PROFESSOR MARY JO LECHOWICZ VISITED CLINICAL CLERKSHIP SITES

Professor Mary Jo Lechowicz, Vice Chair of Education in the Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology of Emory University School of Medicine paid a visit to Iashvili Children's Central Hospital on January 16th in order to observe the functioning of the pediatric clerkship and elective pediatric rotations of the American MD Program. The sixth-year elective pediatric nephrology and the fifth-year core pediatrics students were in the hospital during the visit.

At the beginning of the visit Professor Mary Jo Lechowicz, Associated Professor Eka Ekaladze, Director of American MD program of TSMU, Professor Ivane Chkhaidze, Clerkship Director and Clinical Director of Iashvili Hospital with Associated Professor Nani Kavlashvili, Clerkship Coordinator, had a talk about the students’ clinical rotations. The practical aspects of both core and elective clerkships have been thoroughly covered. They discussed how to make the pediatric core clerkship more fruitful and fulfilling for students. The idea of requiring students to work night shifts in the hospital ward and emergency department was put forth. Discussion covered how the core clerkship and the elective vary. During elective clerkships students are more independent in their work with patients and taking more active role in their care.

Professor Lechowicz visited several departments of Iashvili Children’s Central Hospital. She started with the respiratory division, where USMD Program students of core clerkship (Sohail Rawiah Haseeb Abdullah, Bakhturidze Natalia, Guruli Vladimir) work with Sopho Tsertsvadze, the attending physician. Dr. Lechowicz joined round. After attending the student presentation and patient examination, the professor took part in the discussion about patient with students.

She also visited the nephrology department and conducted a round with sixth-year students and attending doctor Tamta Khujadze. During the round, one of the students, Vladimir Guruli presented the patient who had kidney disorders, and later discussion was held. Even though the patient does not speak English and the professor does not speak Georgian, they were still able to have an entertaining conversation with the assistance of the students.

Professor Lechowicz visited hematology department of Iashvili Clinic as well. She met head of the department Nino Totogashvili and attending doctor Ani Kobakhidze. They spent some time discussing the challenges and achievements in the treatment of pediatric hematological diseases. 

At the conclusion of the visit, Professor Lechowicz spoke with sixth-year students (Chkhikvadze Lasha, Yandamuri Sai Pratibha, Kurtanidze Nunu, Chikobava Elisabed, Mateshvili Ana, Muthuhawadi Vithanalage Disuri Chamateka Perera) about their work in the hospital and the patients they saw. She asked them to share a brief story about a patient that they particularly liked and heard several interesting stories. Later Dr. Lechowicz asked their ideas and thoughts how to make rotations more beneficial. 

Pediatric clerkship of the American MD Program of TSMU

Students are split up into two or three subgroups depending on how many students are in group. Each subgroup (3-5 students) work along with one attending doctor in different departments. At the beginning of clerkship, they begin their working day with round with the attending doctor by seeing five to six patients. Each of the student is assigned to at least one patient and is in charge of him/her. When students adapt to the hospital setting in the morning they see patients themselves and later do rounds with attending doctor. Each student presents his/her patient to whole group, later physical exam is done and a plan for continued care is made. After round they work individually with their patients take detailed history, examine them, attend all manipulation or investigations done, and interpret the findings.
Students have lectures or discussions of various cases during the second half of the day. On some days, they also give presentations on patients’ and their diseases that they find fascinating. Before leaving hospital students do follow-up of the patients.