Department of Neurology

Neurology 667

VA – Veterans Administration Medical Center

1600 S. Columbian Way
Seattle, WA 98018

Site Director: Mike Kim, MD

Coordinator:  Maria Kimmerle
Maria.Kimmerle@va.gov
206-277-4292
 

PRE-ARRIVAL PAPERWORK

6 WEEKS PRIOR TO STARTING YOUR CLERKSHIP:

NEW MEDICAL STUDENTS

  • Contact PUGCEDOnboarding@va.gov to receive detailed instructions and fillable forms.
  • Center for Education (CED)
    206-277-3686

RETURNING MEDICAL STUDENTS.  Definition:  students who have an ID card and have signed into patient records

  • The contact group to inquire about computer account status and coordination of coming in for reactivation is pughsmadpac@va.gov.

Orientation, First Day & What To Bring

Clerkship orientation: Because of Monday clinic, you will need to do the clerkship orientation online. Go to the Didactics page and view the Clerkship Orientation Video.

On the first day report to the West Clinic at 8am to meet with the neurology inpatient team and Dr. Kim.  You will be in outpatient clinic seeing neurology patients.  Formal VA orientation will occur after clinic.

The Neurology team room (5th floor, Bldg 100, 5B-103, door code 61045).  Maria Kimmerle (info above) is a good contact person if there is confusion.

Equipment to bring: White coat and name tag, reflex hammer, tuning fork (128Hz), stethoscope, (Ophthalmoscope recommended).

Parking:  Ramp

Course Requirements

Pocket syllabus: A “pocket syllabus”, referenced in the orientation video, will be available at the VA.  A printable (PDF) version is also available on the Pocket Syllabus page.

Didactics: Didactics take place on Thursdays, 1:00-4:00PM at the UW. The room schedule and details are on the Didactics page. Room information may change at the end of each rotation, so be sure to check the table the weekend before you begin.

Cases: Two case write-ups are due each week. The clerkship coordinator will email the assigned case numbers to you on or before the first day of the clerkship. Further information is available in the orientation video and on the Cases page. Please note that the first cases are due on the first Thursday of your clerkship by 1:00PM Pacific fime.

Patient log: You are required to log in the patients you have seen each week. The log is described in the clerkship orientation video. Additional details are on the Patient Log page.

Clinical & Bioethical CEX exercises: You are required to do both a clinical and a bioethical mini-CEX for this course. See the Mini-CEX page for details.

Presentations: Presentation requirements are described in the orientation video and are available on the Presentations page.

Final exam: This is described in the orientation video and on the Final Exam page.

Site Expectations & Clinic Experience

General: Students are expected to spend one-half (two weeks) of the VA neurology clerkship on the inpatient ward service and the other half on the inpatient consultation service. The switch point will be at mid-month of the rotation.

Inpatient service: The student involved with the inpatient ward service will be expected to follow and be involved with the care of up to (but no more than) two neurology inpatients at any given time. The student is expected to follow their assigned patient from time of admission until discharge, write daily progress notes and be involved in writing medication, laboratory and diagnostic testing orders for the assigned patients. The student is expected to attend daily work rounds, attending ward rounds, and neuroradiology conference on Wednesday mornings. There are no weekend or night call responsibilities.

Consultation service: The student involved with the inpatient consultation service ideally will see one new inpatient consultation per day depending on referral volume, and clinic responsibilities. The student will follow their assigned patients until resolution of the consultation or until the end of the two week period. It is expected that the student will write a daily note on the assigned patients as necessary. Attendance at all attending ward and consultation rounds, as well as Wednesday morning neuroradiology conference, is mandatory unless there is a conflict with clinic schedule. There are no weekend or night call responsibilities.

Clinic Experience

Mandatory: Weekly attendance of Monday morning epilepsy and Thursday morning general neurology clinics. Students are expected to obtain history and physical, present to the attending physician and generate a clinic visit note on follow-up patients. The expected number of follow-up patients seen in clinic should be 2-3 patients.

Optional: The students also have the option of attending other specialty clinics at the VA. These include the Wednesday afternoon Multiple Sclerosis Clinic, the Friday morning Movement Clinic, and the Friday afternoon Dementia Clinic.

It is anticipated that Dr. Mike Kim will observe student’s performance of the formal neurologic physical examination, in general neurology clinic, within the first two weeks of the rotation to provide feedback. Dr. Kim will observe the student’s performance again in the final week of the rotation for final evaluation of improvement and/or mastery of the neuro exam. If Dr. Kim is not available for observation (vacation, etc.), Dr. Cyrus Zabetian will provide evaluation.