Predoctoral Education Program

Pablo Joo, MD, Director of Predoctoral Education
Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons

Welcome to the Predoctoral Education Program website. This is the home of Family Medicine education at P&S. Our office coordinates all educational experiences in Family Medicine for P&S and visiting students, including experiences for first through fourth year medical students. Our office suite on the 12th floor of the Vanderbilt Clinic provides a home to students, residents, staff and faculty interested in Family Medicine, as well as allied student organizations from the Health Sciences Campus.

At the present time, we offer the following electives (please see complete descriptions below):

Advanced Ambulatory Family Medicine Clerkship, Family Medicine Inpatient Service (Subinternship), Latino Health: A Model for Intercultural Learning, Preceptorship in Wound Healing.

Students must complete all requirements for Columbia P&S Office of Student Affairs: http://www.cumc.columbia.edu/dept/ps/electives/index.html#Visiting

All electives are 4 weeks in length at a minimum. Student must commit to all four weeks. We do not offer electives that are less than 4 weeks in duration.

Fourth year medical students are allowed up to 3 days off during the elective to attend residency interviews. Because our electives involve coordinating many faculty schedules in order to craft a quality experience, students should inform the predoc administrator and course director as soon as possible of any days that they need to be dismissed (preferably before the student begins the elective).

Visiting students taking the Latino Health elective must submit required demographic information to the Predoctoral Administrator at least 2 weeks prior to commencing the elective, so they can obtain a password for access to the Columbia P&S electronic curriculum (courseworks).

