Course Descriptions by Department- Preventive Medicine

USUHS MS-IV Electives

(Updated April 2005)
 
The Department of Preventive Medicine and Biometrics offers electives related to the Preventive Medicine specialties (Aerospace Medicine, Occupational Medicine and General Preventive Medicine/Public Health), as well as an elective in Tropical Medicine. The specialties of preventive medicine focus primarily on the prevention and control of illness and injury in populations, thus a preventive medicine physician's practice often extends beyond the familiar one-on-one patient-physician clinical interaction. In addition to clinical knowledge and skills, preventive medicine requires: the tools of biostatistics and epidemiology; knowledge of the role of environmental, occupational, geographic, and social factors on health; and familiarity with policy, planning, management and evaluation of health services. Preventive medicine is important in the military because of the focus on readiness and force health protection.
 
The Department's Fourth-Year Clerkship Coordinator is:
LTC Michael Lewis, MC, USA
Assistant Professor, Medical Student Education Programs
(301) 295-9759 or mlewis@usuhs.mil

FOURTH-YEAR CLERKSHIPS

PMR4100, Aerospace Medicine - 4wk Elective
PMR4140, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - 8wk Elective
PMR4170, Environmental and Occupational Medicine - 4wk Elective
PMR4180, Preventive Medicine - 4wk Elective
PMR4190, Preventive Medicine - 8wk Elective
PMR4200, Tropical Medicine - 8wk Elective
PMR4210, Preventive Medicine WRAIR - 4wk Elective

Course #: PMR4100, Aerospace Medicine - 4wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 4
Hours: 5
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Elective is offered a three locations: 1) Johnson Space Center (JSC), Houston, TX, offers a four week Aerospace Medicine Clerkship semi-annually during the months of April and October. The clerkship involves formal lectures on space medicine topics and issues, as well as familiarization with the medical aspects of Space Shuttle operations and International Space Station design and function. Clerkship participants are required to complete a research project and paper in a current focus area of space medicine, which will be presented both orally and written to the JSC Space Medicine Community. Deadline for application is 1 Dec for April course and 1 Jun for October course. Information is found at http://spacemed.jsc.nasa.gov/education/amc.aspx. 2) Kennedy Space Center, FL offers a similar rotation every month but December. Application deadline is 6 months before the rotation. Information is found at http://medical.ksc.nasa.gov/students. 3) Fort Rucker, AL, offers student rotations through Army aviation medicine organizations where the student participates in the development of aircrew standards, aviation medicine research, and the aviation safety program. This rotation is scheduled to meet the student's needs. Information is found at http://usasam.amedd.army.mil/Index/index.htm.
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USU and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Students must fund transportation and living costs.
 
Sites: JSCT, OTHER SITE, FRAL
 
USUHS Supervisor:
Steven Barnes, Col, USAF, MC, SFS
Assistant Professor, Aerospace Medicine
295-6893; stbarnes@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4140, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention - 8wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 8
Hours: 10
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: The Epidemiology Program Office (EPO) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) offers an elective in epidemiology for senior medical and veterinary students. The student has the opportunity to actively assist in epidemiologic investigations of infectious diseases, cancer, congenital malformations, environmental and occupational diseases, injuries, chronic diseases, and reproductive health. Most elective assignments are at CDC headquarters in Atlanta, GA, however, assignments can be arranged to the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health in Cincinnati, OH, Morgantown, WV, or Anchorage, AK, and occasionally to a state or local health department, the Indian Health Service in Albuquerque, NM, the Division of Vector-borne Infectious Diseases in Fort Collins, CO, or the Arctic Investigation Lab in Anchorage, AK. The on-site supervisor usually is an officer in the Epidemic Intelligence Service (EIS). http://www.cdc.gov/epo/dapht/eis/elective.htm
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USUHS and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Student who is selected for the program must pay the cost of the round-trip transportation to Atlanta and their living expenses during the elective. However, travel and living expenses related to field investigations away from Atlanta are paid by EPO. The elective is offered from September through early June each year. Every attempt is made to assign each student to an area of health concern of his/her choice. An interested student must submit an application form together with two letters of recommendation. The application deadline is May 30th of the applicant's third year. Application forms and further information can be obtained from:
 
Coordinator, Epidemiology Elective Program
Epidemiology Program Office
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1600 Clifton Rd NE
Mailstop D18
Atlanta, GA 30333
http://www.cdc.gov/epo/dapht/eis/elective.htm
 
Call: 888-496-8347 (Toll Free), or 404-639-4774
 
Sites: CDCG
 
USUHS Supervisor:
Col Dana Bradshaw, USAF, MC
Director, General Preventive Medicine Residency
295-3719; rbradshaw@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4170, Environmental and Occupational Medicine - 4wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 4
Hours: 5
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Student works in an active military occupational health program at a major military medical center in the National Capital Region (NCR). The student obtains hands-on experience in environmental and occupational medicine activities, to include identification of hazards in the workplace, hazard specific medical surveillance exams, and the evaluation of persons with occupational illness or injury. The student will develop an understanding of the role of prevention in maintaining the health of the workforce. Rotations at other locations may be available. http://www.usuhs.mil/pmb/oemresidency.html
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USUHS and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Student must fund transportation and living costs.
 
