Rural Surgery Elective. 4 Credit Hours

Catalog description

In this rotation, senior students work with a private practice general surgeon in a rural setting. Senior students function as a "junior partners" on this general surgery service. They admit and discharge general surgery patients. They perform history and physical examinations, and keep daily records on general surgery patients. They follow patients in the outpatient clinics, in the emergency department, in the intensive care units, and on general wards. They participate in operations for their patients. They participate in pre- and post-operative care of general surgery patients. They take call as designated by the surgeon. The objectives of this rotation are: to introduce students to the socioeconomic problems that rural patients face with access to care, to discover how the internet and distance learning decrease isolation in rural communities, to encourage students to consider surgical practice in underserved rural communities. Housing for the student will be provided during the rotation.