The purpose of this course is to give the student an opportunity to learn about the diagnosis and management of pediatric emergencies. The student will gain an understanding of the relationship between medical, surgical, and intensive care expertise necessary for the management of the pediatric emergency patient. Students will gain expertise with a wide variety of pediatric emergencies including trauma, toxicology, resuscitation, dehydration, acute respiratory disease and others. Experience with common nonemergent acute pediatric illnesses and injuries will be given. Exposure to the prehospital care system and the Poison Control Center can be arranged.

Most of the student’s experience will be gained by acting as the primary physician for patients in the Pediatric Emergency Department as part of the patient care team, along with residents, fellows and faculty. Students may also spend time in the prehospital care environment, becoming acquainted with both ground and air transport, and in the Western New York Regional Poison Control Center. Lectures and small-group discussion will be offered to the senior student on an ongoing basis by faculty and fellows of the Division of Emergency Medicine, on topics including child abuse, dehydration, trauma, toxicology, bacteremia, otitis media, status asthmaticus, status epilepticus, prehospital care, upper airway obstruction and resuscitation. Pediatric Emergency Medicine, Williams and Williams, S. Ludwig, et al., editors, 1993, will be the primary course textbook and will be made available to the students in the Emergency Department.

By the end of the course, the student will have gained an ability to assess and manage (both cognitive and procedural skills) pediatric emergency patients.

Prerequisites: MS4

Modules: A-K

Number of students: 2

Course Instructors: Heather Territo, MD; and emergency medicine attending faculty.

Course Coordinator: Sue Quirk