Neurology Clerkship

Catalog description

This course is restricted to those students who did not take a Neurology clerkship (Neuro 205C or 206C) in their second year. It provides the student with a firm understanding of the neurological examination, formulation of clinical neurological problems, and practice with written and oral communications in a hospital setting. The student has the opportunity to apply the neuroanatomy, neurophysiology, neurochemistry, and neuropathology learned in the first year to the evaluation and care of his or her patients. The patients are drawn from the neurology services at Duke Hospital or the Durham VA Medical Center. The students elicit a history and perform a physical examination. The student records the findings in the hospital charts and presents the findings at regular staff rounds. The student then participates with a clinical team of faculty and house officers in the hospital evaluation of the patients. The student is encouraged to participate in all diagnostic procedures such as lumbar puncture. The student has the opportunity to follow patients through neuro-radiological and neuro-surgical procedures forming part of evaluation and treatment. The specific expectations for the student are: (a) to perform and record a competent neurological and history examination on each admitted patient; (b) to be competent in the hospital management of neurological patients including diagnostic evaluations such as hematological and urine evaluations, lumbar puncture and appropriate electrical studies; (c) to assume responsibility as the primary care person for his or her patients; (d) to participate in daily work rounds with an assigned team of house officers and faculty; (e) to be sufficiently knowledgeable to participate in patient care decisions; (f) to attend faculty attending rounds and to present patients to faculty within 24 hours after admission; and (g) to participate in…