Student Hand Book 2021-2022

ELECTIVES
Electives are offered to Basic Sciences students during the first two years of the four-year medical
program. The objective is to provide a structured learning experience in diverse clinical and scholarly
areas. This gives students the opportunity to integrate Basic Sciences knowledge into clinical areas
and may provide a transition into clinical medicine specialties. These elective courses provide
enhanced value to the WUSOM curriculum.
Electives are offered by various departments and coordinated through the Office of the Dean. All
electives courses mandate 100% attendance to meet licensing and certification requirements. In
addition, there are additional fees, costs and equipment requirements to participate.
MEDICAL SPANISH
In this one-credit elective, students attend three lectures about orientation of the course including
healthcare systems in St. Kitts, history-taking, and communication skills. Students attend the clinics
under the guidance of a Medical Officer. They participate in taking history from patients and observe
the examination of these patients followed by discussions with the attending physician. They are
required to keep a log of their activities and submit one detailed case history.
STUDENTS FOR HEALTH–COMMUNITY OUTREACH PROGRAMME
Windsor University School of Medicine (WUSOM) has partnered with St. Kitts government, the
Ministry of Health to provide volunteer student run health clinics as a free community service to the
citizens of St. Kitts and the local community. Students for Health (SFH) volunteers are representatives
of not only WUSOM but of their respective countries; there is an expectation that all WUSOM students
treat everyone with respect, dignity, and manners in public and project an image of professionalism
at all times since we are a guest in their country.
SFH exists to help bridge the gap between medical theory and medical practice by introducing
WUSOM students to the clinical environment before they step into a hospital. Actual patient
interaction allows students to build their confidence and improve interviewing/history-taking skills
and fluidity of the patient-doctor interaction and physical examination.
In addition, students have a forum to utilize and familiarize themselves with basic medical tools by
taking blood pressure readings, heart rate, respiratory rate, BMI, performing heart and pulmonary
auscultations, percussion, and tactile fremitus. The SFH clinic experience allows students to practice
a physical examination while integrating their History and Physical (H&P) interview by applying
fundamental patient confidentiality, ethics, and HIPAA practices to administrative charting.
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