Residents in Oral Medicine will be assigned to various medical services in the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania in medical wards or outpatient clinics. Here, they will function as an integral part of the health care system, directly involved with patient care and performing clinical clerkships. The following represent the core clinical clerkships in the curriculum.
These clerkships can be modified according to the interests and experience of the resident.
Anesthesia/Pain Clinic -
This rotation will allow residents to gain experience in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of patients with chronic organic pain syndromes. In addition, residents will gain clinical experience in the use of local anesthetic block injections, physical therapy, and pharmacological treatment of oral mucosal lesions and facial pain.
Anesthesia -
This rotation will allow residents to gain basic knowledge of and clinical experience in the pre-operative assessment of patients, principles of intravenous access, local anesthetic techniques, pharmacology, and airway management including intubation, induction, patient monitoring, and recovery from general anesthesia.
Dermatology (During Conference) -
This weekly clinical rotation and lecture will allow residents to gain knowledge and clinical experience in the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of dermatopathologic disorders.
Hospital Consultation Service -
This will enable residents to gain clinical experience in the diagnosis and management of oral complaints of hospitalized patients and the dental evaluation of pre-surgical, pre-radiation, and pre-chemotherapy patients.
Internal Medicine -
This rotation will serve to introduce the resident to the fundamental principle of clinical internal medicine. Residents will function as third-year medical students under the supervision of medical interns in direct care of patients in the medical wards. In addition, this rotation will serve to strengthen the resident's skills in obtaining a medical history, performing a physical examination, and the principles of laboratory medicine.
Neurology -
This rotation will allow residents to gain clinical experience in evaluating, diagnosing, and treating various neurologic disorders, with a focus on headache.
Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology Biopsy Service -
This rotation in the Pathology Department at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center and School of Medicine will introduce residents to the techniques and principles needed for the histopathologic evaluation of biopsy specimens. These include grossing, orienting and mounting specimens, various staining techniques, and the principles of microscopic diagnosis.
Oral and Maxillofacial Radiology -
This rotation will allow residents to gain a thorough understanding of the principles and techniques of dental and maxillofacial radiology including, plane films, tomography, MRI, and CT imaging.
