University of Connecticut (School of Medicine)

PHASE I (YEARS 1 AND 2) Phase 1 constitutes the first two years, and is comprised of five courses, and electives. Each year has a 38-week academic calendar, separated by a 10-week summer break. During Phase 1 instruction consists of lecture, laboratories, case conferences, and PBL. A major emphasis of Phase 1 is related to the basic medical sciences. Students begin their study of the basic sciences with the Human Systems course, which presents the normal structure and function of cells, tissues and the organ systems. This is followed by the Human Development and Health course, which focuses on the biological, psychological, and social development of humans, and the legal and ethical issues associated with the provision of health care across the lifespan. Phase 1 concludes with the Mechanisms of Disease course, which presents the pathology and pathophysiology of the organ systems, infectious diseases, and principles of therapeutics, especially pharmacology. The Correlated Medical Problem Solving (CMPS) course runs throughout Phase 1. Its format is problem-based learning, with the cases chosen to reinforce and integrate the basic science concepts presented in the Human Systems, Human Development and Health, and Mechanisms of Disease courses. Phase 1 also prepares students for the clinical aspects of their program through the Clinical Medicine course. COURSES : * Human Systems: The Human Systems course runs the entire first year (38 weeks: 17 hours/week). It is divided into four sections (approximate length of section): - Human Biology (13 weeks) - Organ System 1 (7 weeks) - Organ System 2 (9 weeks) - Organ System 3 (9 weeks) The course covers the basic elements of human anatomy, histology, biochemistry, physiology, and genetics. Also included is an introduction to biostatistics and the principles of epidemiology. * Human Biology - This section presents the basic structure, biochemistry, and physiology of cells and tissues. It provides the foundation for the material presented in the context of the organ systems, and gives students a framework upon which to build their knowledge of the basic medical sciences as the year progresses. The section begins with an introduction to the general principles of biochemistry and molecular biology as the foundations of the biological sciences. This is followed by study of the histology of the major types of tissues, including the fundamentals of the immune response. Students also begin dissection of the human body starting with the upper and lower extremities. * Organ System 1 - The primary focus of this section is the structure and function of the central nervous system. The gross anatomy of the head and neck is also presented. * Organ System 2 - This section presents an integrated view of the organs of homeostasis including the heart, lungs and kidneys. The gross anatomy of the thorax is presented, as is an introduction to biostatistics and epidemiology. * Organ System 3 - The structure and function of the gastrointestinal tract, the endocrine organs, and the reproductive organs is the primary focus of this section. The principles of human genetics are also presented. Students concurrently dissect the abdomen and pelvis. * Human Development and Health: The Human Development and Health course begins the second academic year, and runs for 9 weeks (17 hrs/week). It comprises a multidisciplinary survey of biological, psychological, and social development from conception to death; an investigation of the behavioral and social determinants of health and illness; an introduction to principles of medical law and ethics applied to doctor-patient relationships and health care problems; and an overview of health care services across the life span, their effectiveness, and the forces shaping their evolution. * Mechanisms of Disease: The Mechanisms of Disease course completes the second year running for 29 weeks (17 hrs/week). It is comprised of eight sections (approximate length of section): - General Pathology and Pharmacology (4 weeks) - Infectious Disease (4 weeks) - Diseases of Homeostasis (7 weeks) - Oncology (3 weeks) - Diseases of Metabolism (3 weeks) - Diseases of the Nervous System (4 weeks) - Diseases of the Reproductive Systems (2 weeks) - Immune and Non-Immune Mediated Diseases of Skin, Connective Tissue, and Bones/Joints (2 weeks) The course reviews the pathology and pathophysiology of the organ systems previously presented in the Human Systems course. In addition, basic principles of therapeutics, especially pharmacologic, are presented. * Correlated Medical Problem Solving (CMPS): The CMPS course runs through Phase 1 in parallel to Human Systems, Human Development and Health, and Mechanisms of Disease. It is designed to assist students in their development as independent learners, and to promote the acquisition of skills related to problem solving, access to information, and group interaction and communication. The instructional format is PBL, with students divided into groups of eight with two faculty facilitators (one clinical and one basic science). The course meets for three hours each week. Case content is chosen to correlate with topics being presented in the concurrently running basic science courses. Each case is developed and discussed over a three week period, thereby providing students with two weeks of independent study. * Clinical Medicine Course (CMC): CMC extends through Phase 1, and is devoted to developing in students the skills, attitudes and knowledge needed to practice clinical medicine. The course focuses on the patient, on the developing physician, and upon the special and complex relationship between them. It also examines the role of community and family in health and illness. It consists of two sections: PCM and SCP. Each section meets one afternoon a week for four hours. The curricula for PCM and SCP are intimately linked, and together they are designed to complement the basic science courses running concurrently. PCM takes place at the medical school, while SCP occurs in the office of physicians practicing in the community. * PCM : This section is devoted to medical history-taking skills, physical examination, and professional development. It is run in a seminar format. In the first year, the focus is on health, wellness behavior, preventive medicine, and on normal physical findings. In the second year, students revisit the medical history and physical examination skills with a focus on illness and abnormal findings. Differential diagnosis and clinical reasoning are also presented. * SCP : This is a longitudinal clinical experience which begins in the fall of the first year, and continues through Year 3 (and an optional elective in Year 4). Students spend one half-day per week in an ambulatory clinical site, under the supervision of a physician preceptor. It is tightly coordinated with