Emergency medicine (Central)

Located at Geisinger Medical Center in Danville, Pa., Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine’s emergency medicine student clerkship is a multifaceted, immersive and feedback-oriented experience for fourth-year medical students from a variety of institutions. 

Whether required or elective, the experience will offer you the ability to work clinically in an accredited Level 1 trauma center, a stroke center and a chest pain center. You’ll work clinically in all areas of the department, participating in care from triage through admission or discharge. In addition, you’ll experience the clinical care provided by our pediatric emergency medicine specialists. To provide a comprehensive experience, you’ll also spend time at our community-oriented emergency departments (EDs) at Geisinger Shamokin Area Community Hospital and Geisinger Jersey Shore Hospital. This will allow you to work one-on-one with attending emergency medicine physicians.

You’ll have approximately 18 total experiences during your elective month (only four-week rotations are offered for students on elective experiences), which include clinical shifts, procedure labs, didactic sessions, journal clubs and participation in simulation labs and monthly mixers. Clinical shifts are generally nine hours long. Abundant resources will optimize your learning outside of the hospital.

In addition to clinical duties, you’ll observe and participate in weekly didactic experiences alongside our residents and faculty, participate in weekly procedure labs that are customized to your collective needs and interests, and get customized and dedicated teaching when working with our teaching resident.

Our ED was recently renovated and has more than 40 beds, including a three-bed resuscitation bay. The resuscitation bay incorporates plain film radiology and is immediately adjacent to the Radiology Department and includes the latest generation CT scanners. You’ll also have the opportunity to work in our newly renovated nine-bed pediatric ED and work with our pediatric emergency medicine-trained faculty. Radiology services, including ultrasound and MRI, are available 24/7.

Our elective is associated with one of the most established emergency medicine residency programs in the country. Founded in 1976, the program is three years long, with nine allopathic or osteopathic residents per year. Our division of emergency medicine point-of care-ultrasound also has a fellowship program and accepts one fellow per year. Our residency program has a longstanding Emergency Medical Services affiliation that incorporates ground and air EMS, and we encourage you to actively participate in both elements. 

Goals and objectives

A comprehensive resource guide will be provided upon starting the rotation. It includes logistical details, goals and objectives, and a detailed incorporation of emergency medicine student milestones, entrustable professional activities and core competencies. Additionally, some details are provided below.

• Develop efficiency and focus on the assessment of common emergency medicine chief complaints, including but not limited to abdominal pain, altered mental status, chest pain, headache, nausea/vomiting, overdose, shock, shortness of breath and trauma. 
• Formulate basic differential diagnoses, including the most serious or life-threatening conditions, the most common etiologies, and the most likely diagnosis for common chief complaints and presentations in the ED.    
• Become proficient in the presentation of the ED history and physical examination, including recognizing the important elements of the case and developing conciseness.    
• Participate in the care of critically ill and unstable patients, both medical and traumatic, including airway management, arrhythmia recognition and management, central line placement, appropriate vasopressor selection and lumbar punctures.    
• Improve confidence in formulating basic treatment plans, including lab and imaging workup, medications and ultimate dispositions for ED patients.    
• Provide compassionate care of patients.
• Practice interpersonal and communication skills with patients, consultants and primary care physicians.
• Demonstrate proficiency in writing emergency medicine notes.
• Exhibit professionalism in all aspects of the rotation, including timeliness, honesty, integrity, accountability and cultural sensitivity.
• Be proactive in learning, with independent reading of material pertinent, not only to patients in the ED, but also for common emergency medicine chief complaints (e.g., chest pain, dyspnea, abdominal pain, fever, headache).