Preceptor: Katie Weichman, MD
Contact: Jenny Casteneda-Nakouzi, Jenny.Castaneda-Nakouzi@NYULangone.org
Tel: 212-263-1059

Prerequisites: Surgery & Medicine Clerkships

Who should enroll in this elective?

Students who are considering Plastic/Reconstructive Surgery as a career

Clinical sites

Tisch/Kimmel Hospital and Bellevue Hospital

Description

This is an advanced 4-week elective that seeks to build on surgical knowledge, and experiences gained in the pre-clerkship and clerkship years. It may be used to build upon experience from the 2-week Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery Introductory Elective. Students will be expected to serve at the level of a sub-intern. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the core principles, foundational knowledge, and essential skills relevant to the specialty through encounters with a diverse range of cases reflective of this specialty. Students will gain this experience through exposure to the entire spectrum of the specialty including craniofacial surgery, microsurgery, hand surgery, truck and lower extremity reconstruction, breast reconstruction and cosmetic surgery.

Clinical research projects are always available for student participation. Basic science research opportunities are also available in cranial suture biology, wound healing, craniofacial skeletal distraction, microsurgery, craniofacial growth and organogenesis, tissue engineering and vascularized composite allotransplantation (VCA).  Students will be assigned to Tisch/Kimmel service for two weeks and then assigned to one week Bellevue Plastic Surgery and 1 week Bellevue Hand Surgery. We hope to provide an experience similar to that of a plastic surgery intern.

This elective will expose students, in a very short time, to the full spectrum of Plastic Surgery. Students will learn the comprehensive approach to the diagnosis and treatment options for a variety of acquired and congenital deformities. By the end of the four-week rotation, students will gain a better understand of the comprehensive problem-solving approach that is at the core of plastic surgery. 

While on the elective:

1. Students will be an integral part of the Plastic Surgery team
2. Students will make morning and afternoon rounds with the Plastic Surgery residents and assist with dressing changes/patient care
3. Students will scrub and assist in the operating room daily
4. Students will assist in the evaluation of emergency room, floor, and clinic patients
5. Students will attend educational conferences
6. Students will take short call with 2nd year plastic surgery resident (until 10PM) once per week when rotating at Bellevue Hospital
7. Students will round with the plastic surgery team on two weekends during the 4-week period and help with post round tasks, consults, and OR cases
8. Students will prepare a 15-minute presentation to be delivered at the end of the rotation

Objectives of the Elective

By the end of this elective, through daily contact with patients and didactics, you will:

1. Gain a deeper understanding of the field of plastic and reconstructive surgery, building on your pre-clerkship and clerkship experiences, through a broad exposure to a variety of acquired and congenital deformities
2. Expand your skills in inpatient and outpatient workup and management of patients with acquired and congenital deformities
3. Learn about specialty-specific history and physical exams as well as the indications for, and complications of specialty-specific procedures.
4. Gain knowledge regarding treatment modalities used to treat acquired and congenital deformities.
5. Gain insight into the interdisciplinary nature of this specialty and how our clinicians interact with other medical disciplines to provide comprehensive patient care
6. Ensure your choice of plastic and reconstructive surgery as a career

Key Responsibilities of the Student while on Elective

By enrolling in this elective, you have agreed to:

1. Participate in at least 35 contact hours of education each week
2. Provide communication of any excused absences to the Office of Student Affairs (excused absence form) and to the elective coordinator, in a timely fashion
3. Arrive in a timely fashion to all locations to which you are assigned
4. Participate in daily morning and afternoon rounds and patient care with residents and attendings
5. Be an active participant in the care of patients being followed by the team, as dictated by the resident/attending
6. Attend all didactics provided for trainees, as outlined below
7. Prepare and present a chosen topic at the completion of the rotation
8. Round with the team 2 weekends per 4-week elective
9. Take short call with 2nd year plastic surgery resident (till 10pm) once per week when rotating at Bellevue Hospital

Key Responsibilities of the preceptor/residents/faculty while you are on Elective

By accepting your enrollment in this elective, the department has agreed to:

1. Clearly communicate their expectations of you
2. Maintain a supportive clinical learning environment
3. Ensure that you have access to a broad case mix and clinical experience 
4. Provide the education necessary for you to gain an understanding of the patients and pathology reflective of this specialty
5. Provide feedback on your clinical skills

Didactic Program

Plastic Surgery Weekly Grand rounds is held on Wednesday am at 6:30AM in Smilow Cellar Level (SR C06)

Weekly Schedule

Week 1

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Grand Rounds Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds	Tisch/Kimmel rounds

Week 2

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Grand Rounds Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR	Tisch/Kimmel rounds and OR

Week 3

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Bellevue Plastics Rounds and OR	Bellevue Plastics Rounds and OR Bellevue Plastics Clinic	Grand Rounds Bellevue Plastics Rounds and OR	Bellevue Plastics Rounds and OR Short Call	Bellevue Plastics Rounds and OR Bellevue Plastics Clinic	Bellevue Plastics/Hand Rounds	Bellevue Plastics/Hand Rounds

Week 4

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday	Friday	Saturday	Sunday
Bellevue Hand Rounds and Clinic	Bellevue Hand Rounds and OR Short Call	Grand Rounds Bellevue Hand Rounds and OR	Bellevue Hand Rounds and OR	Bellevue Hand Rounds and Clinic

Method of Evaluation

Students are evaluated by the chief residents and Dr. Weichman.

Scheduling Information

Duration: 4 Weeks

Months Offered: All year

Student point of contact before start of elective: Jenny Casteneda-Nakouzi who will give the contact information for the chief resident at Tisch/Kimmel

On day 1, students report to: Plastic Surgery work room: KP-14 room 14-400Z, which is across from patient room KP1429. 

Students per elective block: 3