Clinical Procedures
MS-2

March 1, 2010 – March 26, 2010  
4 sessions

Course Director
Rita M. Patel, MD
Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
patelrm@anes.upmc.edu

Course Director
Ryan C. Romeo, MD
Assistant Professor
Department of Anesthesiology
romeorc@anes.upmc.edu

Course Description

The course is comprised of four sessions, each addressing different clinical procedures:

1. respiratory assessment, respiratory therapy, pediatric and adult airway management, and chest x-ray;
2. introduction to invasive hemodynamic monitoring and arterial puncture;
3. IV placement;
4. potpourri (lumbar puncture, urinary catheter insertion, nasogastric tube insertion).

The goals of the course are:

1. to introduce students to some of the basic diagnostic and therapeutic invasive and noninvasive procedures that they may perform on patients while on their clinical rotations;
2. to allow students the opportunity to practice basic clinical procedures in a laboratory setting, using universal precautions, prior to attempting the procedure on actual patients;
3. to familiarize students with the indications, complications and interpretations associated with the various clinical procedures that they will perform.

Recurrent themes during each session, and for the course, are the approach to the patient, assessment of the clinical requirement, and treatment as necessary. For example, the clinical situation of a patient with respiratory distress would involve recognizing respiratory distress (airway session), starting an intravenous line (vascular access session), and following with appropriate treatment such as mask ventilation, intubation, arterial line placement (invasive monitoring session).

The 69 faculty are from the Departments of Anesthesiology, Critical Care Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Medicine, and Urology.

Educational Methods

Most sessions consist of small group (8–20 students in each group) interactive teaching stations, workshops, or discussions. During these sessions, students get direct hands-on experience performing procedures such as starting IVs on other students. Students also perform procedures using task trainers, including arterial puncture, lumbar puncture, intubation, and ventilation. There are discussions of clinical situations (respiratory assessment), exposure to diagnostic tools (chest radiography), and experience managing situations using high fidelity simulation (WISER Center).

	Demonstrations		Discussions		Workshops		Lectures
	Clinical procedural-skills development		High fidelity simulation		Task trainers		Slides and videotapes

Evaluation

Attendance is required at all sessions. Students are evaluated on their performance in each session, using a checklist pertinent to the objective(s) of that session. Students also complete a brief quiz at each session. A summative examination is given at the end of the course.

Grading: This course comprises 50% of the Introduction to Patient Care Block, Section 4. Grading for the block section is Honors, Satisfactory, Unsatisfactory.

Faculty Note

Course Director Rita M. Patel, MD, is a recipient of the Sheldon Adler Award for Innovation in Medical Education. William R. McIvor, MD, is a recipient of the Clerkship Preceptor of the Year Award and a Golden Apple Award. In addition, Dr. Patel, Dr. McIvor, and John F. Mahoney, MD, are members of the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine Academy of Master Educators.