Emergency Medicine - MS4 Clerkship (09-100)

Students will work 13-14 clinical shifts while on rotation and given the variety of experiences involved in this course, all students are required to attend the orientation which is given on the first day of the course. The clinical portion of this course is structured such that students have an active role in patient care and are frequently the first person to asses a patient. The student will be expected to determine the patient's response to therapy and will be expected to follow-up on all work-ups through to completion. Students will also have the opportunity to assist in procedures which include: suturing, Foley catheter placement, nasogastric tube insertion, lumbar punctures, ultrasounds, IV placement, arterial blood gas sampling, and advanced airways. The didactic portion of this course will be dependent on the month and may include lectures covering basic topics of emergency medicine and interactive simulations.

Course Directors:
Dr. Zach Pacheco (zpacheco@uabmc.edu)
Dr. Erin Shufflebarger (erinshufflebarger@uabmc.edu)

Course Catalog

Emergency Medicine - MS3 Elective (96-201)

The focus of this course is to assist students with the development of skills and knowledge necessary in the assessment and treatment of the acutely ill or injured patient. This opportunity will expose students to common complaints seen in the emergency department. During the rotation, you will be able to practice obtaining a focused history and physical exam as well as practice your patient presentations. Throughout the rotation you will be able to advance your assessment of a patient's chief complaint and begin developing your own treatment plan and patient disposition. You should have the opportunity to observe, assist, and perform common ER procedures such as: peripheral IVs, central venous lines, arterial lines, lumbar punctures, tube thoracostomy, intubations, among others. Outside of clinical work, you will have a protected and dedicated didactic schedule.

Course Directors:
Dr. Zach Pacheco (zpacheco@uabmc.edu)
Dr. Erin Shufflebarger (erinshufflebarger@uabmc.edu)
Course Details

Emergency Department Ultrasound (09-201)

The Emergency Medicine Ultrasound Rotation is a hands-on experience that teaches medical students the most common point-of-care ultrasound applications in Emergency Medicine and Critical Care. This rotation is highly recommended for those interested in either of these fields and many more. By the completion of the rotation, the student will be expected to competently perform many point-of-care ultrasound exams including the FAST, Echo, Lung, DVT, RUQ, OB, RUSH exams and more. The student will be expected to complete all assigned readings and review all assigned educational modules. The student must attend in-person ultrasound image review sessions and didactics on Mondays. It is expected that a majority of ultrasound exams will be performed during the designated scanning sessions with faculty, fellows, or ultrasound track emergency medicine residents.

Course Director:
Dr. Luke Burleson (slburleson@uabmc.edu)

Course Details

Introduction to Medical Toxicology - MS3 Elective (09-101)

Toxicology cases called into the poison center over the preceding 24 hours will be reviewed with the students; each students will be given an actual situation and then explain his or her management and treatment. Students will continue to follow along with their cases through the poison center. The Regional Poison Control Center at Children's of Alabama covers a population of 5 million with several excellent teaching cases available for review each day. After reviewing morning cases, the students will undergo 2-3 hours of focused learning activities each morning that will include didactics, simulation, journal club, and trips to the Birmingham Zoo and the Birmingham Botanical Gardens to review toxic animals and plants. Learning Objectives: a. Recognition of common toxidromes with which the poisoned patient will present b. Management of the critically ill poisoned patient c. Review relevant pharmacology and drug interactions of common medications d. Understand the role the poison center can play in his or her future practice.

Course Director:
Dr. Sukhshant Atti (satti@uabmc.edu)

Course Details

Emergency Medical Technician (06-450)

This course is designed to meet the requirements to apply for initial certification as an Emergency Medical Technician with a goal of exposing interested medical students to emergency medicine and EMS medicine. The course provides students with insights into the theory and application of concepts related to the profession of emergency medical services. Specific topics include: EMS preparatory, airway maintenance, patient assessment, management of trauma patients, management of medical patients, treating infants and children, and various EMS operations. This course is based on the NHTSA National Emergency Medical Services Education. Learning Objectives: 1) Cognitive: Learn and understand principles and concepts related to providing prehospital emergency medical care to patients of all ages. 2) Psychomotor: Apply principles of prehospital emergency medical care to patients of all ages in a variety of situations including medical emergencies, trauma emergencies, and technical rescues. 3) Affective: Value the importance of adhering to policy and procedures as well as standard of care medical practice related to providing prehospital emergency.

