
• Develop an approach to evaluating acute and chronic renal dysfunction, emphasizing electrolyte disturbances and acid-based disorders

• To become familiar with the evaluation and treatment of patients with acute and chronic renal disease
• To be more adept with determining acid-based disturbances
• To learn dialysis modalities: indications, advantages and disadvantages to the different modalities

The attending preceptor will provide consistent written evaluations and will offer feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Nurse externs accepted into our program learn critical thinking and time management skills and practice basic nursing care with some exceptions. Students may treat wounds and insert suction lines and urinary catheters, but are not permitted to start an intravenous (IV), draw blood or administer medications, blood products or titrate vasoactive drips.

Students are assigned to a specific unit for the entire externship and must be willing to work there even if it wasn’t their first choice. We do our very best to accommodate individual preferences, but placement is ultimately determined by unit need. Externs receive their assignments just prior to the start of the program.

• Timeframe: Eight weeks from the end of May through July (dates TBD)
• Shifts: Days, nights, weekends and holidays
• Work schedule: Three 12-hour shifts per week working side-by-side with a preceptor according to his or her schedule
• Vacation: Not permitted
• Pay: Bi-weekly pay at a rate determined by Atlantic Health

Atlantic Health’s Nursing Externship Program is intended only for students obtaining their Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) who have completed their junior year. Those enrolled in an associate program or a registered nurse (RN) to BSN program are not eligible.

Applicants must present an official transcript showing a minimum 3.0 GPA and two letters of recommendation from instructors. Interviews are held during the break between the fall and spring semester of the student’s junior year.

Applications can be found on the Atlantic Health Careers website starting early November by searching “Summer Nursing Externship.” Due to the high volume of applicants, only those selected for an interview will be notified or contacted.

In February 2024, Morristown Medical Center was awarded a sixth Magnet Recognition Program® designation.

The Magnet Recognition Program® is the highest award granted by the American Nurses Credentialing Center, a subsidiary of the American Nurses Association. Hospitals that achieve Magnet designation are recognized for elevating patient care through the empowerment of nurses to excel in their practice by promoting professional growth & development, encouraging a culture of nursing innovation, collaboration with interprofessional teams, fostering nursing research and implementation of new knowledge.

This prestigious four-year designation has been awarded to Morristown Medical Center six consecutive times, placing the hospital within an elite group of only 14 other facilities with six designations. Magnet accreditation is held by 9.4% of U.S. hospitals which includes 577 domestic facilities and 14 internationally.

The Magnet Recognition Program serves as the gold standard for nursing excellence and provides consumers with the ultimate benchmark for measuring quality and safety and improved patient outcomes.

Morristown Medical Center gives decision-making responsibility to the bedside nurse, which fosters accountability and results in more effective and efficient patient care.

Our professional practice model is represented by a planetary gear set with patients and families at the center, driving all aspects of nursing in our organization. This includes our professional relationships, advancements in nursing excellence, patient care delivery system, leadership style and professional nursing values. Rooted in this model is the Roy Adaptation Theory, which encourages nurses to positively respond to environmental changes.

To continue fostering a culture of nursing excellence that encourages and rewards nurses who go beyond existing performance standards, we opened the Center for Nursing Innovation and Research at Morristown Medical Center. Here, nurses have an opportunity to meet with peers, exchange ideas and design evidence-based solutions to existing or emerging health concerns.

Morristown Medical Center has received Magnet six consecutive times, signifying not only the quality of care we provide, but also our commitment to continuously improving patient care and the health of the community.

Morristown Medical Center

2 or 4 weeks

• July or September–June
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first or third Monday of the month

• Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships
• Candidates must use their own car

The occupational medicine elective gives 4th year medical students an understanding of the general concepts of occupational medicine and how to apply these concepts in varied settings.

The student’s time will be divided into the following components:

• Didactic sessions with a physician who specializes in occupational medicine
• Clinical experiences within the health system’s occupational medicine service
• Completion of a research project

• To obtain an understanding of occupational medicine general concepts
• To be able to apply learned concepts in varied settings

The attending preceptor will provide consistent written evaluations and will offer feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

4 weeks

• May–January
• 4 student per rotation

Successful completion of all third-year clerkships, specifically medicine and general surgery

Join us for an elective (sub-internship) at Morristown Medical Center Department of Orthopedic Surgery. We perform close to 15,000 operations each year at our main hospital and ambulatory surgery center. You will spend time with trauma, oncology, pediatrics and sports medicine. The division of your time will be based on interest, clinical volume and coverage. You will have exposure to the operating room, clinics, orthopedic floors and the emergency room.

