Inpatient US Clinical Experience in Infectious Disease in Miami

Information about this clinical experience:

This is an inpatient experience during which you will be under the supervision of two board-certified infectious diseases physicians. The preceptors are actively involved in the education of internal medicine residents and infectious disease fellows. Rotators will spend two weeks with each preceptor over the course of a four-week clinical experience.

As infections can affect every organ system, no matter which specialty or subspecialty you pursue, a strong foundation in infectious diseases will serve you well. As a future resident, you will be called upon to evaluate and manage hospitalized patients with serious infections. Several studies in the U.S. have shown that residents have significant gaps in their knowledge with respect to infectious disease and selection of antimicrobial therapy. In one study, 90% of residents reported the need for more antimicrobial education and 67% desired feedback on their own prescribing practices. Whether you’re caring for a patient with sepsis, hospital-acquired pneumonia, or complicated urinary tract infection, it is crucial that you assess these patients properly, select the appropriate antimicrobial therapy, and initiate treatment in a timely manner. This clinical experience will show you how to do just that.

A typical day will begin at 8 AM with pre-rounds during which you will see patients with the fellow or the resident. You will be assigned several of the patients to follow. You will be responsible for obtaining the history and other relevant details, organizing the collected data, and preparing an oral case presentation to be delivered during attending rounds.

Attending rounds will begin at 11 AM and last until approximately 3 PM. During these rounds, the team which typically consists of the attending physician, fellow, residents, and students will see the patients on the service. On a typical day, you can expect to see 25-30 patients. When it comes time to see your assigned patients, you will have the opportunity to present your cases, including assessments and plans, to the attending physician. The ensuing discussion will provide a means for you to expand your knowledge, refine your clinical reasoning, and ask questions.

Among the infections you will encounter during this clinical experience are the following:

• Pneumonia

• Urinary Tract Infection

• Diabetic Foot Infection

• Bacteremia

• Surgical Wound Infection

• Infected Cardiac Devices

• Endocarditis

• Cellulitis

• Osteomyelitis

• HIV/AIDS

Because the hospital serves a multicultural population with many patients from Central America, South America, and the Caribbean, you may encounter tropical disease such as dengue that are unusual in other parts of the U.S.

During your experience, you will learn the following U.S. medical practices under the preceptor’s supervision:

• Taking patient histories.

• Performing physical exams under the physician’s supervision.

• Presenting patients.

• Navigating the EMR (Meditech EMR)

• Have opportunities to research the literature to answer clinical questions at the point of care.

• Spending time with other healthcare professionals to understand their roles and responsibilities.

Of note, a high percentage of patients are Spanish-speaking. The hospital has phone interpreter services available for employees and students who do not speak Spanish. Nearly all of the nursing staff speak Spanish and are more than willing to help team members who are not Spanish speakers.