The department of critical care medicine offers a four-week elective rotation. The department provides care for critically ill adults from local and more distant referral areas in north central Pennsylvania. We provide comprehensive intensive care that includes management of shock, sepsis, multiple organ failure, and acute lung injury. Patients with trauma, surgical illnesses and neuroscience disorders are managed collaboratively. New technological innovations are used including advance mechanical ventilator modes, oscillatory ventilators, internal cooling devices and ultrasound guided vascular procedures.

The rotating medical student will be integrated into our service by becoming active in the daily care of our patients. Medical students will be expected to become thoroughly familiar with their patients, present them on rounds, and provide daily care under the supervision of the ICU physician team leader. They will acquire skill in the recognition and management of shock, airways and respiratory failure. Experience with vascular procedures will be provided.

The department of critical care medicine is proud to offer this exciting educational opportunity. We are confident that you will have a pleasant and rewarding educational experience. Acceptance into the elective is on application only. All applications must be submitted through VSAS.

Goals & objectives

• Learn to evaluate the critically ill medical and surgical patient with sepsis, acute lung injury, multiple organ system failure, trauma, neurosurgical emergencies.
• Acquire an appreciation for the complexities of managing end-of-life care.
• Understand the risks and benefits of vascular, airway and other invasive procedures.
• Understand the basics of ventilator management, hemodynamic support, intracranial pressure monitoring, interpretation of ABG’s and radiologic studies. 
• Acquire a basic understanding the skill required to perform vascular procedures, airway management and endotracheal intubations, chest tube insertions and weaning and extubation from mechanical ventilation.
• Mechanical ventilation as a support system and advanced life support techniques will be discussed.
• There will be opportunities to participate in procedural skills.
• Understand the collaborative model of ICU care by observing and working with consultants, primary care physicians, social workers, physical, occupational and speech therapists, dieticians, respiratory therapists, clergy, palliative care/hospice and pharmacy personnel.