The elective rotation for medical students at The Ohio State University College of Medicine exposes medical students to family violence and child maltreatment issues and how they affect the lives of patients and their families. As part of this rotation, students spend time at The Center for Family Safety and Healing learning about child abuse and neglect, and the long-reaching effects of family violence.

During this rotation, students will participate in the evaluation of children for suspected child abuse or neglect in both outpatient and inpatient settings. For clinic visits, students will have the opportunity to participate in the following:

• Pre-assessment staffing
• Observe the forensic interview
• Participate in the physical examination
• Formulate a differential diagnosis and management plan
• Participate in the post-assessment staffing

The importance of the role of a multidisciplinary team is reinforced as students spend time with social workers and mental health advocates, representatives from the Columbus Division of Police Special Victims Bureau, Franklin County Children Services and the Franklin County Prosecutor’s Office.

In addition, students will have the opportunity to observe various child abuse and neglect prevention efforts. They will also gain experience in addressing chronic social problems associated with child maltreatment.

Lastly, students will have opportunities to learn about domestic violence and the co-occurrence of child abuse or neglect and domestic violence from the staff of The Center for Family Safety and Healing. In addition to learning through the above clinical experiences, students will be provided with a library of pertinent child abuse and neglect literature and will have teaching sessions with faculty based on these readings. Students will also be expected to give a brief presentation on a topic in child maltreatment with guidance from our faculty.

Pediatric and Medicine/Pediatric residents at Nationwide Children’s have the opportunity to rotate through The Center for Family Safety and Healing during their training.

Intern Year

Resident exposure to a child maltreatment curriculum begins in the first year of residency with dedicated time at The Center for Family Safety and Healing’s Child Assessment Center. Residents spend approximately two half-day sessions participating in clinic assessments and inpatient consults (as available).

In addition, residents receive case-based teaching sessions on various child maltreatment topics. The curriculum is designed to provide residents an overview of child maltreatment and develop a foundation of knowledge and skills in the recognition, evaluation, management and reporting of child abuse.

Resident Elective Rotation

Upper-level residents may choose to complete a two- or four-week elective rotation at The Center for Family Safety and Healing Child Assessment Center. This elective is designed to enhance residents’ experience with caring for suspected abuse patients and build on the knowledge and skills gained during their intern year rotation.

Residents are provided with a library of pertinent child abuse and neglect literature that will serve as foundations for teaching sessions with faculty. Residents become a member of the multidisciplinary team for evaluations of suspected abuse. They are challenged to critically appraise the child abuse and neglect medical literature and apply this knowledge to their evaluations.

In addition to evaluating child sexual abuse and physical abuse allegations, residents will gain experience with the continuum of issues related to child maltreatment. Residents will participate in the Fostering Connections Program, which serves as the medical home for a many children placed in out-of-home care. This clinical experience exposes residents to the unique and complex challenges faced by children and families in the foster care system.