SSOM Weekly Updates from Dean Marzo

• SSOM administration updates and recent student FAQs – 2020-Sept-18_SSOM Update and FAQ
• COVID-19 updates - NO NEW UPDATES but an UPDATED – Chicago Travel Order https://cookcountypublichealth.org/communicable-diseases/covid-19/covid-19-travel-guidance/
• Flu vaccination administration volunteer sign up - Flu Vaccine SignUp attached (this form was a part of original e-mail)– see 2020-Sept-18_SSOM Update and FAQ for clarification
• Cuneo building access updates – Successfully began September 14th – see 2020-Sept-18_SSOM Update and FAQ for the update

Updates and Studen FAQ information

Update on M2 Curricular plans for in-person sessions starting in October.

The MHD small group and lab sessions will continue to be held via Zoom.

Our focus will be on in-person sessions in PCM-2 for the development and honing of outstanding physical exam skills. While you, and your facilitators, have laudably adapted using mannequins for physical exam techniques, there is no substitute for hands-on “learning by doing”. Your peers and standardized patients are invaluable in this process.

The first PCM-2 hands-on session will be Tuesday, October 20 and will consist of safely practicing some of the exam steps on peers under the guidance of your facilitators. Other sessions are being planned for practice time with standardized patients arranged by appointment and the ongoing otoscope and ophthalmoscope practice on the task trainers/mannequins also by appointment.
We will look forward to seeing you in professional attire and your white coats!

Student Study Space

Initially, we had set aside room 170 as a designated space for students who were studying for Step 1 or Step 2 exams, but there seems to be minimal use of that room. Therefore, we have opened that to the larger student body as additional study space. Anyone is now able to reserve space in 170 to study, just as you have been doing in 460, the library, and the quiet study room.

To ensure that students who prefer to study on campus can utilize the space more than the 9 hours/week maximum and that our study spaces are utilized to their full potential, students may sign up for additional days/times to study on campus 1 hour prior to the start time. (For example, if you log into the spreadsheet at 8 am tomorrow and see that there are still empty study spaces for the 9 am-1:15 pm slot, you may sign up for that spot, even if you’ve already signed up for your 9 hours/week maximum. The same goes for the 1:45-6:00 spot—if you login at 12:45 and there’s space available, you may sign up for one of those vacancies.)

One thing to note—we changed the ending time of the first block and start time of the second block to allow for cleaning in between sessions. If you wind up registering for the entire day, you can feel free to take a break for lunch or go for a short walk outside during that time to allow for the cleaning. If you have any questions, please let Catherine Jardien know (cjardien@luc.edu) .

Opportunities to participate in seasonal flu immunizations in the healthcare organization

Our Healthcare system is preparing to begin its flu immunization program (you will all need to be immunized as well, unless there is a healthcare reason, and later, Catherine Jarden will provide an update) and are looking for students to volunteer and participate in their administration. This will occur at the LUMC, Gottlieb and MacNeal sites and occur from October 5th through the 10th and October 12th through the 16th.

• Who can participate? – Preferentially M3, M4 and M2 students (M1s can participate as well) and where there is not a conflict with your required curricular or clinical responsibilities
• What if I am on a clerkship? – Drs Graziano and Blair will be speaking with the Clerkship directors on Monday to determine if there are any restrictions and we will then send an update to you
• What is the schedule for these sessions? – We attached the sign-up sheet slots (for LUMC) as an FYI
• How do I sign up? – If there isn’t a conflict then contact by email Tiffany Fulton (tfulton@lumc.edu)
  with your availability

Speaking to administration (Dean James Mendez and Ms. Viviana Martinez) to address a student’s request to delay their return to campus

Dean Mendez and Ms. Martinez began speaking with students and discussing their requests. The Office of Student Affairs will make the final determination of approving absences. As always, we will keep everyone up to date as activities begin and when we get back to our original plans for your education and are fully “operational”.

Potential for accommodations for travel, Thanksgiving or Christmas breaks while continuing your education and progression in the curriculum.

The SSOM or its offices are not monitoring or approving student travel to a site (either within the U.S. or international, which includes Canada and Mexico) that on a student’s return, will require them to self- quarantine. However, the need to self-quarantine should be taken seriously and is required as you could potentially expose other students, standardized patients or within the hospital, patients, residents, faculty, etc., if they then need to quarantine or become ill. If you need to self-quarantine you will not be able to return to the campus or be involved in any clinical activities, volunteer or curricular, until that quarantine period has ended.

Depending on what is scheduled at that time within your curriculum, there may be no significant disruption in your education if you need to self-quarantine. However, your decision to travel may impact scheduled activities and if that is the case, you will need to speak with the Office of Student Affairs and that respective course/clerkship director to determine how your situation will be addressed.

As you have assumed the role of a healthcare provider, you are becoming an essential person, and this comes with those responsibilities and less latitude for personal decisions. If you still decide to travel to restricted areas, then you will need to accept those potential implications. Another important issue for you to remember, is that you may be the one who becomes ill and directly experience the outcome of your travel decision.