Course Description

The students' elective training consists of the following activities:

Each student will be posted in a unit (under a consultant) and will participate in the clinical and academic activities of the unit. Some students from the Seth G S Medical College too may be posted in the same unit.

Out patient clinics:
These are typically once or twice a week, for 4 hours. Emphasis will be on observation of cases with common problems, with special emphasis on conditions peculiar to the tropics / India.

Wards:
Clinical rounds will be done by the head of the unit once or twice a week. These tend to be detailed, and last approximately 2 hours. Apart from deciding about the management of the patients admitted in the unit, there is substantial bedside teaching and demonstration of signs to students. Other unit staff (associate professor or lecturer) will do rounds on other days.

Bedside clinics:
Case presentation by individual students with special emphasis on history and physical examination is a strong point of teaching at GSMC. A student presents a case and the teacher will discuss the history, demonstrate signs, discuss diagnosis, investigations and treatment. This is a small-group interactive session.

Emergencies:
Each unit gets emergency admissions on specific designated days over a 24 hour period. These are handled by residents under the supervision of the lecturer on duty. These include referrals from the emergency services (Casualty) as well as emergency admissions. In surgical specialties, the emergency units also perform any emergency surgery needed for these newly admitted patients. Students (of GSMC and elective students) are encouraged to attend emergencies for as long as is feasible.

Seminars:
All departments have seminars presented by MBBS and postgraduate students on topics which are timely and important. Elective students are usually requested to make a presentation to the unit / department staff and students on (a) a disease which they have seen commonly in the country where they are doing their medical studies, but is uncommon in India, and (b) a disease which they have seen to be common in India, but is rare in the country where they are doing their medical studies

Didactic lectures:
Most days, in the afternoon, 2-3 hours of didactic lectures are held. Students are expected to attend these.

History and physical examination:
GSMC students will act as interpreters for elective students for obtaining history. Most Indian patients will readily permit physical examination. Documentation of cases seen is optional, and can be done if your medical school / college requires this.

After you return from your elective, your medical school usually requires you to submit a detailed report of your elective posting at GSMC. You will be required to submit a copy of this report to us (by regular post or by email).