The M.D. Curriculum

The UCI medical curriculum continues to meet the changing needs of medical education within all four years of instruction. Indeed, the College of Medicine faculty views curriculum development as a continual process and feels that medical education and teaching innovations must be encouraged and supported. The curriculum is designed to encourage medical students to become participants in their education process, to be active rather than passive learners, to become lifelong learners, and to use cooperative and team-learning principles.

UCI is dedicated to the nurturing of humanistic, caring physicians with top-notch clinical expertise and skills. The College strives for this through a curriculum that is not only anchored in the science of medicine but also provides meaningful experiences in the humanistic dimensions of medicine. In this context, the faculty endeavors to provide students with experiences in areas such as communications and empathy, ethics and professionalism; diversity awareness; and cultural sensitivity and medical humanities. The faculty also feels that the curriculum should strive to integrate basic and clinical sciences by bringing substantial clinical material into the early phases of medical education.

The College has achieved vertical integration of the curriculum with the development of a series of "Patient-Doctor" courses. The Patient-Doctor courses are longitudinal multidisciplinary experiences broadly designed to prepare students for their future careers in medicine through the application of experiential and self-directed learning principles. First- and second-year students begin to prepare for their clerkships through clinical exposures featuring standardized patients and clinical tag-along experiences. These courses also utilize small group learning sessions to reinforce core concepts of patient-physician interactions and introductory clinical reasoning skill development. During the Advanced Patient-Doctor course (years three and four) students explore many of the crucial issues first presented during the introductory Patient-Doctor course. During this segment greater emphasis is placed on advanced skill acquisition and more mature professional role development.

To satisfy the requirement for the M.D. degree, each medical student must successfully complete the full curriculum. Students must also pass both Step 1 and Step 2 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) and successfully pass a Clinical Practice Examination (CPX) prior to graduation.

An ongoing academic monitoring program is coordinated by the Office of Student Affairs, which identifies students early who might be experiencing academic difficulty and provides them with resources to successfully complete their course work. Faculty advisors are assigned to students during their first and second years. Students have advisory sessions with M.D. faculty prior to the scheduling of their third- and fourth-year course work. A Learning Resources Program is available to provide tutorial assistance and study skills training. USMLE reviews are also provided.

CURRICULAR POLICIES

The curricular policies of the College of Medicine are the responsibility of the faculty committees on Curriculum and Educational Policy and on Promotions and Honors. A listing of these policies, as well as information regarding registration, rules and regulations, grading procedures, and requirements for academic advancement, are contained in the College of Medicine Handbook, which is available on the World Wide Web at http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/medstudents/studentaffairs/.

First and Second Years: Basic Science and Preclinical Course Work

Third- and Fourth-Year Requirements¹

¹ The sequence of third and fourth years varies.

² Prerequisite: Inpatient and Ambulatory Medicine.

Curricular Description

FIRST-YEAR CURRICULUM

Anatomy and Embryology

The structure of the human body is taught in Anatomy and Embryology. Emphasis is placed on normal structure as it relates to function, with consideration of abnormal structures that may be revealed in a clinical setting. Gross anatomy is taught through a regional approach, with an emphasis on laboratory dissections and demonstrations, augmented by lectures, radiographic films, discussions, and clinical correlate material. The course includes a detailed consideration of embryological aspects of human development. (Medicine 500A-B)

Medical Biochemistry

Medical biochemistry for first-year medical and graduate students. Presents the biochemistry relevant to human health and disease that forms part of the foundation of modern medical practice. This course provides students with a fundamental understanding of the principles of biochemistry and metabolism and their relationship to medicine. It covers basic enzymology and the structure and function of proteins. The metabolism of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, purines, and pyrimidines is presented in the context of modern medicine. (Medicine 522)

Histology

Histology is designed to provide students with knowledge of the cellular and subcellular bases of medicine. Emphasis is placed on normal structure as a basis for function, with consideration of abnormalities of structures in clinical cases. Lectures, laboratory tutorials, and independent study address how cells are formed, how cells are combined to form tissues, and how tissues are combined to form organs. (Medicine 503A-B)

