The medical students will learn about the specialty of sexual medicine and how it pertains to cancer survivors. The elective will also discuss what makes sexual medicine unique in regard to comprehensive care of the cancer patient.
Sexual medicine has been defined as a scientific discipline that embraces the study, diagnosis, and treatment of sexual health concerns of men and women. Its basic knowledge bases draw from the areas of endocrinology, gynecology, neurology, psychology, and urology but incorporates many other disciplines as well. The diagnosis and treatment of cancer can often impact sexual functioning and has grave impact on quality of life.
This elective will be an outpatient experience. The student who chooses this elective will spend time on the gynecology, urology, and mental health services and observe patients being triaged, evaluated, and treated. The person who chooses this elective will also participate in the Couples Combined clinic and the case conference management meeting. The participant will learn the value of survivorship medicine, concerns for cancer patients, and will understand the impact of surgery, radiation, and adjunctive chemotherapy, as well as its impact on survivorship, quality of life, and sexual health.
The student will be expected to be an active participant in sexual medicine grand rounds and gynecology rounds, and will participate in ongoing clinical research. Sexual medicine information sessions for the general public as well as dinner talks will also be a part of the educational curriculum. The participant will have the opportunity to observe patient examinations and when available and appropriate, patient surgeries.
Objective:
At the completion of the elective, the student will be expected to be able to:
1) Address survivorship and general health maintenance concerns for both male and female cancer survivors.
2) Generate a comprehensive sexual health and psychosexual history.
3) Perform an appropriate physical exam and order appropriate laboratory tests.
4) Formulate an assessment with a differential diagnosis.
5) Develop a multimodal comprehensive treatment plan.
Responsibilities:
The student will be responsible to attend all listed activities and complete the evaluation forms. The student must demonstrate that he or she is sensitive to complex sexual health issues as it relates to cancer care, and that they are comfortable using the vocabulary of the genital anatomy. A nonjudgmental attitude concerning the sexual practices of others is also required. Professional dress is required at all times as well as proper identification. The student must comply with all of rules and regulations of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center and acknowledge HIPPA patient policy and privacy procedures. The participant understands that sexual health is a sensitive subject, and that not all patients will permit their attendance in evaluations.
In addition to lectures, conferences, grand rounds, and clinical responsibilities, the attendee will be required to complete a small research project on a topic of his or her choice as it pertains to sexual medicine and the oncology patient. This will be discussed at the time of acceptance of the applicant, so that they will have ample time to formulate a concept. It should be completed prior to the end of the elective period. Any abstracts or publications derived from this project will remain the property of the MSKCC Sexual Medicine Program. The student can work on existing projects, however, innovative research will be encouraged.
