Newborn Nursery Clinical Elective
ELEC 437 / PPED 602
Department
Pediatrics
Clinical or Non-Clinical Course
Clinical
Physician Assessed Patient Facing
Yes
Prerequisites
Completion of Phase 2 Pediatric Clerkship
Goal
This elective provides medical students with hands-on experience in the care of healthy newborns. Students will learn to perform a comprehensive newborn physical examination, recognize normal versus abnormal findings, and manage common neonatal concerns. The rotation emphasizes preventive care, safe discharge planning, and effective communication with families.
Objectives
By the end of this elective, students will be able to:
• Perform a complete newborn physical examination.
• Recognize key aspects of the transition period and identify red flags for illness.
• Explain and apply routine preventive interventions (e.g., vitamin K, hepatitis B vaccine, erythromycin eye ointment).
• Evaluate and manage common newborn issues (jaundice, hypoglycemia, feeding difficulties).
• Understand the management of at-risk infants (maternal infections, blood group incompatibility, social risk factors).
• Interpret and apply results of newborn screening tests.
• Provide anticipatory guidance and discharge teaching to families
Method of Assessment
Standard Clinical 2wk Elective Evaluation - Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory
Additional Methods
Students are evaluated through MedHub/E*Value based on their participation in morning rounds, clinical skills, professionalism, and teamwork. Students will also complete an evaluation of the elective and faculty
Course Director
Amira Alfil, MD, MPH
Course Coordinator
Raji Govindraj
rajig@uic.edu
309-624-4542
Location
OSF Saint Francis Medical Center – Resident Work Room #5354
Setting
Inpatient
Night Call
No
Laboratory
No
Weekends
No
House Staff
Yes
Number of Learners per Block
1 student
Duration
2 weeks
Who is this elective available to
Both M3s and M4s
Blocks Available
All except winter break.