Rotation Description Advanced Ambulatory Family Medicine Clerkship Location: New York-Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medical Center / Family Medicine at Herman "Denny" Farrell, Jr. Community Health Center Course Director: Pablo Joo, MD Given: Year round Maximum: 1 student per month Description: Senior students with a demonstrated interest in Family Medicine and service to underserved communities will have the opportunity to work at an advanced level in multiple inner-city ambulatory settings affiliated with the Center for Family Medicine. Objectives: Learners will increase their level of competence in community-oriented primary care, including the interdisciplinary diagnosis and treatment of common ambulatory problems in biopsychosocial context. Learners will explore the differences between generalist and specialist reasoning in health care in order to better understand their future roles as primary care clinicians. Learning Experience: Students will be directly involved in the evaluation and treatment of ambulatory patients in patient care sites affiliated with New York-Presbyterian Hospital, including the Family Practice Center of the Family Medicine Residency Program. The student should expect to gain broad experience serving diverse populations in terms of socioeconomic, linguistic, ethnic and cultural variables. Students will work under the supervision of family medicine faculty, and will be expected to independently evaluate patients and formulate treatment and follow-up plans for review with their preceptors. In addition to protected time for directed study each week, students will attend all educational conferences, and will have opportunities to attend inpatient rounds of the Family Medicine Service and participate in home visits. Feedback: Students will receive formal feedback in the middle and the end of the rotation. Evaluation: The course director will compile a final evaluation based upon the evaluations by all preceptors. Family Medicine Inpatient Service (Subinternship) Location: New York-Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medical Center, Allen Pavilion Course Director: Bertie Bregman, MD Given: Every month except July Maximum: 1 student per month. Description: This advanced clinical clerkship on the Family Medicine Inpatient Service at New York-Presbyterian Hospital's Allen Pavilion will permit learners to understand the role of hospital care as part of a broad continuum of services that constitute comprehensive, generalist primary care. Objectives: Learners will function as "acting interns" on a busy primary care inpatient service under direct supervision of faculty and senior residents. The Family Medicine Inpatient Service represents the hospital arm of a large diverse generalist medical practice at New York-Presbyterian, and students will be expected to understand the role of inpatient care as part of the continuity of care provided in family practice. Learning Experience: Students will work directly with the Inpatient Coordinator and Inpatient Service Attending at the Allen Pavilion of New York-Presbyterian Hospital. Students will participate in daily rounds as an integral member of the inpatient team, and will be directly responsible for the care of their inpatient panel. Attendance at all Family Medicine seminars and conferences will be required. Students will take long or short call with the senior residents of the inpatient team, including weekend call. Feedback: Students will receive ongoing feedback from the Inpatient Coordinator and senior residents. Evaluation: The course director will compile a final evaluation based upon formal evaluations by faculty and senior residents. LATINO HEALTH: A Model for Intercultural Learning Location: New York Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medicine Center/Family Medicine at Herman "Denny" Farrell, Jr. Community Health Center; various Latino community service sites around New York City Course Director: Pablo Joo, MD Given: Year round Maximum: 1 student per month Description: Latinos are one of the largest and fastest growing population groups in the United States. Fourth-year medical students with a strong interest in healthcare of Latino communities will have an opportunity to develop a comprehensive understanding of the complex individual, family, community, cultural, and public health issues that shape health promotion and disease management. This understanding will provide a framework that students can use to work with Latinos, as well as other minority communities. Objectives: Students will gain an understanding of public health policy issues, health disparities and equities affecting Latinos in the United States and knowledge of important Latino healthcare research topics. They will become aware of the diversity of cultures within the Latino community, their various needs and strengths. Students will also understand the role of physician as advocate for the patient and community. Learning Experience: Students will gain experience providing culturally responsive primary care to Latino patients, in the context of their families and communities, utilizing the bio-psychosocial model. They will be directly responsible for the evaluation and treatment of ambulatory patients, for two half days per week, under the supervision of the family physician course director. During the other eight half day sessions per week, students will pursue a set of diverse experiences. Students will meet with the Center’s Behavioral Scientist to learn psychosocial aspects of treating Latino patients and families. They will work with Community Medicine faculty and Fellows from the School of Public Health to examine community medicine and public health issues and to learn how to access resources for Latino patients and collaborate with community organizations. They will also work with Research faculty in the Center for Family Medicine, studying emerging primary care research topics regarding Latino populations. Narrative Medicine exercises will provide opportunities to self-reflect and process cross-cultural dynamics. Feedback: Students will receive formal feedback in the middle and at the end of the rotation. Evaluation: The course director will compile a final evaluation based on input of the teaching faculty. Preceptorship In Wound Healing Location: New York-Presbyterian Hospital: Columbia University Medical Center, Allen Pavilion Course Director: Anna Flattau, MD, MSc Given: Year round – once a month Maximum: 1 student per month. Students that are able to give a minimum of two months' commitment may participate actively in research. Description: The Wound Healing Program strives for a comprehensive, patient-centered approach to our patient population, which suffers from multiple, complex, co-morbid illnesses. Students will develop practical, evidence-based skills in inpatient, outpatient, and surgical management of patients with of diabetic, venous, ischemic, and pressure wounds. Emphasis is on continuity of care; patient-centered care, including integrated medical and surgical approaches; and systems-based care, including clinical protocols and the use of electronic medical records to improve patient outcomes. Objectives: The student will learn appropriate evaluation of patients who have diabetic, venous, ischemic, and pressure wounds; the management of common co-morbid conditions including diabetes, atherosclerotic disease, obesity, paralysis, sickle cell disease, post-transplant immunosuppression, and AIDS; surgical and non-surgical management options for wound care; peri-operative management; and techniques in surgical debridement. Learning Experience: Student will round every morning on the inpatient Wound Healing Service. The remainder of the days will be split between the outpatient clinic and the operating room. The student will dedicate one day per week to either a literature review or a quality assurance review using an electronic medical record linked to patient outcomes data. Results will be presented in a 20-minute presentation and a 5-10 page paper. Interested students may participate in off-site visits to long-term care facilities or patient homes. All activities will be under the supervision of the attending physicians. Students interested in research and available for a minimum of two months are invited to participate in our active research program. Feedback: Verbal and written feedback will be provided at the midpoint and at the end of the rotation. Evaluation: The course director's final evaluation will be based on the student’s accomplishments and development during the rotation.

To inquire about the Preceptorship in Wound Healing, please contact

Anna Flattau
Wound Healing Program Allen Pavilion
5141 Broadway
New York NY 10034
(212) 932-4325
af2125@columbia.edu

To inquire about all other electives, please contact

Craig Irvine, PhD
Center for Family Medicine
630 W. 168th St., VC 12-217
New York, NY 10032
(212) 305-9107
(212) 305-9484 [fax]
ci44@columbia.edu




Related Links

Center for Family Medicine at CPMC
P&S Office of Student Affairs
Columbia University Health Sciences Campus Housing
Health Sciences Library

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