Outpatient Pediatric Cardiology (Clinical Elective)

2 units

Students will be exposed to the wide spectrum of pediatric cardiology on an outpatient basis. In addition to general cardiology clinics, several subspecialty clinics are also available, including heart failure/transplant, electrophysiology/inherited arrhythmias, pulmonary hypertension, William's syndrome, Down syndrome, cardiac neurodevelopmental, COVID-19/MIS-C, Fontan, aortopathy, dysautonomia, and preventive cardiology clinics. Students will independently evaluate clinic patients referred for a variety of cardiac complaints, including a wide variety of congenital cardiac lesions, cardiac murmurs, chest pain, syncope, and arrhythmias and report their findings to the attending. Cardiac auscultation skills will be enhanced through auscultation of cardiac patients in a clinic environment. Students will learn basics of ECG and echocardiogram interpretation by reviewing studies performed during clinic with the attending. Clinics are held at St. Louis Children's Hospital, the Children's Specialty Care Center West County, the Children's Specialty Care South County, Graham Road clinic in North St.Louis County, and Shiloh clinic in Shiloh, IL. Students also have the option to participate in outreach clinics that occur on a monthly basis (locations include Cape Girardeau, Rolla, Bonne Terre, and Columbia). Depending on interest, students may spend additional time in the echocardiography laboratory for more in-depth exposure to echocardiography, including fetal echocardiography. Participation in weekly surgical conference and daily cardiology educational conferences is encouraged.