Sites: WRMC, NNMC
 
USUHS Supervisor:
COL Timothy Mallon, MC, USA
Director, Occupational and Environmental Medicine Residency
295-9764; tmallon@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4180, Preventive Medicine - 4wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 4
Hours: 5
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Student participates directly in the practice of military preventive medicine and has first-hand exposure to the diverse aspects of preventive medicine and public health in the military. Rotation sites that can be arranged based on the student's Service and interests include, but are not limited to: units with mission for primary public health service (e.g., Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Units); preventive medicine staffs with operational units (e.g., Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces); hospitals with preventive medicine and/or clinical epidemiology services (e.g., Madigan Army Medical Center); research units in CONUS (e.g., Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD or US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD); and preventive medicine staffs at Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, or Office of the Army Surgeon General. http://www.usuhs.mil/pmb/gpresidency.html
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USUHS and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Student must fund transportation and living costs if they leave the area.
 
Sites: MAMC, USUB, WRIR, OTHER SITES
 
USUHS Supervisor:
Col Dana Bradshaw, USAF, MC
Director, General Preventive Medicine Residency
295-3719; rbradshaw@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4190, Preventive Medicine - 8wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 8
Hours: 10
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Student participates directly in the practice of military preventive medicine and has first-hand exposure to the diverse aspects of preventive medicine and public health in the military. Rotation sites that can be arranged based on the student's Service and interests include, but are not limited to: units with mission for primary public health service (e.g., Navy Environmental and Preventive Medicine Units); preventive medicine staffs with operational units (e.g., Marine Corps Expeditionary Forces); hospitals with clinical epidemiology staff; research units in CONUS; (e.g., Naval Medical Research Center, Silver Spring, MD or US Army Medical Research Institute for Infectious Diseases, Fort Detrick, MD); and military research units OCONUS; and preventive medicine staffs at Air Force Medical Operations Agency, Navy Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, or Office of the Army Surgeon General, Washington, DC. http://www.usuhs.mil/pmb/gpresidency.html
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USUHS and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Student must fund transportation and living costs.
 
Sites: USUB, WRIR, AFRC, ASIA, SAMR, OTHER SITES
 
USUHS Supervisor:
Col Dana Bradshaw, USAF, MC
Director, General Preventive Medicine Residency
295-3719; rbradshaw@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4200, Tropical Medicine - 8wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 4 or 8
Hours: 5 or 10
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Laboratory, clinical, and/or fieldwork in Tropical Medicine/Tropical Public Health. Clinical experiences vary from outpatient services to inpatient rounds in collaborating hospitals and clinics. Laboratory experiences may be at USUB or at collaborating overseas labs. Clinical emphasis is on diagnosis & treatment of tropical diseases endemic to elective location. Locations vary. A clerkship may be 4 or 8 weeks in duration.
 
Grading Criteria: To be determined by the USUHS and on-site supervisors.
 
Comments: Clerkship must be approved six months in advance of desired date. Students must fund transportation and living costs.
 
Sites: AFRC, ASIA, CAMR, SAMR, USUB
 
USUHS Supervisor to:
COL Rodney Coldren, MC, USA
Division Tropical Public Health
301-295-3734: Rodney.Coldren@usuhs.mil

Course #: PMR4210, Preventive Medicine WRAIR - 4wk Elective
Course Type: C
Department: PMR
Duration: 4
Hours: 5
(Letter/Pass/Fail): P
 
Description: Student joins Walter Reed Army Institute of Research (WRAIR) Preventive Medicine team, assisting in one of the following: outbreak investigation, epidemiologic research, or translation of existing data into a health policy recommendation. Depending on current missions, diseases, and the target population ranges from a small Army community to all deployable forces.
 
http://wrair-www.army.mil/WRAIR Divisions/PrevMed/PMTrainingProgram/ResidencyProgram.htm
 
Grading Criteria: Student will brief the Division's residents and staff on work completed. It is important that this reflect a sound scientific approach, which may or may not require extensive analysis of data.
 
Sites: WRAIR
 
USUHS Supervisor:
MAJ James Mancuso, MC, USA
WRAIR General Preventive Medicine Residency
301-319-9218; james.mancuso@us.army.mil

Contact Information

Office of the Registrar
Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences
4301 Jones Bridge Road
Room A1041
Bethesda, Maryland 20814
 
FAX: 301.295.3545

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