Medicine Subspecialties
Medicine: Special Clinical Areas & Research
117 Clinical Cardiology
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a cardiology elective unless a substitute is provided.
Elective Director: Sheilah Bernard, M.D.
Location:Boston Medical Center-Menino Pavilion
Telephone: Denise Phillips email: Denise.Phillips@bmc.org
Number of Students: 2
Period to be offered: One month (Elective is restricted to full four week block only. There are no two week offerings)
Description of Elective:
During this clinical elective, the student will become a member of the Cardiology Consult Team comprised of a staff cardiologist,a cardiology fellow and one to three PGY-2’s. As an integral member of this team based at Menino Pavilion, the student will share in the responsibilities for patient evaluation, management and disposition. The aim of the elective will be to expose the student to a wide variety of cardiac patients. The fundamentals of the cardiac examination as well as therapeutics will be emphasized. The significance, usefulness and manner of performing special diagnostic studies including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, exercise stress tests, holter monitors, nuclear scans and cardiac catheterizations will be taught and applied to patient care.
All students and residents are expected to develop competency in EKG reading offered during the rotation. By special arrangement, additional elective time can be provided for certain students with a special interest in arrhythmia, cardiomyopathy, echocardiography, stress testing or clinical research.
Teaching activities include:
1)Daily rounds with Staff Cardiologist
2)EKG reading
3)Cardiology Grand Rounds
4)Medical/Surgical Conference
5)Arrhythmia Conference
6)Imaging Conference
7)Research Conference
8)Cardiomyopathy Conference
9)Core Curriculum Conference
124.1 Advanced Medicine: Vascular Medicine
Instructor: Robert Eberhardt, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center
Telephone: 638-8947-Sandra Vanaria
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One month
Description of Elective:
This is designed to be a comprehensive rotation in cardiovascular disorders with emphasis on vascular problems. Students will gain an exposure to the evaluation and management of vascular disorders affecting the arterial, venous, and lymphatic systems, as well as vasospastic disorders. Emphasis will be placed on learning the presentation, physical findings, diagnostics, and therapeutics. The indications, techniques, and interpretation of vascular studies will be taught. Students will be expected to fully participate in the clinical and educational activities including:
• Inpatient vascular medical consultations including cardiac consultation for vascular surgery
• Outpatient clinic, which includes new consultation and longitudinal care of patients with vascular disease
• Non-invasive vascular laboratory and peripheral interventional laboratory
• Vascular conferences including an interdisciplinary vascular conference and a vascular laboratory journal club
As mentioned above, there is heavy emphasis placed on a comprehensive cardiovascular approach to the vascular disease patient. Student can expect to be exposed to and provide care for many cardiac disorders, including coronary artery disease, heart failure, valvular heart disease, and arrhythmias, especially during the perioperative evaluation and management. This will include an understanding and application of the diagnostic cardiac studies, including electrocardiograms, echocardiograms, exercise and pharmacologic stress test, and cardiac catheterization.
128.1 Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition
Elective Director: Catherine Sullivan, M.D.
Instructors: Sonia Ananthakrishnan, M.D., Beth Cohen, M.D., Alan Farwell, M.D., Shirin Haddady, M.D., Poorani Goundan, M.D., Sun Lee, M.D., Dong Wook Kim, M.D., Philip Knapp, M.D., Katherine Modzelewski, M.D. , Eric Nolen-Doeer, M.D., Ivania Rizo, M.D., Devin Steenkamp, M.D., Sara Alexanian, M.D., Stephanie Lee, M.D., Elizabeth Pearce, M.D. and Denies Wong, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center-Doctor’s Office Building, 8th Floor, Suite 8100
Contact: Annmarie Gilreath email: annmarie.gilreath@bmc.org
Telephone: (617) 638-8556
Number of Students: 2 (priority given to BU students)
Period to be offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
Students work closely with the faculty and fellows on the inpatient endocrine and diabetes consult services. They will see a wide variety of endocrine and weight management problems in the clinics. Two weeks will be spent on the inpatient diabetes team and 2 weeks on the endocrine consult team. The consultation team provides help in the diagnosis and management of complex endocrine problems on the medical and surgical services. Formal rounds are made with the endocrine-attending physician or diabetes attending on a daily basis. In addition to inpatient rounds, students will have the opportunity to rotate in the outpatient clinics depending on workload and inpatient volume. Students are required to attend weekly endocrine conferences which include guest lecturers, research conferences and fellow case presentations, and will be asked to present on an endocrine topic during their elective.
