Clinical rotation, Inflammatory Diseases, 6 credits

At least 3 years of studies in medicine

Students who fail a clinical placement (or equivalent) as a result of demonstrating such a serious lack of knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or the patients' confidence in medical care is at risk, will only be qualified for a new clinical placement once the individual action plan has been carried out.

Aim
The aim of the course is that the student should acquire knowledge, skills and understanding within the field of chronic inflammatory diseases.

Learning outcomes
The student should:
- be able to recognise, describe, diagnose common chronic inflammatory diseases and less common but important chronic inflammatory diseases and autoimmune diseases.
- be able to read up on the treatment of common chronic inflammatory diseases.
- know the diagnostic methods that are available within the field.
- be able to examine the musculoskeletal system for identification of e.g. arthritis and deformities.
- be able to carry out a knee joint puncture, arthrocentesis for aspiration of synovial fluid, and injection of corticosteroids.
- act respectfully towards patients, students, teachers and staff and take active responsibility for learning

The main focus is on clinical practice with patient-based teaching and individual feedback, to facilitate further development of skills. The students receive a timetable for participation at clinical activities at the Karolinska University Hospital, and will be given the opportunity to attend lectures and clinical rotations at one or more different units within the field of internal medicine, such as rheumatology, pulmonary diseases, dermatology, gastroenterology and nephrology. Auscultations will take place at inpatient wards and/or outpatient clinics. The students will attend case-based seminars and lectures on diagnostics and treatment of common and less common inflammatory diseases, as well as the underlying immunological pathways in the respective diseases. The students will be given the opportunity to be taught how to examine joints by a patient partner with rheumatic disease, as well as how to perform a knee joint puncture on an artificial knee model.

Primarily work-based education, with personal supervision. The students will be given the opportunity to actively participate in patient care, depending on their previous experience and knowledge. The students must note down their reflections on the patients they have met, as well as search and evaluate relevant scientific articles according to evidence-based medicine principles. The course includes theoretical lectures and seminars intermingled with auscultations at the different units. The theoretical part includes introductory lectures over the different disease areas that are included in the course, as well as basic immunology and clinical immunology including autoantibodies. The rotation takes part under continuous supervision by physicians at the different units.

Teaching will be performed in English. Students are scheduled 40 hours' per week, during which time is allocated for literature studies.

Teaching in evenings and at night may occur.

Compulsory elements: Clinical rotation with continuous assessment of skills and knowledge Formative assessment of notes/reflections by supervisor every week. Examination: Written examination in the form of a case report including literature survey should be presented before completed course. In addition, the student should present the same patient case for examiner and other course participants in connection with a final examination.

The course coordinator decides if, and how, absence from compulsory parts can be compensated. Study results cannot be reported until the student has participated in compulsory course elements or compensated for any absence in accordance with instructions from the course coordinator. Absence from a compulsory course element could mean that the student can not retake the element until the next time the course is offered.

If there are special grounds, or a need for adaptation for a student with a disability, the examiner may decide to deviate from the syllabus's regulations on the examination form, the number of examination opportunities, the possibility of supplementation or exemptions from the compulsory section/s of the course etc. Content and learning outcomes as well as the level of expected skills, knowledge and abilities may not be changed, removed or reduced.

Limitation of number of tests or practical training sessions
Students who do not pass a regular examination are entitled to re-sit the examination on five more occasions. If the student has failed six examinations/tests, no additional examination is given. Regarding clinical rotations, the student has the right to attend these two (2) times.

Termination of clinical rotation
The examiner may, with immediate effect, interrupt a student's clinical placement (or equivalent) if the student demonstrates such serious deficiencies in knowledge, skills or attitude that patient safety or patient confidence in healthcare is at risk. If a clinical placement is interrupted in this way the student is deemed to have failed that element and to have used up one clinical placement opportunity.

In such cases, an individual action plan should be set up stating which activities and tests are required before the student is qualified for a new clinical placement on the course.

If a course has been cancelled or has undergone major changes, at least two additional examinations (excluding regular examinations) on the previous contents will be provided within a year of the date of the change.

Course evaluation is implemented according to guidelines established by the board of education for Medicine at Karolinska Institutet.