Preparing for Miami

Please review the general information below as you plan your transition to Miami to begin AICM/5th semester. AICM begins with the Basic Science Comprehensive "Shelf" Exam (Comp) starting at 8:00 am on Monday, September 13, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency/James L. Knight Center, riverfront ballroom. (For more information, please refer to information below and to meeting venues and driving directions in "Welcome to Miami.")

IMMUNIZATION/VACCINATION/URINE DRUG SCREENING:

TB Testing. To participate in 5th semester clinical rotations, you will need to have proof of a negative PPD test within the last six months (or, if you have a history of positive PPD, or have received the BCG vaccine, a negative chest x-ray within the last six months). This requirement exists for core clinical clerkships as well. You may elect to have a PPD test done at the time of Registration/Orientation at a cost of $25 (CXR is $75). Please bring a copy of your PPD test results (or CXR results) to Registration/Orientation.

MMR. To participate in 5th semester clinical rotations, proof of quantitative titers for Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella, and Hepatitis B is required. These lab results are “good” for five years and will meet requirements for almost all clinical rotation placements in your third and fourth year. (Please note that the vaccination records that you provided at the time of matriculation to RUSM will not meet this requirement.) You may obtain these labs from your personal physician and fax them to 305-675-3950 (or present to staff/admin at your AICM site)—include your Banner ID on each page of lab results. The deadline for providing this documentation is Friday, September 24, 2010. There are provisions at each site for obtaining these labs from a local physician. (Note that your Ross University insurance plan has a $250 deductable and covers 80 percent of “usual” and “customary” costs thereafter.)

Additional Requirements for Clerkships. Planning ahead for clinical rotations, in addition to the AICM requirements (quantitative MMR, Varicella, and Hepatitis B titers) all clerkships require a physical examination and physician's attestation statement of health status. 

Urine Drug Screening. AICM and our sponsor, Greater Miami Health Education Training Centers, have implemented a drug screening policy that requires students to undergo drug screening prior to embarking on clinical rotations during the 5th semester course. This requirement is also in place for students who are at PMH and Saginaw for 5th semester. Initial screening is done at no cost to the student. A copy of associated policies and procedures and a consent form will be provided to incoming students prior to the start of AICM.

Infection Control Training. All AICM students are now required to complete an Infection Control Training Course. The course must be a New York State Education Department approved course and must be completed before the end of the semester. Further information will be provided about this course during orientation. 

REQUIRED TEXTS:

1. Fundamentals of Clinical Medicine
Humayun J. Chaudry, et. al.
ISBN: 0781751926

2. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine, 17th Edition
Eugene Braunwald, Anthony S. Fauci, Dennis L. Kasper, et. al.
ISBN-10: 0071466339 (ISBN-10: 0071476911 as a two-volume set)

3. Bates' Guide to Physical Examination and History Taking, Hardbound Text with Personal Use CD-ROM, Heart Sounds
Lynn S. Bickley, Szilaygi 9th Edition ISBN: 9780781767187

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED TEXTS:

Clinician's Pocket Reference, 11/ed (published December 2006)
Leonard G. Gomella, Seven A. Haist
ISBN: 0071454284

The Answer Book: Saint-Frances Guide to the Clinical Clerkships (Saint-Frances Guide Series)
Jeffrey G Wiese
ISBN-10: 0781737540

CLASSROOM PARTICIPATION/AUDIENCE RESPONSE SYSTEM:

During AICM, we employ an active learning tool utilizing an audience response system. We will issue you a TurningPoint response pad for use during 5th semester. You will be required to utilize a personal response pad (unit) for the Small Group and Large Group discussions. If you lose or damage your response pad, you will be responsible for a $50 replacement fee. The audience response system will be discussed at orientation.

MEDICAL EQUIPMENT/INSTRUMENTS:

In addition to the required textbooks/supplies, you must have a valid Ross ID, a white lab coat, stethoscope*, ophthalmoscope/otoscope**, reflex hammer, tuning fork (prefer both 128 Hz and 256 Hz), and an eye chart (handheld). (New or replacement ID cards will be issued during Registration.)