Course Directors:
Dr. Will Ferguson (wcferguson@uabmc.edu)

Course Catalog

Out of Hospital Emergency Medicine (06-451)

This course will build upon the foundations of the spring EMT class (open to students that already hold a certificate from National Registry at the EMT, Advanced EMT, or paramedic level). The participants of this course will have the opportunity to participate in clinical care in the greater Birmingham area at the EMT scope of practice level. The students will be able to follow their patients from the prehospital or home environment, through the emergency department, through to the inpatient, and potentially even rehabilitation phase of the treatment to allow a better understanding of the entire spectrum of healthcare, from out-of-hospital, to inpatient, and back to home care, or long-term care. The participants of this course will have the opportunity to be exposed to more advanced emergency procedures that the advanced EMT or paramedic may perform . The student will even participate in training both knowledge base and skills at the EMS physician level. This will include advanced patient assessment, basic wound care, advanced airway management, advanced pharmacology, use of Ultrasonography, 3 and 12 lead interpretation and management.

Course Directors:
Dr. Will Ferguson (wcferguson@uabmc.edu)

Course Catalog

Wilderness Medicine and Advanced Wilderness Life Support (STP2257)

This course will provide the student an introduction to the challenges and skills necessary to care for individuals who become ill or injured in an austere or wilderness environment. It will include certification in Advanced Wilderness Life Support (AWLS). The course will touch on wilderness survival skills as well. The format will be didactic presentations, small group discussions, demonstrations, skills practice, and simulation. Student Learning Objective: 1.) Demonstrate a physical assessment utilizing the assessment modalities explained in this course; 2.) discuss differential diagnoses for common cause of illness and injury in the wilderness based on environment, activity, and location; 3.) outline optimal treatment and evacuation strategies for various patient scenarios; 4.) demonstrate sill in providing care to simulation victims; and 5.) describe and optimal first aid kit for various activities and locations of travel. .

Course Directors:
Dr. Walter Schrading (wschrading@uabmc.edu)
Course Details

Clinical Emergency Medicine (STP2120)

The focus of this course is to give an enhanced exposure to the scope of emergency medicine through clinical shifts and a didactive experience. The first day involves an orientation and lecture on the clinical decision-making process in emergency medicine. On days 2-5, the student will work 4 8-hour clinical shifts in the University Emergency Department. The scheduling of the shifts will be determined by the Emergency Medicine Co-Directors and/or the Clinical course administrator. The student will be supervised by emergency medicine faculty, fellows, and residents. Students will be evaluated through shift evaluation forms filled out by faculty and/or emergency medicine residents..

Course Directors:
Dr. Zachary Pachecho (zpacheco@uabmc.edu)
Dr. Erin Shufflebarger (erinshufflebarger@uabmc.edu)
Course Details

Social Determinants of Health Screening in the Emergency Department (STP2368)

This special topics course provides medical students with the unique opportunity to engage directly with patients in the UAB emergency department (ED) to assess their social determinants of health using the Protocol for Responding to and Assessing Patients' Assets, Risks, and Experiences (PRAPARE) social screener. Over 1-2 weeks, students will gain hands-on experience in identifying and addressing social factors that impact health outcomes. The course emphasizes the importance of social determinants in patient care, enhances communication skills, and fosters a holistic understanding of patient health.

Course Directors:
Dr. Erin Shufflebarger (erinshufflebarger@uabmc.edu)
Course Details

Preparation for Global Health, Travel, and Delivering Acute Medical Care in a Resource Limited Setting (STP2315)

This course is a mixture of didactics, case-based learning, and simulation. It is intended to give students an overview of tropical diseases and healthcare delivery in a low-resource environment. It is particularly applicable for those interested in practicing medicine in developing countries in a short-term or full-time setting. It will include discussions on how to plan an overseas medical trip, what unique disease processes to be be familiar with, and managing acutely ill patients with limited available resources. There will be 4 hours of daily lectures, case-based discussion, and simulation.

Course Directors:
Dr. Cameron Crosby (jcrosby@uabmc.edu)
Course Details