Schedule & Information

Welcome to the Advanced Clerkship/Sub-Internship in Neurological Surgery.

Your First Day

• Attend the Neurosurgery rounds at 6:15 AM in the Neurosurgery Resident Library, (Milstein Hospital Building – 8 Hudson South – 177 Fort Washington Avenue, 8th floor, room 203), and introduce yourself to the residents, they will facilitate your rotation. You will be assigned to one of four clinical teams (spine, pediatrics, vascular, tumor/functional). You should rotate weekly so that one week is spent with each team.
• Stop by the Office of Student Affairs after 9 AM (P&S 3-401 – 630 West 168th Street) to fill out a Visiting Student Information sheet, a Temporary student ID form, and any other necessary paperwork.
• After you have been to the Office of Student Affairs, report to Alicia Aracena, (Neurological Institute (NI) – 5th floor, Room 560 – 710 West 168th Street), to get a key to the Residents’ Library and a pager. Stop by Dr. McKhann’s office (NI-411/Suite 413) also to let him know you have arrived for the month.

You are expected to give a 10- to 12-minute presentation on a research/clinical topic of your choice during your rotation. This talk will be given on a Thursday morning as part of weekly Grand Rounds. Please inform the residents of your talk title.

Please remember to return your pager and key on the last day of your rotation so that we may release your evaluation. You must return the key and the beeper to Ms. Aracena (Neurological Institute, 5th Floor). You cannot give your key and/or pager to one of the residents or the next sub-intern.

Scheduling Outpatient Office Hours with Attendings

It is up to you to arrange to attend outpatient office hours with several attendings during your rotation. No more than 1 sub-I should be with any attending during any given session. Look at the monthly calendar, and discuss who will see patients with which attendings on what days with the other sub-I’s. This is an excellent opportunity to get to know individual attendings better and also to learn more about the evaluation and decision making side of neurosurgery. Please touch base with the attending’s secretary the day before to confirm that the attending will be seeing patients on your day of choice and to let them know you will be there.

NEUROSURGERY ATTENDING OUTPATIENT CLINIC SCHEDULE

Note: Check with the doctor’s secretary for changes in the schedule.

Department of Neurological Surgery Attendings

Department of Neurological Surgery Residents

Medical Emergency Information

Blood Exposures are a Medical Emergency—Wherever They Occur

A blood-borne pathogen exposure is not JUST a needle stick, but the exposure of non-intact skin or any mucosal surface to blood or other potentially infectious body fluids (e.g., semen, vaginal secretions, breast milk, CSF, peritoneal or pericardial fluid, saliva in dental procedures, or any fluid contaminated by blood).

Follow these Steps Immediately!

1. Immediately cleanse the injury (soap and water) and

2. Immediately notify your resident, preceptor or attending to arrange for prompt counseling and testing   of the source patient for HIV, HCV & Hepatitis B. Getting the source patient tested can potentially save you a month of prophylaxis, drug side effects, and many months of anxiety.

3. Let your resident know you are expected to seek medical attention  immediately:

- At the Student Health Service if you are at Columbia

- At the Emergency Room if SHS is closed

- If you are on an away rotation, the Occupational Health Service or Emergency Room of that hospital.

4. If you are away, or have to use the ER at CUMC, notify the SHS (days) or the clinician on call that an exposure has occurred (212-305-3400); we will be responsible for follow-up. If you are away, we will send you a questionnaire to fill out.

There Will Be No Charge to You.

1. If you have the student insurance, the ER bill will be paid by Chickering. SHS will pick up the $50 copay.

2. Use your insurance card for any medications prescribed. SHS will reimburse you for the copays.

3. If you have other insurance, submit your bills to them for payment. SHS will reimburse you for copays on ER bills and prescriptions.

4. Save your bills, explanation of benefits, and receipts for reimbursement.

5. Remember, if you have not notified us, we will not know to reimburse you.

Remember the acronym CITES

Clean, Inform (need for Immediate evaluation), Testing of source patient, Evaluation at SHS (or ER if SHS closed or you are away).

Please contact Dr. Wheat (mw219@columbia.edu 212-342-3941) or Elsa Caraballo (eec1@columbia.edu 212-342-3953) with questions about reimbursement or procedures.