The Child Abuse Pediatrics Elective is an opportunity for a 4th year medical student to gain exposure to child physical abuse, child sexual abuse, and child neglect in the Emergency Department, Primary Care, and Pediatric Inpatient settings. The elective will take place primarily at Boston Medical Center, but the student will also have various placements throughout Boston and the surrounding areas. Students are expected to work at least 40 hours per week, with most of that time being one-on-one with attending physicians, social workers, and other members of the multidisciplinary team as dictated by case load and availability during the rotation. Students will spend at least 20 hours per week in clinical placements with a minimum of two 8-hour ED shifts and one 4-hour well child clinic per week. Students will learn to communicate effectively with families regarding the sensitive issues surrounding child abuse pediatrics, while maintaining a high ethical standard, compassion, and respect for all members of the family. Students will work directly with CPT staff during 51A filings and during weekly case review so as to educate the student about the information required, the basic ethical and legal frameworks, and the specific process of filling. The student will also attend standing case review and multidisciplinary meetings throughout the month and will participate in other related activities outside Boston Medical Center. It is expected at the conclusion of this elective that the student will have an understanding of the variety of ways in which child maltreatment can present in pediatric settings, and begin to develop a repertoire of skills for approaching clinical situations in which child maltreatment is suspected.

Note that this information may change at any time. Please visit the MyBU Student Portal for the most up-to-date course information.