Family Medicine - Ross Medical Group, Miami, FL

Student Perspective #1:

Preceptor: Dr. Micheal L. Ross

For more info on Dr. Ross please visit: http://www.rossmedicalgroup.com/index.php?dispatch=pages.view&page_id=8

Information on this rotation:

During this rotation, you will not have any contact one-on-one with patients. Dr. Ross does many different procedures but will not let you observe them. He will see a lot of patient alone and you will be sitting in his office for long periods at a time. It is great if you kept this rotation as your last one before step 2 CK, but this rotation is your first, not much will be learned and you will not meet any of the objectives for the family medicine rotation.

On the positive side of things, like i said, doing this rotation with Dr. Ross will enable you to study in preparation to step 2 CK since you will be sitting in his office for the major part of the day. His clinic is aesthetically beautiful and clean. The staff is friendly and if you are interested in family medicine, it gives you a good idea of how to set up a clinic in a way that makes money.

Student Perspective #2:

Family Rotation at CHS in Miami

General information:

* determine where your clinic is located prior to finding housing as clinic are dispersed across the city

* be aware that Miami traffic is terrible and there are many tolls

* family rotation in Miami is fairly relaxed so you get to explore Miami!

* a car is mandatory for this rotation

Dr. Ross at Ross Medical Group

Typical day: shadow Dr. Ross

Hours:

* Monday: 1PM to 9PM (usually 9:30PM)

* Tuesday: 9AM to 5PM (usually 6:30PM)

* Wednesday: 7:30AM to 2PM (usually 5:00PM)

* Thursday: off

* Friday: Wednesday: 7:30AM to 2PM (usually 5:00PM)

Pros:

* learn the maintenance and effort required to start a private practice

* learn the importance of good bed side manner

* experience the benefits of continuity of care for patients

* see many patients a day

Cons:

* no hands on experience

* do not get to yield history or talk to patients one-on-one

* do not get to perform physical history or write SOAP notes

* follow Dr. Ross around and observe as he interacts with patients

* do not get to stand in on unique patient cases

* due to the high volume of patients do not get to familiarize yourself with patient history

Rescue Mission on 1st Avenue

Typical day: Get assigned a patient, take entire history by yourself and are responsible to write SOAP notes and come up with an assessment and plan. Present case with plan to nurse practioner/doctor/PA (providers) that are running the clinic for the day. Present findings to patient, perform required tests on patients and write prescriptions with guidance from providers.

Hours: Hours vary from day-to-day but days do not start earlier than 9AM and does not finish later than 3:30PM

Pros:

* independent learning experience

* very few patients are seen so get to spend a long time with each patient

* learn how to elicit a thorough history

* experience many interesting cases as patients are usually homeless/from low-income families

* practice presenting to provider

* practice writing good SOAP notes

* practice practical skills like CV, pulmonary, abdomen and MSK exams

* learn and get to practice ear lavages, blood draws, prescription writing and referrals

* understand the expertise of many doctors and how each provider practices medicine in their own way

* as individual patients are your responsibility you learn through research the treatments of choice for certain cases

Cons:

* no continuity of care as patients come in only when they experience the worst symptoms

* limited treatment options due to limited resources

* no continuity of learning as provider changes daily

* do not see more than 3 patients a day