Third & Fourth Year Courses

OB-GYN Clerkship - Gynecological Teaching (GTA) Sessions

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:

Breast exam (including nipple discharge expression technique)
External genitalia exam
Speculum exam (including an overview of specimen collection)
Bimanual Exam
Recto-vaginal exam

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).

OB-GYN Clerkship - ZOE Teaching Sessions

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).

OB-GYN Clerkship - Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)

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:

Clinical (breast and pelvic exam)
Communication
Management
Professional documentation (SOAP Note)

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).

Neurology Clerkship - Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)

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).

Psychiatry Clerkship - Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA)

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:

Diagnostic impressions
Safety risks
Treatment recommendations
Prognosis

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

TOSCE is an eight-station clinical competency evaluation of third-year students. SP encounters are used to assess students in:

Data gathering (focused history and physical examination)
Interpersonal and communication skills
Clinical management (Diagnostic strategy and treatment plan)
Professional documentation (SOAP note)

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/

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).