OBJECTIVE: At the completion of this clerkship, the student will be able to:

1) Perform an admission history and physical exam on patients admitted to the Spinal Cord Injury Center, with a special focus on appropriate neurological classification of the spinal trauma and the basics of surgical and non-surgical approaches to achieving spinal stability.

2) Develop an appreciation of the special medical problems of these patients.

3) Describe the roles of the individuals that make up the multi-disciplinary teams that treat these patients.

4) Gain an appreciation of the epidemiology of spinal cord injury with a special focus on prevention, prognosis and outcome.

5) Describe the rationale and indications for tendon transfer surgery in these patients.

OFFERED: All months except October & November

STUDENTS: Maximum: 2 visiting medical students for each rotation

REQUIRED: Core clerkship in Internal Medicine

DESCRIPTION: Clerk will have responsibility for evaluation and management of 4 to 5 inpatients at the Spinal Cord Injury Center. Morning teaching rounds are conducted with resident and attending physician. Team conferences are held 3 times per week. Outpatient Spinal Cord Injury Clinic is held once per week.

DUTIES: Initial evaluation of inpatients; participation in team conferences; observation of therapies and family meetings; attendance at outpatient follow-up clinic.