128.2 Obesity Medicine and Nutrition Support
Instructors: Denise Wong, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center-Doctor’s Office Building, 8th Floor, Suite 801
Contact: Annmarie Gilreath email: annmarie.gilreath@bmc.org
Telephone: (617) 638-8556
Number of Students: One
Period to be offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
This elective provides “hands on” exposure to the problems of obesity and malnutrition in both inpatients and outpatients. The Obesity Medicine and Nutrition Support rotation at Boston Medical Center is a 4 week rotation.
The students will gain experience managing individuals with morbid obesity by working in the Nutrition and Weight Management Clinic with nutrition physicians and dietitians. The students will get an overview of the medical management and surgical treatment options available for the morbidly obese patient. This includes an introduction to the comprehensive pre and post-operative management of these patients via clinic experience and inpatient follow-up where applicable. The option is available, based on student interest, to observe Culinary Nutrition Medicine classes in BMC’s Nutrition Resource Kitchen with a professional chef/dietitian.
The student will work closely with members of the multidisciplinary Nutrition Support Team. This includes an attending physician, clinical fellows, dietitians, pharmacists and research staff. Participation in daily patient and teaching rounds will be expected. Consultations will be undertaken with the supervision of a fellow or the Nutrition Support attending on service.
129.1 Gender Care Rotation
Department of Endocrinology-Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Elective Director: Beth Cohen, M.D.
Instructors: Mandy Coles, M.D., Adolescent Medicine, Jorge Lujan, M.D., Katherine Mozdelewski, M.D., Endocrinology, Ricardo Munarriz, M.D., Robert Oates, M.D., Urology, Daniel Roh, M.D., Jaromir Slama, M.D., Plastic Surgery, Carl Streed, M.D., and Pam Klein, RN, Primary Care-Medicine
Contact: Annmarie Gilreath email: annmarie.gilreath@bmc.org
Telephone: (617) 638-8556
Description of Elective:
This elective is for the CAMED student to learn the multi-disciplinary approach to appropriate care for transgender and gender nonbinary individuals.
The transgender medicine elective will provide an introduction to the full spectrum of care for transgender and nonbinary individuals including establishing initial care, continuing primary care as well gender affirming hormone and surgical options. Students will interact with patients who are exploring gender identity, who identify as transgender and nonbinary, and who are pursuing hormonal or surgical gender affirmation. They will learn the endocrinological mechanisms of puberty as these parallel the hormonal and pharmacological interventions used in transgender medicines. Students will participate in clinical sessions and are expected to treat patients with respect and sensitivity. Students attend various clinical sessions during their elective including: endocrinology, primary care, adolescent medicine, and surgery clinics. Self-study of social work, pediatrics, psychiatry, ob/gyn and surgery aspects of transgender medicine is required. Students will be graded on interactions with patients in clinical session, knowledge of the subject from outside reading and a final 15 minute presentation in the 4th week of the rotation.
130.1 Gastroenterology
Elective Director: Uri Avissar, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Evans Biomedical Research Center Bldg., 650 Albany St., 5th Fl., Room 504
Telephone: (617) 638-8312 Contact: Sarah Pinchinat email: sarah.pinchinat@bmc.org
Number of Students: Two
Period to be offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
Emphasis is placed on the diagnosis and management of patients with common gastrointestinal disorders. The student sees outpatients referred to the GI Clinic and patients hospitalized with gastrointestinal problems on the wards of the Menino Pavilion. The student is expected to make daily morning work rounds with the Fellows, see new patients in consultation, and participate in all of the activities including seminars, Journal Club and clinical conferences sponsored by the Gastroenterology Section.
135.1 Clinical Hematology/Oncology
Elective Director: Eric Marks, M.D.
