There were three main aspects to my pediatric rotation at QHC, three weeks in the ED, one week in the clinic, and one week at mother and baby and NICU. Each part provided me with a completely different aspect of medical care in the pediatric setting. In the ED, it was very hands on. I interviewed each patient, did a physical exam and presented the patient to the doctor I worked with. Many of the cases were repetitive, with most patients presenting with a viral illness or GI upset, but the hands-on experience was invaluable. I spent my fourth week in the outpatient pediatric clinic, my time there was spent more as an observer, but I got to see some interesting patients. Because the week was split up between different specialties, I was able to broaden my education to more than the average child with the flu. With the endocrinologist I saw a 12-year-old with type 2 diabetes, with the cardiologist I observes three cardiac echocardiograms and examined a child with transposition of the great vessels, and with the geneticist I was able to examine a baby with fragile X. The last week of my pediatric rotation was spent at mother baby and the NICU. In addition to getting the opportunity to do a multitude of baby exams, I was able to learn hands on, the effect of diabetes on a pregnancy, and I was able to observe a vaginal delivery as well as a C-section. Because of the many different parts to this rotation, I was able to get a very broad education, with time spent in a variety of different pediatric specialties.

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