Students will:

• Have the opportunity to take call with the residents to gain more experience and an in-depth look at the orthopedic residency program
• Attend all didactic conferences and will showcase their knowledge with a 10-minute presentation at the end of the rotation

This elective rotation is an opportunity to mirror the experience of an orthopedic surgery intern at our residency program. This is done in the following ways:

Enhance clinical knowledge:

• Strengthen understanding of musculoskeletal anatomy, biomechanics and pathophysiology of common orthopedic conditions
• Review and deepen knowledge of clinical assessment and diagnosis of orthopedic problems, including history-taking, physical examination, and interpretation of diagnostic imaging (e.g., X-rays, MRIs, CT scans)

Develop surgical skills:

• Gain hands-on experience in assisting with orthopedic procedures, such as fractures, tumor resections, reconstructions and arthroscopic surgeries
• Learn to observe and assist with common orthopedic surgical techniques, including wound closure, suturing, fracture reduction and joint manipulation

Refine patient care abilities:

• Improve the ability to conduct thorough patient evaluations, including preoperative assessments and postoperative management
• Gain experience with patient counseling regarding surgical risks, benefits and recovery expectations
• Master the process of developing and implementing a management plan for a variety of orthopedic conditions

Cultivate teamwork and communication:

• Collaborate with orthopedic residents, fellows, attending physicians and other health care providers in a multidisciplinary team setting. This is perhaps the most important aspect of the rotation. The acting intern should be able to assimilate seamlessly into the care team.
• Develop clear communication skills with patients and families, particularly in discussing diagnoses, treatment options and recovery timelines
• Participate in case presentations and contribute to interdisciplinary rounds, effectively presenting patient information and treatment plans

Foster professionalism and ethical practice:

• Understand and demonstrate professionalism, including ethical decision-making, integrity and respect for patients and colleagues
• Recognize the importance of confidentiality, informed consent and the patient-centered approach in orthopedic care

The attending surgeon(s), fellow and resident on the service and the course directors will evaluate students.

Director(s):

• Toah Alafita, DO
• Erin Johnson, MD

Location: Goryeb Children’s Hospital

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• August–February
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

Description: The pediatric critical care sub-internship studies the pathophysiology and treatment of organ system failure and provides a better understanding of the complex interaction between the patient, the patient’s family, the disease process and the pediatric critical care team.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Follow individual patients, under the supervision of house staff and pediatric intensivists, in a 15-bed pediatric intensive care unit
• Round with the multidisciplinary pediatric critical care team and attend daily pediatric intake rounds
• Take an active role in the discussion of pathophysiology and management
• Prepare 2-3 brief presentations on patient-related topics
• Read material distributed to supplement discussions on sepsis, systemic inflammatory response syndrome, cerebral resuscitation, circulatory support, trauma, ventilator management and other critical care topics

Goals & objectives:

• To be exposed to critically ill pediatric patients
• To learn pathophysiology of disease process
• To understand clinical management of disease process

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Bernard Maria, MD

Location: Goryeb Children’s Hospital

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

Description: The developmental pediatrics rotation exposes 4th year medical students to a broad variety of pediatric developmental disorders. The importance of coordinated interdisciplinary care of these complex patients is emphasized.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Work in the Child Development Center, providing evaluation and treatment services to infants, children and adolescents with developmental concerns or disabilities
• Areas of emphasis include:
  • Follow-up of high-risk infants from the neonatal intensive care unit
  • Evaluation of autism,
  • Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
  • Other behavioral, developmental, and learning disorders;
  • Evaluation of infants adopted internationally
  • Psychotropic medication follow-up program
• Work with a team consisting of neurodevelopmental pediatricians, nurse practitioners, social workers, speech, physical and occupational therapists, psychologists and special education consultants
• Learn the elements of the neurodevelopmental evaluation of children with a variety of developmental disorders and treatment options

Goals & objectives:

• To recognize typical vs. atypical developmental milestones
• To learn diagnosis and treatment options for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• To understand appropriate referral services based on laws protecting persons with disabilities

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Darius Adams, MD

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 or 8 weeks

Offered:

• All year
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships, specifically medicine and pediatrics