the PCM section to help students practice medical interviewing, physical examination skills, and community-oriented medicine. * Electives I: Students have the opportunity for elective course work in both Phases 1 and 3 of the curriculum. PHASE 2 (YEAR 3) During Phase 2 of the curriculum (Year 3), there are two courses - Multidisciplinary Ambulatory Experience (MAX) and Inpatient. These courses together with the Advanced Clinical Experiences course (Year 4) constitute the core clinical components of the curriculum. MAX is divided into two 16-week components: MAX-1 and MAX-2. These three 16-week components (MAX-1, MAX-2, and Inpatient) can be taken in any order. During MAX and Inpatient, the students attend their half-day per week SCP, which they started in the first year. COURSES : * Multidisciplinary Ambulatory Experience: MAX is a 32 week course focused on ambulatory medicine. It is divided into two 16-week sections (MAX-1 and MAX-2). During MAX-1 and MAX-2 the students have three �Home Week� sessions, where all students return to the medical school. Evaluations (written and clinical skills assessment) are essential activities during Home Week. In addition, each Home Week is oriented around a theme. Students must also complete an evidenced-based medicine project on one of the patients they have seen during either their Inpatient or MAX experiences. * MAX-1 - There are two six-week experiences: Internal Medicine and Pediatrics and two one-week experiences: Orthopedics and ENT. During these experiences, the students have a half-day/week ambulatory Psychiatry clinic. * MAX-2 - There are two six-week experiences: Family Medicine and OB/GYN and one three-week experience: Ambulatory General Surgery. * Inpatient Experience: The Inpatient block is 16 weeks in duration, and consists of rotations in Medicine (four weeks), Surgery (four weeks), Psychiatry (four weeks), Pediatrics (two weeks), and an experience called Beginning-to-End (two weeks). In the Beginning-to-End experience, students follow patients from admission in the Emergency Department through discharge, regardless to which service the patient is admitted. The focus of Beginning-to-End is on the patient�s interaction with the health care system, and addresses issues related to quality of care. PHASE 3 (YEAR 4) Phase 3 (Year 4) consists of three components: a required three month Advanced Clinical Experience course; a two month Selective experience; and five months of Electives. Students may customize this phase of the curriculum, taking any of the components in their preferred sequence. The schedules are made in one month increments, and students do not have to schedule all months of a particular component in sequence. COURSES : * Advanced Clinical Experiences: This course is three months in duration, and provides students with an intensive inpatient experience and exposure to issues related to critical and emergency/urgent care. It is divided into three sections (each one month in duration), which can be scheduled at any time during Phase 3. - Advanced Inpatient Experience - Students can choose to do the experience either in Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, or Family Medicine. It allows students to build on the knowledge and skills acquired during their previous clinical experiences. Students assume responsibility for the simultaneous care of multiple complex inpatients, acquire advanced knowledge and skills, and improve their efficiency. It is expected that students will improve upon their history and physical examination skills, and advance in their ability to interpret clinical laboratory and radiological data. Students are expected to function as an integral part of an interdisciplinary team, participate in the education of the team members, and assume a greater role in their own learning. - Emergency/Urgent Care Experience : Students participate in patient care as it is delivered in an urgent/emergency setting. Students split their activities between day and evening shifts. In addition to providing patient care, students participate in workshops on wound care, suturing, and splinting. - Critical Care Experience : Students can choose to do the experience either in the Medical Intensive Care Unit, Surgical Intensive Care Unit, Coronary Care Unit, or Pediatric/Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. * Selectives: The Selectives course is two months in duration and can be scheduled at any time during Phase 3. It is designed with the recognition that being a physician encompasses the roles of researcher, educator, and advocate for community health. The Selectives provide students with the opportunity to establish an experiential and knowledge base for these roles. In each of the Selectives� sections, students learn methodology, skills and content as applied to an independent project. Students develop a project within the framework of research, education or community health. The selective can be scheduled as a block or as a longitudinal experience. Students in combined degree programs (M.D./Ph.D., M.D./M.B.A. and M.D./M.P.H.) may use the Selective course to complete course work toward their graduate degree. - Research - The goals of the research Selective experience include: to develop an understanding of how research leads to advancement of knowledge and the improvement of clinical programs and community health; to acquire research skills and methodologies; and to collaborate with colleagues from a variety of fields and specialties. - Community Health - The goals of the community health Selective include: stimulation of student interest in population health; development of skills in addressing community health problems; increasing awareness of community resources; and development of an understanding of sociocultural factors that affect health. - Education - The goals of the education Selective experience include: preparation of the student for their future educational roles (academic, patient instruction, and continuing education); promotion of an understanding of the process of education; and broadening the student teaching experience. - Electives II: Students have five months of elective time in Phase 3, with each elective being one month in duration (students may use one month for vacation/residency interviews). Electives can be scheduled at anytime during Phase 3. Students must complete at least three elective months in order to graduate. Longitudinal electives can be arranged as well. There are no requirements as to the type of electives to be taken, or that electives need to be done at UConn affiliated sites and institutions.

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School name: University of Connecticut (School of Medicine)
Address: 263 Farmington Avenue
Zip & city: CT 06030-1920 Farmington
Phone: 860-679-2000
Web: http://medicine.uchc.edu

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