Ambulatory Infectious Disease (Clinical Elective)

2 units

The elective is designed to teach students the fundamentals of evaluating clinical infections in the outpatient setting. Students see patients under the supervision of a faculty member and interact with Infectious Disease Fellows and Internal Medicine Residents. Students will participate in the care of patients living with HIV or otherwise immunosuppressed patients as well as general infectious disease patients. The clinic is the primary provider for many patients living with HIV, and students will learn the pathogenesis of HIV, become familiar with most antiretroviral medications, and have the opportunity to learn about opportunistic infections and their prophylaxis. They will also have the opportunity to see patients with bone and joint infections, endovascular infections, endemic and opportunistic mycoses, mycobacterial infections, sexually transmitted diseases, and many other infections. Patients seen will have a wide range of acute and chronic infections, and will include indigent and insured patients across a wide range of ages. The students will play an important role in the management of these patients and will present their assessments and plans to the supervising attending. They are expected to write clinic notes, read the literature about their patients, and participate in clinical conferences.