Catalogue

PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION LEADING TO THE M.D. DEGREE

The four years of medical education are divided into preclinical course work (two years) and clinical clerkships and electives (two years). The curriculum undergoes constant evaluation and refinement. Changes may occur from year to year in order to improve the educational program. The College of Medicine reserves the right to make policy and regulatory changes at any time.

Overview of the Curriculum

Preclinical Curriculum (Years 1 and 2)

The preclinical course work is designed to provide students with essential basic science and general clinical information necessary for their clinical training. Teaching teams from both basic and clinical science departments participate in the curriculum.

The course schedule for the basic science curriculum is as follows.

First Year

  • Anatomy by Diagnostic Imaging (BMS 6190)
  • Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Disease (BMS 6204)
  • Clinical Human Anatomy (BMS 6100C)
  • Essentials of Patient Care I and II (BMS 6015, BMS 6016)
  • Human Behavior (BCC 6151)
  • Interdisciplinary Family Health 1 and 2 (BMS 6828, BMS 6829)
  • Introduction to Clinical Practice (Preceptorship) (BMS 6173)
  • Medical Aspects of Human Genetics (BMS 6003)
  • Medical Cell and Tissue Biology (BMS 6110C)
  • Medical Neuroscience (BMS 6020)
  • Principles of Physiology (BMS 6500)

Second Year

  • Clinical Diagnosis (BMS 6811)
  • Essentials of Patient Care III and IV (BMS 6830, BMS 6834)
  • Ethical and Legal Issues in Medical Practice (BMS 6822)
  • Evidenced Based Medicine (BMS 6823)
  • General Pathology and Immunology (BMS 6601C)
  • Introduction to Clinical Radiology (BMS 6191)
  • Medical Microbiology and Infectious Disease (BMS 6300C)
  • Oncology (MS 6630)
  • Pharmacology (BMS 6404)
  • Systemic Pathology and Laboratory Medicine (BMS 6602C)

Clinical Science Curriculum (Years 3 and 4)

Third Year

The third year is devoted to clinical clerkships, in which groups of students rotate among the major clinical services and experience direct patient contact. The required clinical clerkships include: Family Medicine (9 weeks), Medicine (8 weeks), Neurology (3 weeks), Obstetrics and Gynecology (6 weeks), Pediatrics (8 weeks), Psychiatry (6 weeks) and Surgery (8 weeks). Students spend 10-12 weeks in clerkships at UFHSC-Jacksonville. Free housing is provided during the Jacksonville-based clerkships.

During the clinical clerkships, the student becomes an integral member of the medical team and has direct responsibility for assigned patients.

Fourth Year

The fourth year occupies the final 11 months of the curriculum and consists of 24 weeks of  elective rotations and five required clerkships:

  • Acting Internship in Medicine, Family Medicine, or Pediatrics (4 weeks)
  • Emergency Medicine (4 weeks)
  • Geriatrics (2 weeks)
  • Anesthesiology (2 weeks)
  • Internship 101 (presently 2 weeks; 3 weeks effective 2012)

In addition, students have a four-week period to interview for their residency.

All elective choices must be made in conjunction with the student’s faculty advisor, the fourth year curriculum coordinator, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Clinical electives are available in all of the major disciplines of medicine. In the clinical electives, students work as advanced clerks and assume greater responsibility than they had in the third year. Elective courses in the basic sciences also are available. Additionally, independent study programs may be designed to allow experience in areas of medicine not offered in the formal courses.

Students who wish to take external electives at other institutions must obtain the approval of their advisor and the Fourth-Year Coordinator or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. As a general rule, students will be allowed to take a maximum of three external electives.

Students must complete a minimum of 40 semester hours in the fourth year to be eligible for graduation. They also must remain enrolled in coursework up to the time of graduation regardless of the total credit hours accumulated.