Instructors: Drs., N. Addo-Tabiri, U. Tapan, A. Lerner, G. Gignac, K. Hartshorn, A. Staron, P. Everett, M. Halpin, A. Negroiu, J. Acevedo, M. Sloan, H. Assi, L. Oshry and N. Ko
Location: Boston Medical Center-Menino Pavilion
Contact: Inel Ferrara email: itaggart@bu.edu
Number of Students: One
Period to be Offered: One Month
Description of Elective:
The course in clinical hematology/oncology is designed to prepare students to evaluate and manage hematologic and oncologic disorders. The student will be exposed to patients both in the ambulatory and inpatient hospital setting. He/She will be expected to participate in the initial evaluation of in-patient consultations. In addition, they will have the opportunity to work with an attending physician in at least one outpatient Hematology or Oncology clinical activity per week. The student will be instructed in the technique of performing a bone aspiration and biopsy. In addition considerable time will be spent with the attending interpreting both peripheral blood and bone marrow smears. The student will also attend the weekly clinical and research conferences, which will afford him/her an exposure to the scholastic activities of the section.
140 Infectious Diseases
Department of Medicine, Section of Infectious Disease-Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine
Director: Daniel Bourque, M.D.
Contact: Linda Neville email: Linda.Neville@bmc.org
Description of Elective:
The student will join the inpatient infectious disease consultation team at Boston Medical Center. The team will include an infectious disease fellow and be supervised by an infectious disease attending physician. The student will evaluate patients under the direction of the fellow, present cases at daily rounds to the attending physician, prepare a thorough written summary of the consultation, and review the medical literature relevant to the patient’s care. Case discussions are oriented around a history and physical examination that incorporates specific information relevant to an infectious disease work-up, and the diagnosis and management appropriate to the patient. The attending physician will review the student’s written presentations, and the student will be given the opportunity to present information gleaned from the medical literature. Students will learn about community and hospital-acquired infections, infections in immunocompromised hosts, including those with HIV infection, and the appropriate use of antimicrobial agents.
Students are expected to participate in all service activities Monday through Friday. Patient care and teaching rounds take place daily for 2-3 hours. No weekend responsibilities or evening call is required.
Objectives
Identify components of the history, physical examination and laboratory results that are important in the evaluation of the infected patient.
Demonstrate the ability to choose appropriate antimicrobial agents based on clinical presentation and culture data. Create differential diagnoses for infection in the patient based on individual host factors.
Curriculum
Educational activities include evaluating patients for which infectious disease consultation is sought, teaching and bedside rounds with the consult attending physician, and review of relevant literature for discussion. Conferences/ other teaching activities include: microbiology weekly “plate” rounds, regularly scheduled conferences – core lectures, AIDS conference, case conference, Infectious Disease Grand Rounds and the Combined Adult and Pediatric Infectious Disease conference. Attendance at research seminars is encouraged for the interested student.
Evaluation
The student will be evaluated based on their level of active participation in the activities of the consultation service. Specifically, the student will be evaluated on his/ her individual patient work-ups – the oral presentation, the written consultation, the approach to review of relevant literature – and availability for participating in the work of the consultation service. The attending physician, with feedback from the fellow, will evaluate the student’s performance.
Grades (H/HP/P/F) will be used. The attending on the consultation service with direct supervision of the student will be responsible for providing feedback mid-clerkship and upon completion. If problems are identified, the attending physician or the student should contact the Course Director. Grades will be submitted to the Registrar in accord with CAMED policies for grading.
Faculty
Clinical infectious disease faculty at Boston Medical Center.
Contact and Course Orientation Information
Course Director: Daniel Bourque, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Dowling 3 North
Telephone: 617-414-5265
FAX: 617-638-8070
The student should report to Dowling 3 North for orientation by Dr. Bourque at 8:15 AM on the first day of the elective.
Number of Students
2 students can sign up per block
Length of Elective
4 weeks
Available Blocks/Semesters
Offered year-round
160.1 Pulmonary Medicine-Consult Service
Elective Director: Hector Marquez, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, Menino Pavilion
Contact: Kathyann Adamson email: kathyw@bu.edu
Number of Students: Two Seniors only
Period to be offered: One month
Description of Elective:
The student will be an integral part of an active in patient clinical pulmonary consultation service. They will be responsible for the initial consultation in patients with a variety of respiratory disorders. The student’s evaluation and plan of management will then be discussed with the pulmonary fellow and at daily staff attending rounds. The elective will provide an opportunity to evaluate chest roentgenograms, interpret arterial blood gases and pulmonary function tests, and discuss the role of and participate in such diagnostic procedures as fiberoptic bronchoscopy, pleural biopsy and thoracentesis.
