Home / Education / Undergraduate Medical Education / Standardized Patient Program / Student Guidelines / Third & Fourth Year Courses
During these 3-hour sessions, students will work in groups of three with a Gynecological Teaching Associate (GTA). A GTA is a highly trained medical educator who uses her own body to teach the techniques of the female breast and pelvic exam. Each GTA goes through 18 hours of extensive training with a certified Mammacare specialist, followed by six hours of supervised practicum. All GTAs are subject to a three-month probation period.
The session is divided into five segments:
The GTA will guide each learner through the entire exam and offer constructive feedback on technique, communication skills, and patient draping and comfort. The goal is to teach students to conduct an effective and efficient gynecological exam and to sensitize them to the psychological and emotional perspectives of the patient during the exam.
GTA sessions are a mandatory part of the OB-GYN clerkship.
For questions or scheduling conflicts, please contact the Clerkship Coordinator Tracy Carrero (tcarrero@tulane.edu)
In the TAPS office, contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).
During these 90-minute hybrid teaching sessions, students will be divided into groups of three. A GTA will review gynecological clinical skills using a ZOE task simulator. The goal of these sessions is to practice cytology collection, as well as to review the breast and pelvic exam.
ZOE Teaching sessions are a mandatory part of the OB-GYN Clerkship.
For questions or scheduling conflicts, please contact the Clerkship Coordinator, Tracy Carrero (tcarrero@tulane.edu).
In the TAPS office, contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).
The OB-GYN Clinical Skills Assessment is a two-station clinical skills evaluation implemented at the end of each block. Students have 20 minutes to conduct with each patient. Following the patient encounter, students have 10 minutes to complete a directed patient note. GTAs provide immediate feedback after the patient note is completed. The following skills are assessed:
The Clinical Skills Assessment is a mandatory part of the OB-GYN Clerkship.
For questions or scheduling conflicts, please contact the Clerkship Coordinator, Tracy Carrero (tcarrero@tulane.edu).
In the TAPS office, contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).
The Neurology Clinical Skills Assessment is a two-station clinical skills evaluation implemented at the end of each Neurology rotation. Students have 15 minutes with each SP to take a focused history and perform a focused physical exam based on the chief complaint. Following each encounter students have 10 minutes to complete a directed patient note.
The Neurology Clinical Skills Assessment is a mandatory part of the Neurology Clerkship.
For questions or scheduling conflicts, please contact the Clerkship Coordinator, Zenobia Colon (zcolon@tulane.edu).
In the TAPS office, contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).
The Psychiatry Clinical Skills Assessment is a single-station clinical skills evaluation implemented at the end of each Psychiatry rotation. Students have 45 minutes with the SP to complete a psychiatric evaluation and mental status exam. Following the patient encounter students have 15 minutes to record the following:
The Psychiatry Clinical Skills Assessment is a mandatory part of the Psychiatry Clerkship.
For questions or scheduling conflicts, please contact Clerkship Coordinator Melinda Hoehn (mhoehn1@tulane.edu).
In the TAPS office, contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).
TOSCE is an eight-station clinical competency evaluation of third-year students. SP encounters are used to assess students in:
You may wish to review TOSCE objectives via the following links: TOSCE Objectives, TOSCE Objectives Overview, and Tulane SOM Competencies.
See also the Student Guide to TOSCE and CS. Here is a quick link to USMLE's sample patient notes (more info via the link below).
You may find it helpful to visit the following USMLE links prior to taking TOSCE or Step 2 CS:
http://www.usmle.org/step-2-cs/
http://www.usmle.org/step-2-cs/#scoring
http://www.usmle.org/practice-materials/index.html
http://www.usmle.org/practice-materials/step-2-cs/patient-note.html
TOSCE is a graduation requirement for the Tulane School of Medicine.
For questions about TOSCE, please contact Romy Vargas (rkittrel@tulane.edu).