Pediatric Cardiology

Department of Pediatrics

  • Course Information

    Course Number: RPED610

    Prerequisites: Completion of all Phase 2 clerkships

    Length of Time: 2 weeks

    Phase Availability: Phase 3

    Credit Type: Physician Assessed Patient Facing (PAPFE) or Open

    Call: No

  • Contact Information

    Program Directors: Natasha Noel, MD

    Coordinator/Scheduling: Allison King (aking75@uic.edu)

    Locations: OSF Medical Group (444 Roxbury Rd, Rockford, IL 61107)

Narrative Description: This course provides an introduction to congenital and acquired heart disease across all age groups-infants, children, adolescents, and adults. Emphasis is placed on understanding structural congenital heart disease, its physiologic consequences, and its clinical presentation. The elective is designed to offer a foundational experience for all students and a more advanced understanding for those with particular interest in Pediatrics or Family Medicine. Through observation, guided discussion, and applied learning, students will gain insight into the evaluation, diagnosis, and management of cardiac conditions commonly encountered in pediatric practice.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of the course, the student will be able to:

  1. Demonstrate a basic understanding of the cardiac physical examination as it applies to children, adolescents, and adults.
  2. Recognize and describe common pediatric cardiology presentations, including murmurs, chest pain, palpitations, lightheadedness, and syncope.
  3. Identify and describe major forms of structural congenital heart disease and understand their hemodynamic implications and clinical management principles.
  4. Apply knowledge through discussion and analysis of cardiology-focused board-style questions.

Learning Activities:

Students will observe patient encounters and diagnostic procedures, including echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, Holter monitor recordings, and exercise stress tests. Each activity will be followed by faculty-led discussion and instruction emphasizing the underlying physiologic, structural, and clinical principles.

Students may also:

  • Prepare and deliver brief PowerPoint presentations on selected pediatric cardiology topics or clinical cases to reinforce learning and presentation skills.
  • Participate in group review sessions using UWorld cardiology questions to enhance clinical reasoning and application of evidence-based knowledge.
  • Engage in self-directed learning and independent reading, including review of current pediatric cardiology guidelines, recent literature, and relevant case materials.

Method of Assessment: Assessment will be based on the Program Director’s qualitative assessment of the student’s clinical participation, engagement, and demonstrated understanding. Assessment will also include observation of professionalism, communication skills, and rapport with patients, families, and healthcare staff during clinical and educational activities. If assigned, student presentations and participation in UWorld review sessions will contribute to the overall assessment of initiative, critical thinking, and collaborative learning.

Required Reading: A basic text in Pediatric Cardiology will be made available for student use during the course, supplemented by selected journal articles relevant to observed cases. Examples include: Dr. Baptist’s Pediatric Lecture Notes for Medical Students and comparable introductory texts in Pediatric Cardiology.

Additional Resources: None

Miscellaneous Information: None