General Information for Medical Students

Introduction

There are a number of students attached to the rheumatology department. Please try to get to know each other and share information regarding any interesting patients on the ward with striking signs.

The in-patients are based on Ward 1 and 2. The day case unit is also by Physio (extn 33257) and Ward 1 The rheumatology clinics are held at clinic 6, Outpatients Department, Walsgrave Hospital.

Learning Objectives and Assessments

There is no formal assessment in rheumatology. However, at the end of this booklet, there are suggested topics, history and joint examination competency, clinic and teaching attendance and portfolios that could be ticked/signed off. You should attend 4 – 6 clinics

Consultant partnership

The secretaries

Key Day Unit
Unit manager/sister - Jeannie Wood      

Sister - Vivien

Specialist nurses office  Ext 26031

Key Outpatient staff

Sister - Margaret Sheepy (ext 26707 – arrange via Wendy)

Teaching - Timetable 2018

You are expected to attend all the organised teaching by your own team. Please feedback to us any difficulties or timetable clashes.

You are encouraged to liaise with the ST3 and ST4 with respect to suitable patients on the ward for clerking and examination and by prior arrangement to present patients and practise examination skills.

Other learning opportunities

Day Unit

Patients with a wide variety of Rheumatologically conditions (Rheumatoid arthritis, Psoriatic arthritis, Ankylosing spondylitis, osteoporosis, connective tissue diseases and vasculitis) attend the day unit for infusions and Sister Wood and her team performs these on Tuesday and Thursday mornings. Please arrange with her a suitable date to attend and talk to patients.

Nurse Monitoring Clinics

Patients with chronic inflammatory joint diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis are often on long-term medication and specialist nurses play a key role in educating and monitoring these patients. These clinics would not only give a flavour of the role of specialist nurses in chronic conditions but are also an excellent opportunity to see the spectrum of inflammatory joint diseases and to learn about the drugs used to treat them.  Please arrange with Sister Kular for a suitable date to attend.

Injection clinics

Steroid injections are used in the treatment of many rheumatologically conditions. This is a good opportunity to learn about them as well as to see them performed and also see conditions which are not usually encountered on the wards eg soft-tissue disorders. These clinics are run by the SpRs on Monday and Thursday mornings. Please arrange with them for a suitable date to join for observation.

Physiotherapy (PT) and Occupational therapy (OT)

A multidisciplinary approach is central in the management of patients.  This block is ideal in learning about these important disciplines. Please arrange with Jane (PT ext 26033 ) and Mangai  (OT ext 26032) for a suitable date to attend.

Other clinics

Dr Dubby runs a specialist clinic in connective tissue diseases. Please liaise with his secretary for a suitable date to attend.

X-ray meeting

Interesting x-rays and MRI scans are discussed with the radiologists every Monday between 4-5pm.

Medical grand round

All students attached to the department are encouraged to attend this. It is held at CSB (normally in main lecture theatre) between 13:00 – 14:00 every Friday. This is an educational event for all the medical departments in the hospital. Each medical speciality takes turn to present a topic/ an interesting patient. There is normally a medical audit presentation once a month.

 Timetable

The sessions below are open to all students on their rheumatology block. The rest of the timetable should be completed by discussion with your consultant and subspecialty partner consultant.