ACE: Developmental Pediatrics and Genetics

School of Medicine

The combined Developmental Pediatrics and Genetics ACE will blend two specialties that are important in all facets of Pediatric Medicine. " This course is primarily an outpatient experience that allows students to observe, assess, and participate in diagnosing children with developmental and genetic concerns. Students will work within interprofessional teams and have the opportunity to learn the roles of other medical providers that their patients might work with including therapists, psychologists, genetic counselors, nurse practitioners, and dieticians. During the genetics portion of the course, students will assist in diagnosis and managing children with complex genetic diseases. Students will have the opportunity to (1) deepen their knowledge of genetic conditions including dysmorphology, biochemical genetics, single gene disorders, and chromosomal disorders, (2) assess family histories, (3) participate in the medical intake that can help lead to a diagnosis, and (4) learn resources they can use throughout their career when working with patients with genetic conditions. During the developmental pediatrics portion of this course, students will start to become familiar with typical and atypical courses of childhood development. The goal of this rotation is to teach medical students how to (1) take a developmental history, (2) assess how a child is functioning currently, (3) understand interventions that are likely to help the child make developmental progress and (4) be familiar with certain developmental disabilities that are common in our society, including Autism Spectrum Disorders, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Down Syndrome.