Description: The genetics rotation familiarizes 4th year medical students with the field of medical genetics and its role in the diagnosis, management and education of patients and their families regarding genetic conditions. Medical genetics encompasses a wide range of disorders, including congenital anomalies, familial diseases and inborn errors of metabolism. Students will have the opportunity to experience the full spectrum in both the inpatient and outpatient settings and to attend other clinics, including the craniofacial clinic. Other outpatient clinical experiences in prenatal genetic counseling and cancer genetics can also be arranged, if desired. Inpatient consultations will be addressed as they arise. Emphasis is placed on a rational and sophisticated approach to the use of common antimicrobial agents.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Perform and document age and developmentally appropriate dysmorphic examination
• Gain an appreciation for the wide-range of typical/normal features as well as specific physical examination features important in syndrome/disorder recognition
• Be able to take a clear, complete and appropriate genetic family history and be able to draw pedigrees
• Recognize and explain the common modes of inheritance: AR, AD, XL, mitochondrial and multifactorial
• Be familiar with other important genetic phenomenon, including imprinting, uniparental disomy and chromosome translocations and with the wide variety of genetic resources available for physicians and families (support groups, databases and internet sites)
• Have an appreciation for the complexity of genetic testing, including the ethics of testing in various situations
• Become familiar with the primary areas of testing as well as their advantages and limitations: cytogenetics, including chromosome analysis and FISH; molecular testing, including comparative genomic hybridization, SNP Microarray analysis, next generation genomic sequencing, and mutation analysis; population based and directed (ethnic) screening; and biochemical testing, including screening, analytes and enzymes

Goals & objectives:

• To enrich knowledge of normal and atypical physical examination features (dysmorphic examination)
• To realize the importance of a genetic family history and the importance of genetic counseling
• To know genetic testing methodologies and ethical, legal and social issues regarding genetic testing
• To understand the range of medical genetics

Feedback & evaluation: The residents, attending physicians and course directors will evaluate students and provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s):

• Jenny Jin, MD
• Gurpreet Kaur, MD

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• August–February
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

Description: The neonatal intensive care sub-internship allows 4th year medical students to participate in the evaluation, diagnosis and treatment of high-risk infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU). The NICU is a 34-bed unit under the direction of full-time, hospital-based neonatologists.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Function as interns in the newborn ICU, which serves 4,000 infants born annually at Morristown Medical Center, as well as mothers and infants transferred from all areas of Northern New Jersey
• Be encouraged to evaluate infants in the regular newborn nursery with problems of lesser acuity, not requiring admission to the neonatal intensive care unit

Goals & objectives:

• To acquire knowledge of fetal growth and development
• To develop an understanding of the normal process of labor and delivery and the effects of pathologic events on the fetus and the newborn during labor
• To obtain necessary skills for delivery room management of depressed newborns
• To learn the common aberrations, course and management of the high-risk infant
• To become familiar with normal variability in structure and development of the full-term and large pre-term neonate
• To ascertain the variations in the clinical course of the growing, low birth weight infant (pre-term or SGA), the factors influencing it, the common aberrations and their management
• To recognize, diagnose, evaluate and manage the commonly occurring disorders of the neonate:
• Jaundice
• Respiratory distress
• Infection
• Metabolic disturbances — hypoglycemia and hypocalcemia
• Infant of the diabetic mother
• SGA infant
• To cultivate skills for basic supportive care of the sick neonate
• Umbilical artery catheterization
• Peripheral artery catheterization
• Lumbar puncture
• Percutaneous puncture of arteries and veins
• To attain familiarity with the management of the infant requiring mechanical ventilation
• To evaluate early infant-mother relationships and to counsel parents in infant care

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Gurpreet Phull, MD

Location: Goryeb Children’s Hospital

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

Description: The pediatric pulmonology rotation provides 4th year medical students an overview of pediatric pulmonology, including asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchopulmonary dysplasia, as well as inpatient and outpatient consultations and pulmonary function testing.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Be given direct patient-related responsibilities for evaluation of pulmonary symptoms

Goals & objectives:

• To observe and understand pulmonary function testing
• To gain insight into the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric pulmonary diseases

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide. Evaluations will be based on overall improvement in the knowledge of pediatric pulmonary medicine as well as attitude and desire to learn. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s):

• Jami Zaretsky, MD
• Poliana Da Silva, MD

Location: Goryeb Children’s Hospital

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• August–February
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

