Rotation Director
Anjali Rai, MD
Rotation Description
The NIH Clinical Center (CC) is the site of intramural clinical research for the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Each year, approximately 5,000 inpatients are admitted to the CC and another 100,000 individuals are seen in the CC outpatient clinics. These patients, who are enrolled in specific research protocols, may present with simple or complex gastroenterology or hepatic problems in relation to or in addition to the disease or treatment being studied. The Pediatric Gastroenterology/Hepatology Consult Service provides gastroenterology/hepatology consultation and care to pediatric patients in the CC at the request of the patient's research physicians.
The Pediatric Gastroenterology/Hepatology Consult Service welcomes medical students to a four-week clinical rotation at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). The medical student will join the consulting team and take part in the diagnosis, treatment, and ongoing care of a wide spectrum of pediatric gastroenterology/hepatology problems occurring in pediatric patients participating in research protocols. These activities frequently require extensive interaction between the Pediatric Gastroenterology/Hepatology Consult Service, the research team, and other CC specialists. An essential part of providing pediatric gastroenterology/hepatology consultation in the CC environment requires review of various diagnostic and therapeutic modalities including laboratory and imaging studies, and reviewing prior endoscopy reports and liver biopsies. In addition, a review of existing literature and learning about new clinical and/or research tools pertinent to the clinical problems are included in all evaluations. Students can use the enormous resources of the NIH computer system and one of the finest medical libraries in the United States to search for information about the patients they are seeing. Opportunities to observe procedures occurring during the time of elective, including endoscopy and liver biopsies, will be available to the student. Weekly Hepatology Rounds and Pathology Rounds are scheduled. Medical Grand Rounds and other teaching conferences are available, but not required. There is no required evening or weekend duty. Anticipated and elective absences must be cleared prior to starting the elective or they will not be permitted.
Rotation Objectives
- Provide unique clinical experience of providing optimum care for patients with multiple pediatric gastroenterology/hepatology problems in a research environment.
- Learn the consulting skills needed to formulate a diagnostic and therapeutic plan.
- Effectively communicate information to patient, family, attending physicians, and nursing staff.
- Become familiar with a variety of diagnostic tests and therapeutic interventions.
Faculty
Translational Hepatology Section, Liver Diseases Branch, NIDDK