Pediatric Clerkship Purpose and Objectives

The purpose of the Pediatric Clerkship is to provide 3^rd year medical students with inpatient and outpatient pediatric clinical experiences where students will

• acquire a working knowledge of normal and abnormal growth and development,
• recognize, understand the pathophysiology of, diagnose, and treat the common disorders of infancy, childhood, and adolescence, and
• develop an understanding of children’s and families’ perspectives of being cared for within our healthcare system through observation, inquiry, and reflection.

 Pediatric Clerkship Objectives:

After completing an 8-week pediatric clerkship rotation, the student will be able to: 

1. Perform effective age-oriented interviews and physical examinations on newborns, children, and adolescents.
2. Formulate a clinical assessment and plan in a problem-oriented fashion. 
3. Recognize the role of pathophysiologic processes on growth and development in children.
4. Differentiate children as well, mildly ill, or acutely ill based on their signs and symptoms at various ages.
5. Describe the importance of preventive pediatrics, including the roles of nutrition, environmental influences, safety, immunizations, and anticipatory guidance in improving child health.
6. Demonstrate humanistic attitudes and a patient and family-centered approach in meeting the psychosocial needs of well, acutely ill, and chronically ill patients and their families.