Welcome

Welcome to the St. Vincent Hospital Department of Medicine!  We have been educating students and residents for over 100 years.  We pride ourselves on being "user friendly," and the camaraderie among our housestaff is unmatched.  Our mission statement is "To mold world class physicians from an environment rich in talent, compassion and diversity." You will also find that many of our faculty did their residency training at SVH and are therefore extremely supportive and committed to your education.

The overall goal of your rotation(s) is not only to learn, but to gain independence.  To become independent as a physician you need clinical and academic skills, knowledge, maturity and compassion.  Your position as a medical student confers great responsibility.  Your patients will think of you as their doctor.  The last two years of medical school is a turning point in your career; the step from the classroom to the bedside is completed.

Each patient is an individual.  They come from different life experiences and will react to their illnesses in different ways.  Don't forget, patients do not read the textbooks.  The more patients you see, the more of the "art of medicine" you will learn.  You will learn to make the transition from "reporter of the facts" to "interpreter of clinical information." Your rotation(s) will provide you with the opportunity to integrate the wisdom you have accumulated during your preclinical years with newly acquired knowledge of diseases by using your skills in history taking and physical diagnosis.  These skills are not easily obtained and require diligence, continuous study, repetition and constant application.  Although you will learn from observing your more senior colleagues, much of what you learn will be through your own work, contact with your patients, and your willingness to expose your self to as many learning experiences as possible.  Remember though, you will never be alone.  Our interns, residents and faculty are all here to help you learn and succeed.

We thank you for your interest in us and do hope you will consider St. Vincent Hospital for your some elective rotations.  We are confident that if you chose to come here, you will have a rich and rewarding experience.

Dr. Jane A. Lochrie
Program Director

 

UMass Students enjoying their rotations.