Medical Student Education

First Year

• Pediatric faculty serve as preceptors in the Introduction to Clinical Medicine course, in which students learn how to interview patients, and begin to learn physical examination skills. They are also exposed, in that course, to topics such as ethics, health care systems, and cultural competence. Pediatric faculty members also host medical students, during the summer following first year, in their labs and clinics, and a Pediatric faculty member serves as the faculty advisor for the Pediatric Interest Group.

Second Year

• All second-year students have a brief introduction to the Pediatric physical examination, including a half day of lectures and two half-day sessions in clinical Pediatrics sites on campus as well as in the local community.

Third Year

• Each third-year student spends six weeks on the Pediatric Clerkship. The goal of this experience is to provide students with exposure to preventive care of children as well as to the acute and chronic illnesses of childhood. Three weeks are spent on an inpatient ward at UMMS or an affiliated hospital, and three weeks in an outpatient clinic. Students also get exposure to pediatric emergency departments, urgent care centers, newborn nurseries, and some sub-specialty clinics during their clerkship.
• A specially designed didactic curriculum consisting of lectures, small group case discussions, and online virtual patient cases enhances and supports each student’s clinical learning.

Fourth Year

A number of exciting opportunities are available for senior students wishing to get a more in-depth experience in pediatrics.

• Four-week acting internships are available on the pediatric ward services as well as in the neonatal and pediatric intensive care units.
• Four-week electives are available in each of the sub-specialty divisions, allowing students to spend time with both inpatients and outpatients who have complex or specialized medical problems
• Pediatric faculty members serve as advisors and mentors to students who are interested in pursuing careers in pediatrics.