Description: The Pediatric Inpatient sub-internship gives students advanced training in general pediatrics, while functioning as an intern on a 34-bed general pediatric floor. A high faculty/student ratio facilitates individual attention and teaching.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Care for patients under the supervision of senior house officers and full-time teaching attending physicians
• Be expected to assume major responsibility for the evaluation and management of patients
• Attend daily rounds and teaching conferences along with pediatric house officers
• Participate in the preparation of cases for formal presentation

Goals & objectives:

• To function as an intern on a general pediatrics floor
• To evaluate and manage pediatric patients
• To assist in preparation of patient presentations

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Morristown Medical Center

2 weeks

• Limited availability
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first or third Monday of the month

Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships

The sports medicine elective provides 4th year medical students with exposure to and experience in diagnosing and caring for patients with sports-related injuries and conditions. The curriculum will include both clinical experiences and teaching conferences.

Clinical experience:

Sports Medicine Clinic: This clinic allows students to participate in the treatment of recreational athletes of all ages. Students will:

• Attend the primary care Sports Medicine Clinic
• Present to the program director and other program faculty
• Learn to perform an initial assessment and to formulate a diagnostic and therapeutic plan

Orthopedic Clinic: This clinic allows students to participate in the care of acute musculoskeletal injuries and in post-operative care. A program faculty member will be present at all times to teach the student. Students will:

• Develop skills in performing initial evaluations and in providing treatment
• Receive a different perspective in musculoskeletal injuries, post-operative care and musculoskeletal evaluation
• Opportunity to observe training room / acute injury clinic: This clinic allows students to participate in the care of acute musculoskeletal injuries and to develop skills pertaining to initial evaluations and treatment or referral.
• Opportunity for ancillary rotations: Radiology, physical therapy, and physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R). Students must request this in their initial application.

Teaching conferences:

• Sports medicine teaching conference is a weekly, 2-hour didactic session that occurs throughout the academic year. The purpose of the conference is to present the core primary care and orthopedic sports medicine topics in a lecture and discussion format. The primary lecture presenters will be the Sports Health faculty. Attendees will be Sports Medicine faculty, the primary care and orthopedic residents who are enrolled in the fellowship program, other residents and students doing rotations in Sports Medicine, interested community physicians, athletic trainers and physical therapists.
• Journal club is an opportunity for students to meet with the program director two times per month to review current and historically significant journal articles covering orthopedic and primary care sports medicine topics.

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

• Perform a comprehensive sports history and physical examination
• Demonstrate special expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of orthopedic and non-orthopedic conditions related to sports and exercise
• Demonstrate awareness of special risk factors for sports specific injuries
• Understand the role of Sports Medicine in the health care system and the role of specialty physicians, team physicians, athletic trainers, physiatrists and others in the optimal care of the athlete
• Develop a basic awareness of rehabilitation for common sports related injuries and post-operative care

The attending preceptor and the student will meet to discuss the achievement of the above-mentioned goals. At the end of the rotation, the student may be required to do a presentation, which will be considered part of the evaluation process. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Erica Gross, MD

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 or 8 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships, specifically medicine and general surgery

Description: The surgery acting internship allows 4th year medical students to act as sub-interns on an active general surgery service in a hospital that sees a wide variety of surgical diagnostic/management and procedures.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Rotate on a busy general surgery surgical service at a large, tertiary care, community-based, teaching institution
• Be exposed to all surgical subspecialties, including general and laparoscopic, vascular, oncological and endocrine, colorectal and general thoracic, and trauma service for a broad introduction to surgical management of a variety of illnesses in a community hospital setting
• Help manage pre- and post-operative care of patients, under the guidance of a full staff of general surgical residents and the full-time and voluntary faculty
• Attend all teaching conferences
• Interact with consultants and primary surgical attending physicians
• Be directly supervised by the surgical attending as well as the teaching resident assigned to the Service
• Receive didactic teaching centered around a monthly conference with varied topics; a monthly journal club; surgical grand rounds and surgical morbidity and mortality

Goals & objectives:

• To receive an overview of general and sub-specialty surgery
• To be introduced to surgical management of a variety of illnesses
• To participate in daily patient rounds
• To prepare verbal patient presentations daily
• To recommend clinical management with approval of supervising resident
• To attend daily lectures, journal clubs, rounds, etc.
• To interact with primary surgeon and consultants
• To apply mechanical skills as needed

Feedback & evaluation: The residents and attending surgeons on the service and the course directors will evaluate students. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Rolando H. Rolandelli, MD, MBA, FACS

