Sites: MGH
Director(s): Alberto Puig, Daniel Rosenthal, F. Joseph Simeone
Offered: Not Offered July, August & December
Location: MGH - Mass. General Hospital (3)
Open to Exclerks: US/Canadian
Description: This course is about musculoskeletal disorders- trauma (acute, occupational and recreational) arthritis, infection, tumors, metabolic disorders (including osteoporosis) and congenital conditions as revealed by imaging studies including x-ray, CT, MRI, ultrasound and PET. These conditions, although usually less dramatic than cardiac or neurological disease, are extremely common. Almost all patients who live a full life span will experience one or more of them. Most physicians should be prepared to diagnose and treat the common ailments. The course is intended for any students who expect to encounter such patients-including primary care doctors, emergency physicians orthopedists, PM&R doctors , as well as potential radiologists. This first two weeks of the course are organized by body part, for example, shoulder, elbow wrist etc. This is done to allow a gradual introduction to the anatomical details needed to interpret each examination, A variety of imaging modalities will be considered for each region included x-ray, MRI, CT and PET. The second two weeks is organized around pathological conditions. The student will read didactic material, review imaging studies and actually create reports under the close supervision of the practicing Radiologists. It is very unusual for Radiology course to include this feature, but we think it helps to clarify what the student has learned. In addition to this �hands-on� experience will be a series of more formal instructional sessions. The student will also attend all musculoskeletal interdisciplinary conferences, and the midday teaching conferences of the Radiology residents. A limited amount of time can be made available to observe other operations of the Radiology department depending upon student objectives.
Incorporation of Basic Science Content and Evidence-Based Medicine:
This course is all about how anatomy, as displayed by medical imaging, can be used to deduce pathological conditions. Basic concepts of the physicis of image formation, and imaging appropriateness will also be addressed
Grade Criteria:
Honors with Distinction: A student will be awarded "honors with distinction" if his/her performance in both his/her reports and the final presentation. In general the student who is awarded a "honors with distinction" will have achieved a level of performance by the end of the course that is similar to that of a 1st year resident.
Honors: An "honors" will be awarded if the student (in addition to the basic requirements for a satisfactory performance) also demonstrates excellence in either his presentation or his reports.
Satisfactory: A student will be judged to have been satisfactory if he/she shows evidence of a good work ethic (shows up on time, stays until days work is completed (usually 5 PM, attends all conferences and completes the final presentation.
Unsatisfactory: An "unsatisfactory" grade will be given to any students who fail to meet the criteria for satisfactory performance.