Curriculum Overview

The School of Medicine curriculum is divided into 4 phases: the Essentials Core (Phases I & II), the Clinical Core (Phase III) and Advanced Studies (Phase IV). Woven through all Phases are 4 Threads: Humanities, Ethics, & Professionalism, Medicine & Society, Cultural Competency & Diversity, and Informatics & Evidence-based Medicine, that integrate these topics into the curriculum. In addition, the Mentored Scholarly Activity Program, which provides students with the opportunity to work closely with a faculty mentor on a project of mutual interest, extends through all four years. The Foundations of Doctoring curriculum extends through Phases I-III and emphasizes a humanistic approach to medical care while teaching and evaluating students’ basic communication and physical examination skills.

The Essentials Core Curriculum comprises the first 18 months of the undergraduate medical curriculum. It is separated into two phases, each consisting of a series of integrated interdisciplinary blocks that present basic science in a clinical context. Each block is lead by basic science and clinical co-directors and consists of lectures, team-based learning sessions, laboratory exercises, and small group discussion sections. The aim of the Essentials Core is to provide the scientific foundation for further medical education and to begin to equip the student for a lifetime of learning, research, clinical care, and community service.

The Clinical Core Curriculum (Phase III) comprises 8-week interdepartmental, interdisciplinary clinical blocks intermixed with a series of Integrated Clinician Courses (ICCs) that focus on material, such as Threads topics, advanced clinical skills, translational clinical science and communication, that have been developed to relate to all 6 clinical blocks. Foundations of Doctoring continues in the clinical core to provide a multi-year clinical continuity and mentoring experience. Advanced Studies (Phase IV) provides students the opportunity to explore clinical specialties, to complete their MSA projects, to participate in 4 weeks of more advanced ICC course work, and to prepare for residency.

Curriculum Graphic

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