Telemedicine Acting Internship in Pediatrics

PI / Dept: Katherine E Murray | Pediatrics

Overview: This Telemedicine Acting Internship (AI) feasibility pilot will be located at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital (UMMCH) on the general pediatrics ward and the NICU. It will be 4 weeks long and will launch on May 4, 2020. To every extent possible, the course will simulate the role of an intern via inpatient telemedicine. The pilot cohort will be two EPAC students who are “transition-ready” and would be normally enrolled in acting internships at this time in preparation for transitioning into the pediatric residency. This pilot is developed by the clerkship team in collaboration with the pediatric residency with direct engagement from the course directors, residency program director, and chief residents. The residency program has sufficient residents to assign an additional "educational facilitation resident" to each of the health care teams on the general pediatrics and NICU environments to shepherd the AI student through their clinical experience. The student will interact at the bedside with patients, families, and the healthcare team through telemedicine technology using mobile devices (iPads) on stands and remote access to the EMR. The students will continuously provide care and engage with the diagnostic and therapeutic planning for their patients. If there are exam maneuvers that are needed or other information that cannot be obtained remotely, the "educational facilitation resident" will act on the student’s behalf and at their direction to obtain that information. If this pilot is successful, it will be an important part of a contingency plan for 4th year students preparing their residency applications during the summer and early fall of 2020 if students are not able to return to direct patient care in June.

Budget: 10000 | Summary: O.O3 FTE for faculty course director (Scheurer($8220)), 2 iPads ($1148), 2 rolling stands ($1180)

Group recommendation: The reviewers are highly supportive of this project and think it is relevant and scalable.

This project is supported by the UMN COVID-19 Medical Education Innovation Grants, which support full-time faculty (educators, investigators or clinical) or P&A educators at the University of Minnesota Medical School to develop education (basic science or clinical) and simulation projects related to COVID-19, more general pandemic-related knowledge and skills, or professional development activities that would be possible during this time of shelter at home.