Course Leader: Thomas E. Cataldo, MD, Asst Professor of Surgery

Other faculty involved: Drs. Victor Pricolo, Thomas Shahinian, Homayoon Akbari

Course Location: Rhode Island Hospital

When Offered: All year

Maximum Students per Rotation: 2

Duration of Rotation: 2-4 weeks

Type of Rotation: Subinternship

Prerequisites: 3rd year Clerkship in General Surgery, General Sub-internship helpful.

Competencies: I)Communication; II)Clinical Skills; IV)Diagnosis, Management and Prevention; and IX)Problem Solving. The level or achievement expected is stratified to the goals of the student. If the student is preparing for a primary care, he/she should easily achieve at least intermediate skills specific to colorectal surgery. The student with a specific career goal in Surgery is expected to function at a minimal level of intermediate to advanced. Abilities Assessed through oral presentations and research assignments.

Criteria for Honors: Any student demonstrating genuine interest in colorectal disease and treatment, and active participation in conferences including GI conferences, and specific Colon and rectal rounds, tumor board and journal club will receive honors. The student should demonstrate increasing knowledge of GI and Colon and Rectal diseases, their presentation, work up, treatment, and expected outcome. The student should demonstrate some facility for office and operating room procedures as well as flexible endoscopy.

Number of Hrs/Wk of Classroom/Discussion: 4-6 hrs/week

Number of Nights On call per Week: 0

Description: The student will function as a surgical intern would with practice and academics focused on the diagnosis and treatment of patients whose primary conditions are limited to diseases of the GI tract, specifically, the Colon, Rectum, and Anus. Specifically the student is expected to actively participate and contribute in the office, the hospital wards and in the operating room. The student is expected to gain additional facility with operative techniques as well as anoscopy and flexible endoscopy. When not engaged in clinical activity in the office or operating room environments, the student is expected to focus reading and scholarly activities on the fundamentals and forefronts of Colon and Rectal Disease and Surgery.