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 2 students per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships, specifically medicine and general surgery

Description: The gastrointestinal surgery rotation exposes 4th year medical students to a variety of gastrointestinal diseases requiring surgery.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Become an integral part of the team, managing patients undergoing GI surgery
• Participate in daily bedside rounding with the attending staff and present at least one patient per day
• The verbal presentation and the required chart notation will be based on a systems review with daily planning and decision making within this structure
• Suggest clinical management decisions with approval of the supervising resident or attending physician
• Receive didactic teaching centered around a monthly conference with varied topics; a monthly journal club; surgical grand rounds and surgical morbidity and mortality
• Prepare a 20-minute presentation on a topic of choice
• Interact with the consultants and the primary surgical attending
• Apply mechanical skills, including pulmonary artery and arterial line insertion

Goals & objectives:

• To participate in daily patient rounds
• To prepare verbal patient presentations daily
• To recommend clinical management with approval of supervising resident
• To attend didactic lectures, journal clubs, rounds, etc.
• To interact with primary surgeon and consultants
• To apply mechanical skills as needed

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): Erica Gross, MD

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 1 student per rotation; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships, specifically Pediatrics and General Surgery

Description: The pediatric surgery sub-internship gives 4th year medical students the opportunity to round and scrub on the breadth and depth of pediatric surgical cases and to prepare for elective cases by reading the course syllabus. The inpatient experience is on the pediatric floors, the emergency department, the NICU and the PICU. The outpatient experience is offered through the office of Children’s Surgical Associates.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• See patients with the attending physician and the house staff
• Rotate to both of Goryeb Children’s Hospital’s clinical sites
• Experience the presentation, evaluation and operative care of pyloric stenosis, appendicitis, intussusception, newborn bowel obstruction and atresia, patent ductus arteriosus, necrotizing enterocolitis, TE fistula with esophageal atresia, childhood tumors and some trauma

Goals & objectives:

• To become comfortable with and proficient with the examination of the child as a surgical patient and to offer an informed differential for common presentations of surgical disease

Feedback & evaluation: The residents and attending surgeons on the service and the course directors will evaluate students. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.

Director(s): John Adams, MD, FACS

Location: Morristown Medical Center

Duration: 4 weeks

Offered:

• Throughout the academic year
• 1 student per month; rotation starts on the first Monday of the month

Prerequisites: Successful completion of all 3rd year clerkships, specifically medicine and general surgery

Description: The surgical ICU rotation fully integrates 4th year medical students into the critical care team. This involves active participation in ICU work and teaching rounds, clinical tasks and independent study. A working knowledge of ventilator management, nutrition, types of shock, pressor support and antibiotic usage will be demonstrated by the students at the end of the rotation and will prepare them for their first post-graduate year.

Learning experience:

Students will:

• Become an integral part of the team, managing patients undergoing GI surgery
• Participate in daily bedside rounding with the attending staff and present at least one patient per day
• The verbal presentation and the required chart notation will be based on a systems review with daily planning and decision making within this structure
• Suggest clinical management decisions with approval of the supervising resident or attending physician
• Receive didactic teaching centered around a monthly conference with varied topics
• Attend a monthly Journal club; surgical grand rounds; and surgical morbidity and mortality
• Prepare a 20-minute presentation on a topic of choice
• Interact with the consultants and the primary surgical attending physician
• Apply mechanical skills, including pulmonary artery and arterial line insertion

Goal:

• To provide medical students with the clinical skills and cognitive abilities required for decision-making and problem-solving in diseases that require critical care consultation or intervention

Objectives:

The objectives of the Critical Care Sub-Internship will be achieved by providing a structured, supervised clinical experience in an inpatient setting and through problem-based didactic teaching and directed reading. Specific objectives, the activities performed to achieve them and the methods of assessing whether they were achieved, include:

• Identify conditions for which critical care intervention or consultation is necessary
• Understand the scope and limitations of surgical therapy for ICU diagnosis
• Identify key components of the physiology, pathophysiology and supportive measures in critical care and how they affect outcomes
• Grasp the principles of postoperative care
• Communicate clinical information in an efficient and reliable manner
• Appreciate fundamental technical skills necessary for surgical care
• Acquire the knowledge necessary for the care of critically ill patients
• Establish an effective relationship with patients and patients’ families

Feedback & evaluation: The attending preceptor will provide feedback throughout the rotation. A final, written evaluation will be completed at the end of the rotation.