Curriculum Overview

The Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree requires a minimum of four years of study. The focus of the medical curriculum is to prepare students for supervised medical practice through clinical integration of material throughout all four years of study. Students in the pre-clerkship portion of the curriculum (approximately 18 months) do not take separate courses in the traditional basic science disciplines, such content is appropriately organized into integrated blocks of instruction. Students in the clerkship portion of the curriculum (approximately 30 months) rotate on clinical service in required clerkships and also have opportunities for rotations in elective clerkships and areas of interest.

Pre-Clerkship

The focus of the medical curriculum is to prepare students for supervised medical practice through clinical integration of material throughout all four years of study. Students in the pre-clerkship portion focus on the fundamentals of biomedical science which consists of two components, Foundations and Organ Systems.

Foundations

Students start the first year of medical school with the Foundations blocks, which continue through mid-April of the first calendar year. Foundations blocks emphasize the basic structure of the human body and basic principles of other medical science disciplines such as gross anatomy, histology, basic principles of biochemistry, genetics, pharmacology and cell physiology. Foundations blocks also include Neuroscience and Introduction to Disease, which cover basic pathophysiology, immunology and bacteriology. In addition to the instruction of these basic medical sciences, students take integrated courses that cover medical humanities, ethics, leadership and other important professional development topics, as well as the Introduction to Clinical Skills course, which includes patient history-taking and doctor-patient communication skills and physical diagnosis through Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE). Further, students are introduced to evidence-based medicine key principles, scholarly work foundations and research principles.

Organ Systems

By mid-April of the first calendar year, students transition into the Organ Systems blocks, which conclude the following winter. The Organ Systems blocks cover normal function, pathophysiology and disease-related aspects of the specific organ systems including the basic therapeutic approach to disease. The disciplines covered in Organ Systems blocks include organ-based physiology, organ system/disease-related biochemistry and genetics, pathology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, introductory pediatrics and introductory internal medicine. Students take a summer break after two Organ Systems blocks have been delivered. This break provides opportunities to explore scholarly activities, service learning, and other educational activities. Throughout the Organ Systems blocks, students continue to build skills in evidence-based medicine, scholarly work and research principles.

Courses

MEID 605 - Foundations of Medicine I
MEID 606 - Foundations of Medicine II
MEID 607 - Medical Gross Anatomy
MEID 619 - Practice of Medicine 1
MEID 608 - Neuroscience
MEID 609 - Introduction to Disease
MEID 616 - Cardiovascular
MEID 617 - Respiratory
MEID 620 - Practice of Medicine 2
MEID 701 - Hematology/Oncology
MEID 704 - Renal-Genitourinary
MEID 706 - Metabolism/Gastrointestinal/Nutrition
MEID 707 - Endocrinology, Reproductive Science, Human Sexuality
MEID 708 - Integument-Musculoskeletal
MEID 711 - Evidence Based Medicine, Scholarship and Research
MEID 712 - Practice of Medicine 3

Clerkship

During the third and fourth years, students receive clinical training in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings associated with our main clinical teaching campuses. Third-year clerkships in IMED 800: Internal Medicine, SURG 800: Surgery, MPSY 800: Psychiatry, MPED 800: Pediatrics, OBGYN 800: Obstetrics/Gynecology, MFCM 800: Family Medicine and MRAD 800: Radiology are required. Fourth-year clerkships in EMED 800: Emergency Medicine, MEID: Critical Care Medicine, an MEID: Acting Internship, MEID 850: Capstone. Fourth-year electives are offered on all COM campuses. Students may choose from pre-determined electives, design custom learning experiences, or participate in offerings at other medical colleges on a limited basis.

CLERKSHIP
During the third and fourth years, students receive clinical training in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings associated with our main clinical teaching campuses.

Required Clerkships Include:

* IMED 800: Internal Medicine
* SURG 800: Surgery
* MPSY 800: Psychiatry
* MPED 800: Pediatrics
* OBGYN 800: Obstetrics/Gynecology
* MFCM 800: Family Medicine
* MRAD 800: Radiology
* EMED 800: Emergency Medicine (taken in the fourth year)

Fourth-year electives are offered on all COM campuses. Students may choose from pre-determined electives, design custom learning experiences, or participate in offerings at other medical colleges on a limited basis.

Fourth Year Required Rotations:

* MEID: Critical Care Medicine
* MEID: Acting Internship
* MEID 850: Capstone

Elective

Electives have been developed to accommodate the diverse educational needs of our students. The electives provide students the opportunity to further develop their medical knowledge, skills and attitudes.