Introduction

Medical students are always told that plastic surgery is very important because we are the last real general surgeons. Unlike the other medical specialties, we do not confine our job to a single body area or link it to a specific disease. Similarly, while some operations are reasonably standardized, plastic surgery is the one in which there are more exceptions than rules. Medical students for elective clerkship training will learn and practice based on the following six core abilities: patient care, medical knowledge, practice-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, professionalism, and systems-based practice.

Objective

1. Understand the diagnosis and treatment of the common diseases related with plastic surgery.

2. Learn and practice how to take integrated patient history, perform physical examinations, and write medical records through daily patient care.

3. Perform evidence-based practice and search references.

4. Basic surgical technique and aseptic technique.

Available Supervisors

• Burn: Dr. Hsu Ma
• Facial trauma: Dr. Wen-Chieh Liao, Dr. Chih-Shun Lin, Dr. Tien-Shiang Wang
• Microsurgical reconstruction: Dr. Chern-Kang Perng
• Aesthetic plastic surgery: Dr. Wen-Chieh Liao
• Chronic wound care: Dr. Tien-Shiang Wang, Dr. Shi-Shien Wu
• Transexual surgery: Dr. Yu-Chun Shi
• Pressure sore: Dr. Chih-Shun Lin
• Breast reconstruction: Dr. Hsu Ma, Dr. Mei-Chun Chen

Tentative Schedule

WEEK ONE

1. Participate in resident work rounds & attending teaching/management rounds.

2. Attend plastic surgery core-lectures and meetings.

3. Wound care (lecture and patient care).

4. Participate in operation room work as an assistant.

WEEK TWO

1. Participate in resident work rounds & attending teaching/management rounds.

2. Attend plastic surgery core-lectures and meetings.

3. Wound care (lecture and patient care).

4. Participate in operation room work as an assistant.

5. Visit the plastic surgery clinics.

WEEK THREE (selective)

1. Participate in resident work rounds & attending teaching/management rounds.

2. Participate in plastic surgery consultations with supervisors.

3. Visit the plastic surgery clinics..

4. Attend the plastic surgery case conference.

5. Participate in operation room work as an assistant.

WEEK FOUR (selective)

1. Participate in resident work rounds & attending teaching/management rounds.

2. Participate in plastic surgery consultations with supervisors.

3. Visit the plastic surgery clinics..

4. Attend the plastic surgery case conference.

5. Participate in operation room work as an assistant.

Assessment

OSCE: objective structured clinical examination

DOPS: direct observation of procedural skills

mini-CEX: mini-clinical evaluation exercise

References

1. Courtney M. Townsend, Jr., MD, R. Daniel Beauchamp, MD, B. Mark Evers, MD. etc. (2008). Sabiston textbook of surgery. (18th ed) Elsevier Science Health Science div.
2. F. Charles Brunicardi, Dana K. Andersen, Timothy R. Billiar etc. (2010). Schwartz's Principles of Surgery. (9 th ed) Mc Graw Hill.