Curriculum Outline:   Section on Infectious Diseases Consult Elective

 

  1. Goals of program

Residents will be able to identify the common and important syndromes in infectious diseases and outline their general management. They will learn to focus on the infectious disease differential diagnosis in the appropriate clinical setting. Residents will also acquire a working knowledge of available antimicrobials, including their indications, major adverse effects, and cost effective use.

  1. Three major domains of program
  1. Knowledge
  1. Selection of appropriate antibiotic (s) for a given infection or clinical scenario; be able to justify use and list major side effects.
  2. Approach to the febrile patient, including fever of unknown origin
  3. Immunization recommendations for adults.
  4. Compare the spectrum of infections in immunocompetent hosts versus those in immunocompromised patients.
  5. Identify infectious diseases with prominent cutaneous manifestations.
  6. Diagnosis and management of HIV as appropriate for the primary care physician.
  7. Diagnosis and management of tuberculosis; interpretation of PPD skin testing.
  8. CNS infections - diagnosis and treatment, including bacterial meningitis, the aseptic meningitis syndrome and encephalitis.
  9. Recognition and management of soft tissue infections, including cellulitis and necrotizing fasciitis.
  10. Management of bacteremia.
  11. Diagnosis and treatment of endocarditis
  12. Diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted diseases including syphilis, gonorrhoea, chlamydia, genital herpes, and trichomoniasis
  13. Management of septic arthritis and osteomyelitis
  14. Management of upper and lower respiratory infections
  15. Diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal and intraabdominal infections and hepatitis.
  16. Management of urinary tract infections
  17. Rational use of the clinical microbiology laboratory
  1. Skills
  1. List 1 or 2 reasonable antibiotic regimens if given a clinical scenario and identify the major toxicities of each antibiotic regimen chosen.
  2. List the major infectious pathogens for a given clinical scenario.
  3. Take a careful history including travel, sexual, occupational, and environmental exposures to aid in the differential diagnosis of the patient with a suspected infection.
  4. Interpret Gram stains, culture results and susceptibility testing results
  5. Use the clinical history, laboratory and X-ray database to derive an infectious disease differential diagnosis for a given patient.
    6.
  6. Identify major infection control procedures for communicable diseases.
  1. Attitudes
  1. Overcome stereotyping and negative attitudes toward patients with HIV/AIDS.
  2. Recognition of stigma associated with certain infections (tuberculosis, STD's, HIV) so that patients' unspoken fears and concerns can be addressed.
  3. Recognize the potential consequences of antimicrobial misuse on the level of the individual patient
  4. Recognize the public health implications of antimicrobial misuse.

 

10/27/08