Faculty: Harold I. Friedman, M.D.,- Course Director

Location: Columbia, South Carolina

Duration: 4 weeks

Course Offered: Throughout academic year

Number of Students: 1 per rotation. The student must have successfully completed the core rotation in General Surgery at the M-III level.

*USC SOM Third Year Elective

Students Report To: Students must contact Dr.Friedman at least 2 weeks prior to beginning their rotation. Two Richland Medical Park, Suite 302, (803) 256-2657 ext. 319. Study materials will be sent to the student prior to the rotation.

The elective is designed to integrate the student in the practice of an academic surgeon, provide one-on-one interaction between the student and faculty mentor, involve the student in the pre-operative and post-operative care of the plastic surgery patient, involve the student in a wide variety of plastic and reconstructive surgery procedures, and introduce the student to the plastic surgery literature and help the student to develop a critical analysis of recent publications. Following the rotation, the student will demonstrate the essential skills in the pre-operative evaluation of the plastic surgery patient, function efficiently as a first assistant in surgery, understand the basic principles of wound healing, be able to select appropriate suture material and method of closure for surgical incisions and traumatic wounds, be exposed to the entire scope of plastic and reconstructive surgery including treatment of burns, skin cancers, facial trauma, congenital deformities, breast surgery,  microsurgery, and aesthetic surgery, and assist in the design of additional educational objectives of particular interest to the student.

The student will work closely with the faculty mentor, functioning as an acting intern in the clinical setting.  Additional objectives will be developed with each student based on their special interest or future career orientation.

Students will participate in a self-evaluation process of their performance. Evaluation will be based on progress accomplished and completion of the objectives.  Cognitive performance, surgical skills and professional behavior will be assessed.