*Recommended Stethoscopes:
www.allheart.com/31273134.html
www.allheart.com/2163-65.html

**Recommended Ophthalmoscope/Otoscope:
www.allheart.com/wa35vdignosets.html
www.allheart.com/wapocketscopes.html

PROFESSIONAL ATTIRE:

You are expected to dress professionally for your clinical experiences (ie, shirt and tie for men; professional attire for women) and to wear your white coat and ID. Dress at orientation week activities, large group lectures and small group sessions is business casual (please refrain from wearing caps, shorts, jeans, t-shirts, tank tops, sandals or other inappropriate attire to class or when visiting the office). The Ross University ID tag must always be worn when at clinical rotation sites, at all scheduled AICM activities, and when visiting the 7000 Building AICM Program Office.

ATTENDANCE:

Unless otherwise announced, attendance at all scheduled clinical and classroom activities is mandatory. You are expected to be on time and to remain for the full duration of the scheduled activity. Late arrivals and unexcused absences may jeopardize your AICM grade, as will lack of participation and/or poor preparation. Clinical and classroom activities are scheduled Monday through Sunday, and clinical activities can include evening, overnight and weekend schedules. You are expected to be available for clinical activities throughout the semester. Requests for approved time-off or absences (including weekends) must be made in advance, and you will be expected to make up for missed activities.

TRANSPORTATION AND CARPOOL:

Most of your clinical assignments will be in pairs and it is each student’s responsibility to find transportation to his/her rotations. Please identify a carpool partner (or indicate if you will be driving alone). A carpool for the purposes of clinical rotations is a driver and a passenger. (If you are traveling alone to clinical rotations, you may be randomly paired with another student for a clinical rotation schedule.) You will also be assigned into groups of 35 to 45 for weekly Small Group/Case Study Sessions, and other activities (eg, Assisted Living Facilities, ACLS, etc.) will be an aggregation of the two-person carpools. BLS/ACLS is a requirement for all students unless you hold a current certification. There is also a required BTLS certification that includes a medical procedures segment.

REGISTRATION PROCESS & ORIENTATION SCHEDULE:

On Monday, September 13, 2010, you will be formally registered in the course. In addition to completing registration forms, your photo will be taken for the class roster. This photo will be used to produce replacement ID badges for use during your clinicals. Professional dress will be required for all new ID badges (shirt and tie for men; professional dress for women).

• Orientation Day starts at 2:00 pm on Monday, September 13, 2010, following the Comp Examination. There are no "late registrations." Dress is business casual.
• Orientation week sessions on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday will occur in the Ashe Auditorium. Other (concurrent) teaching sessions will occur at the 7000 Building in the 6th Floor LRC-Classrooms.
• Your clinical schedule will be finalized over the course of the orientation week. We will need some information from you. Do you have a car? Is someone riding with you? Are you riding with someone who has a car? Students are paired for rotations and put into larger groups for the week. A "carpool" cannot exceed two persons for the purpose of scheduling rotations (it is okay if you drive alone). If you already have this information, please indicate this in the appropriate field in the online Check-In form.
• ACLS certification and BTLS certification are requirements of the 5th semester. The combined course fee is $350 (BLS/ACLS $125 plus BTLS $225) which must be paid before the start of each course. You may pay by cash, or with check or money order made out to M.E.T.S. The METS representatives will be available during orientation week to register you for the BLS/ACLS course (registration for the BTLS-Medical Procedures course will occur later in the semester). If you already are BLS and/or ACLS and/or BTLS certified, you must show proof of current certification to opt-out of the course.
• During the first weekend (September 18-19) or the second weekend (September 25-26) you will have a two-hour session to practice your physical exam skills utilizing the physical exam competency checklist. You need to identify a practice partner during the early part of the semester who will likely serve as your partner for the competency (practical) exam at the end of the semester. Each student must serve as both examiner and as patient for their partner. Your exam partner is someone of your choosing, and can be a different person from your carpool mate.
• During the first weekend, September 18-19, approximately half of the class will participate in Day 2 of ACLS certification. The other half of the class will be scheduled for Day 2 of ACLS during the weekend of September 25-26.
• Every week, you will have one or two Small Group Sessions (the days and times vary from week to week), and you will have a Large Group Session, usually on Wednesdays. There will be some unscheduled ("case study") days or weeks during the semester, but the Small Group and Large Group sessions require your participation whether you are on clinical assignment or on case study.