Medical Students

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Pediatric Hematology/Oncology elective provides students the unique opportunity to participate in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric patients in a world-renown children’s research hospital. Many students who have attended this elective have applied for the Pediatric Hematology Oncology fellowship program at St. Jude.  During the rotation, the students will have the opportunity to assist in the care of pediatric hematology/oncology patients under the direct supervision attending physicians and hematology/oncology fellows. The students will gain an understanding of hematological and oncological disorders in children, develop an appreciation of the acute impact of disease on the patient and family, and learn about the general principles of treatment including interpreting lab data and developing a treatment plan. The students will participate in patient rounds, morning and evening sign out, conferences and seminars. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday. 

The St. Jude Pediatric Infectious Diseases elective emphasizes gaining state of the art expertise in the management of HIV infection and the infectious complications of cancer therapy, hematopoietic stem cell transplantation, and benign hematological conditions (such as sickle cell anemia). Students join a multidisciplinary team that includes St. Jude faculty members, infectious diseases fellows, pediatric and medicine/pediatric residents, and pharmacy residents. Approximately 600 new patient consultations and 1,000 follow-up visits are performed each year, offering an unparalleled opportunity to acquire knowledge about infections in immunocompromised children and adolescents.  Educational activities include clinical rounds, a combined clinical conference with presentations of patients from St. Jude and Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital, Journal Club, and ID Board Review. Opportunities are available for focused experiences in the HIV clinic and on the transplant service. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday. 

This elective introduces the 4th-year medical student to the care of critically ill children in the sophisticated, technologically-rich environment of an 8-bed specialized pediatric intensive care unit (PICU).  The student will care for patients with life-threatening pediatric conditions specific to the care of children with hematological and oncological diseases and a range of other conditions which require children to have intensive care monitoring. 

While assuming care of patients under the supervision of Pediatric Critical Care fellows and faculty, the student will participate in rounds and implement care plans.  The student will learn to recognize concepts of physiology and pathophysiology in clinical presentations and apply them in monitoring and management strategies.  Fundamentals of critical care such as airway and hemodynamic stabilization will be reviewed.  The student will gain familiarity with invasive procedures common in the PICU.   Finally, this rotation will provide experience with families who are under the duress of having a critically ill child.

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Radiation Oncology elective provides students the unique opportunity to learn about radiation oncology in a world-renown children’s research hospital. During the rotation the students will develop knowledge of the indications for radiation therapy in pediatric patients with malignancies as well as the side effects of radiation therapy in children. The students will also learn about treatment protocols for brain and solid tumors through patient care under the direct supervision of a physician, weekly rounds, and conference attendance. A St. Jude rotation also gives students a better understanding of the acute impact of catastrophic diseases on patients and their families. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday.  PRE-REQUISITE: 4 WEEKS OF ADULT RADIATION ONCOLOGY AND APPROVAL BY THE CHAIR OF RADIATION ONCOLOGY.

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Pediatric Anesthesia elective provides students the unique opportunity to learn about anesthesia in a world-renown children’s research hospital. During the rotation, the students will develop an understanding of anesthesia/analgesia in outpatient and inpatient settings including pain management for acute and chronic pain as well as the side effects of anesthesia in children. The students will also learn about treatment protocols by participating in patient care under the direct supervision of a physician, and by attending patient rounds, conferences and seminars.  A St. Jude rotation also gives students a better understanding of the acute impact of catastrophic diseases on patients and their families. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday. 

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Surgical Oncology elective allows students to gain an understanding of the diagnosis, treatment and follow-up of solid tumors in children.  Students will participate in the pre-operative and post-operative management of children with malignancies including assisting with pre-operative work-ups, assisting in the operating room and making pre & post-operative rounds. The students will work under the direct supervision of the attending surgeons. Students will also attend the following conferences: 1) didactic pediatric surgical oncology conference 2) soft tissue tumor conference 3) hematology/oncology grand rounds 4) tumor board 5) surgery management conference.  In some cases, the students will be given the option to assist in research if interested. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday.

The St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital Pediatric Neurology elective provides students the unique opportunity to participate in the evaluation and treatment of pediatric neurology patients in a world-renown children’s research hospital. During the rotation, the student will have the opportunity to assist in the care of pediatric patients under the direct supervision of an attending physician. The students will gain an understanding of neurological disorders through obtaining history, performing and interpreting neurological exams, developing a treatment plan, and attending conferences and seminars. In some cases, the students will be given the option to assist in research if interested. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday. 

The Bone Marrow Transplantation and Cellular Therapy rotation will provide medical students with the opportunity to understand the use of blood and marrow transplantation for treatment of malignant or non-malignant diseases, to care for established patients admitted for transplantation and/or cellular therapy and to diagnose and manage established patients admitted for side effects, complications and toxicities of therapy.  Students will gain familiarity with the essential biologic, clinical, and therapeutic aspects of hematological diseases in children and adolescents undergoing bone marrow transplantation and cellular therapy treatment in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday. 

This elective rotation is designed to introduce 4th year medical students to the field of palliative care and hospice medicine as well as a quality of life service.  Students will spend their time working with the inpatient palliative care consult team and quality of life service including seeing patients with physicians and other practitioners as part of a multidisciplinary team. Due to the specialized nature and size of the program, individual rotations will vary widely in accordance with the needs and interests of each student. Medical students are not responsible for evening or weekend call and are generally scheduled Monday through Friday.