The student will participate in a full program of teaching conferences including work rounds, chest x-ray conferences, formal interhospital chest conferences, physiology seminars and research conferences, and a special weekly student case discussion conference.
165.1 Renal Disease
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a renal elective unless a substitute is provided.
Elective Director: Ashish Upadhyay, M.D.
Location: Boston Medical Center, 800 Harrison Avenue, BCD-G12
Contact: Jocelyn Aristhomene email: jaristho@bu.edu
Number of Students: Two
Period to be offered: One month
Description of Elective:
Each student, under the supervision of clinical fellows and staff, participates in the evaluation and management of patients with acute and chronic renal disease, fluid and electrolyte problems, acid-base disturbances, etc. The major focus of activity is the clinical consult services, where students are taught the skills of clinical evaluation of patients for renal disease and participate in daily work rounds as well as formal attending rounds (3-5 sessions per week). Students are expected to attend all clinical and research conferences, including clinical journal club, clinical conference, pathology conference and renal research conference. Active student participation, including patient presentation at clinical conference, is encouraged.
170.1 Clinical Rheumatology
Elective Director: Eugene Kissin, M.D.
Location: BUMC
Contact: Alice Anderson email: aanders2@bu.edu
Number of Students: 2
Period to be offered: 1 month
Description of Elective:
Students will participate in all activities of the clinical rheumatology service, including in-patient consult rounds, arthritis clinics, and a formal teaching program. Students will see in-patient consults at Boston University Medical Center under the supervision of the clinical arthritis fellow and staff and present these cases to the faculty attending of the month. Students will be expected to read and informally report on recent writings which are pertinent to the patients they work up. Students will also spend four half-days per week in the Boston Medical Center and VA Arthritis Clinics.
The elective also includes 3 to 4 hours per week of formal education to teach students the central concepts and basic skills of rheumatology. Clinical rounds are made 3-4 times per week.
180.1 Dermatology
Once scheduled, a student will not be released from a dermatology elective unless a substitute is provided.
Note: Elective can be taken for four weeks only. There will no exceptions.
Instructor: Bilal Fawaz, M.D.
Elective Coordinator: Alejandro Barrera
Telephone: 617 358-9700 email: Alejandro.Barrera@bmc.org
Dermatology Clinics: 725 Albany St., 8th Floor, Suite 8B. Every day at 8:30am
Didactic sessions: 609 Albany St, 2nd floor. Wednesdays 8am; Occasional Mondays at 515pm; Occasional Thursday mornings at 700am
Grand Rounds: 725 Albany St., 8th floor. 815am on 1st Wednesday of the month
Description of Elective:
Dermatology is an ambulatory rotation integrated with a vibrant inpatient consultation service. In general, the workday starts at 830AM, though there are important teaching conferences that may occur at an earlier time on some days. Clinics and/or Consultations generally end by 5:30PM. Didactic sessions typically take place on Wednesday mornings beginning at 800am. In addition, there may be occasional didactic sessions on a Monday after clinics and on a Thursday morning before clinic. Our monthly Grand Rounds takes place on the first Wednesday morning of the month at the DOB, 8th floor clinic.
Our group is comprised of attending dermatologists, dermatopathologists, procedural dermatologists, doctorate scientists, dermatology residents, international trainees, dermatopathology fellows and a skin oncology fellow. Boston University is a center of excellence in basic cutaneous biology research, skin oncology, wound healing, psoriasis, connective tissue disease, photomedicine, hair disorders, dermatologic surgery/oncology, dermatopathology and dermatology education.
COMPETENCY BASED GOALS AND OBJECTIVES
The purpose of the dermatology elective is to provide CAMED IV students the content, functional knowledge and practical skills needed to identify, evaluate, manage and prevent common and important disorders of the integumentary system.