Immunology

Immunology covers the cellular and molecular basis of immune responsiveness and the roles of the immune system in both health and disease. The material is presented in lectures, clinical correlates, four required Patient-Oriented Problem Solving (POPS) sessions, and a set of printed core notes. (Medicine 544)

Neuroscience

Understanding the structure and function of the nervous system, with a strong neuroanatomical systems focus, is the goal of the Neuroscience course. The first part of the course focuses on the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems as studied at the cellular level. The second component addresses the central nervous system at the systems level. Lectures, laboratories, and clinical correlates are presented to provide students with an understanding of normal brain function, with additional consideration of Behavioral Sciences clinical cases. Prerequisite: Physiology. (Medicine 502A)

Medical Genetics

Medical Genetics reviews the basic principles of human genetics related to disease. Aspects of assessment of patterns of inheritance, genetic risk, screening for genetic diseases, and cytogenetic and biochemical diagnosis are presented. Utilization of the human gene map and of DNA sequence information for molecular genetic diagnosis are discussed. Applications of genetics knowledge to birth defects, cancer, and prenatal detection are presented. Students are introduced to the use of genetic databases and bioinformatics. Approaches to treatment of genetic diseases are presented, and legal, ethical, and social aspects of diagnosis and management of genetic disease are discussed. Corequisite: Biochemistry. (Medicine 511)

Patient, Doctor, and Society

The Patient, Doctor, and Society (PDS) course is a nine-week multidisciplinary required course for first-year medical students. It is designed to introduce students to content themes that are important for a student's professional development as a physician and health care provider. The PDS course provides students with a foundation in interviewing techniques for the more advanced Patient-Doctor courses as well as with basic knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to obtain competence in clinical medicine. The course serves as the primary introduction to the clinical experiences of years one and two, and beyond. (Medicine 545)

Epidemiology and Biostatistics

This course provides medical students with an exposure to the necessary tools for critically evaluating the medical literature in relationship to study design and analysis. It provides overall training in study design, methods, and analysis of medical and epidemiologic data and focuses on four major content areas in epidemiology: infectious disease epidemiology; cancer epidemiology; occupational and environmental epidemiology; and genetic epidemiology.

Patient-Doctor

The first-year course begins with four supervised interviewing modules that progressively increase in difficulty. After students have had four supervised practice interview sessions, they participate in six more complex organ-based modules. The modules are patient-based and focus on specific organ systems. The educational objectives of the modules center on communication skills, physical diagnosis skills, decision making, and professionalism. Students' first-year education is rounded out with their participation in other real patient-based activities.

Linked to the first-year course are eight clinical experiences in community, hospital, and office settings, which allow students to gain insight into real world practice and to begin to apply their clinical skills. An in-depth selective of 10 hours is a required part of this course, and the topics reflect content themes covered in the PDS course.

The second-year students continue to develop their patient interviewing and physical examination skills in a more independent environment and within a clinical setting. Students spend one half-day per week participating in clinical service experiences, which are designed to provide students with real patient experience and exposure to the different fields of medicine. Students continue with an in-depth study of the content theme areas they were exposed to during the first year by participating in monthly problem-based learning sessions directed by their faculty mentor. Midway through their second year, students have their clinical skills tested through a skills appraisal, which is a practical examination. (Medicine 519A-F)

Physiology/Pathophysiology

This course consists of lectures and clinical correlates covering the classical concepts of vertebrate physiology, with emphasis on the function of normal tissues in humans. Specific topics related to neurophysiology, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, exercise, and sexual physiology are presented. Prerequisite: Biochemistry. Corequisite: Neurosciences. (Medicine 543A-B)

Molecular and Cell Biology

The molecular and cellular mechanisms responsible for cell division, DNA, RNA, and protein biosynthesis are emphasized. The pathways for molecular signaling and the development of multi-cellular organisms are described including abnormal developmental states such as cancer. The future of molecular medicine, including recombinant DNA technology, will be a major focus of the course. This course will provide students with an understanding of the fundamental principles of molecular and cell biology, along with an understanding of the application of morphological and molecular relationships to problems of the human body. (Medicine 523)

