MEDICAL / SURGICAL KNOWLEDGE
Resident will gain knowledge of diagnosis, treatment options (surgical/non-surgical), long-term prognosis, post-operative effects, complications, patient risk and cost considerations associated with:
1. Treatment of burns and frostbite.
2. Treatment of hand injuries.
3. Evaluation of the hand.
4. Principles of wound healing.
5. Evaluation of facial trauma.
6. Evaluation of breast cancer patients regarding options for reconstruction.
7. Evaluation and treatment of pressure sores.
8. Principles of optimal wound closure, both primary and flap closure.
9. Principles of management of skin and soft tissue pathology (i.e., melanoma).
10. Understand the use and limitations of local anesthesia.
TECHNICAL SKILLS
Resident will develop and refine skills needed to:
1. Proper H & P for hand injuries and other plastic surgical problems.
2. Precise suturing technique.
3. Participation in the intra-operative planning of flaps.
4. Proper technique of applying local and regional anesthesia.
INTERPERSONAL AND COMMUNICATION SKILLS
1. Establish rapport with patients and their families.
2. Perform a patient-centered medical interview.
3. Engage patients in shared decision-making, and participate in family discussions.
4. Effectively and considerately communicate with team staff in a manner that promotes care coordination.
5. Discuss patient’s fears regarding outcome of surgery.
6. Discuss patient’s fear of deformity and it’s impact on self-image.
PROFESSIONALISM
1. Demonstrate respect and compassion for all patients.
2. Exhibit competency in working with patients regarding advanced directives, DNR status, futility, and withholding/withdrawing therapy.
3. Understand and compassionately respond to issues of culture, age, sex, sexual orientation, and disability for all patients and their families.
4. Identify patient’s fear associated with the diagnosis of cancer (breast, melanoma)
5. Identify and assist with the psychological stress of patients with chronic disease as it affects their personal life, their family life, and their socioeconomic environment.
PRACTICE BASED LEARNING AND IMPROVEMENT
1. Exhibit self-directed learning.
2. Demonstrate improvement in clinical management of patients by continually improving plastic surgery knowledge and skills during the rotation.
3. Develop skills of accurate documentation and communicating all potential outcomes.
SYSTEMS BASED PRACTICE
1. Demonstrate understanding of medical delivery systems as they relate to both inpatient and outpatient resources.
2. Work well with multidisciplinary teams, coordinating care and effectively working with plastic surgeons and other providers in a team setting.
3. Learn the basics of office practice and outpatient surgery.
4. Develop an effective working relationship with occupational and physical therapy, particularly with respect to rehabilitative efforts after hand injury.
