ACE: Pediatric Critical Care

School of Medicine

Pediatric Critical Care is an exciting specialty that cares for the sickest patients from birth into young adulthood. The Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU) both offer unique blends of physiology, pharmacology and pathology in disease processes ranging from to sepsis, respiratory failure, and traumatic brain injury to congenital heart disease and its repair. Students will have the opportunity to function within the PICU and/or PCICU clinical teams, as well as participate in divisional teaching conferences. The course will focus on enhancing student clinical practice-based learning skills. Students will have the opportunity to (1) deepen understanding of the complex pathophysiology of critically ill children, (2) learn the basic principles of multidisciplinary management and resuscitation of critically ill children, and (3) review common diseases seen in a busy pediatric critical care unit. Additionally, students will be expected to stay for overnight call at least four times during the four-week rotation. This course will fulfill the acute care requirement.