SECOND-YEAR CURRICULUM

Clinical Pathology

This course consists of lectures and laboratories covering the areas of hematology, blood bank, clinical chemistry, and microbiology. It provides students with a foundation for understanding the pathogenesis of a variety of disease states, as well as a foundation for the proper use of the laboratory for diagnosis and optimum patient management. Prerequisite: first-year curriculum. (Medicine 509A-B)

Topics in Medicine

A case approach is used to integrate basic science concepts, pathology, pharmacology, and physical diagnosis as they pertain to an introduction to clinical medicine. The objective of the course is to ease the transition from basic science to the clinical clerkships by lecture-based case presentations and discussions. The course is a major link between pre-clinical and clinical studies. The student should learn to analyze the pathophysiology of symptom presentation, understand the rationale of treatment, and consider differential diagnoses. An organ system approach is utilized in integration with basic Clinical Pathology and Clinical Pharmacology. Concurrent enrollment in the Clinical Pathology course or its previous completion is required. Prerequisite: first-year curriculum. (Medicine 515A-B-C)

General and Systemic Pathology

This course deals with basic causes, mechanisms, and consequences of disease processes and with some applications of these considerations to clinical medicine. After an introduction to general types of disease processes, these processes are studied further as they affect specific organs and organ systems. Prerequisite: first-year curriculum. (Medicine 508A-B-C)

Medical Microbiology

This course deals with the biochemical and genetic properties of infectious agents, activities of toxins, chemotherapy, and the biochemistry and genetics of antibiotic resistance. A considerable portion of the course deals with the humoral and cellular basis of immunity and the genetic control of the immune response. The course also includes an in-depth study of the biology of parasites and the structure and activity of viruses. Prerequisite: Biochemistry. (Medicine 507A-B)

Medical Pharmacology

This course covers the various classes of drugs that are used in medicine, particularly those used in specific or symptomatic treatment of disease states. Drugs of abuse are also covered. Emphasis is on the mechanisms of action of drugs at the organ and system level and on their use in medicine. The course includes lectures that illustrate pharmacologic principles, supplemented by small group problem-solving sessions. Prerequisites: Biochemistry and Physiology. (Medicine 517A-B-C)

THIRD- AND FOURTH-YEAR CURRICULUM

Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship

During this clerkship, students are taught the scientific and clinical basis of gynecology and obstetrics including reproduction physiology, anatomy, fetal physiology, and pathology. Practical experience is offered in the management of normal and abnormal pregnancy and delivery. Instruction is given in office and surgical gynecology. Required third-year rotation. (Medicine 524)

General Surgery Clerkship

This clerkship provides students, as members of the surgical team, with an opportunity to study surgical patients in outpatient and hospital settings. Students acquire surgical knowledge, as well as develop skills in taking surgical histories and conducting physical examinations. Emphasis is placed on the clinical evaluation, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of surgical diseases. Students spend six weeks on general surgery (three weeks each at UCI and LBVA Medical Centers) and one week on one of the subspecialties (urology, ENT, orthopaedics, or plastic surgery). (Medicine 526)

Inpatient and Ambulatory Medicine Clerkship

The clerkship occurs in a highly structured clinical environment in both in-patient and ambulatory settings. Students gradually assume responsibility for the care of patients, thereby enhancing their clinical, diagnostic, and procedural skills. Clinical vignettes, bedside teaching, and standardized patients serve to round out the experience. Required third-year rotation. (Medicine 527A, 527B)

Pediatrics Clerkship

The pediatrics clerkship serves as an introduction to general pediatrics. Students rotate on the pediatric inpatient service, pediatric ambulatory settings, and the newborn nursery. Exposure to subspecialty clinics is also included. During the clerkship, students refine their knowledge and skills in obtaining accurate historical data, performing physical examinations with pediatric patients, and developing appropriate diagnosis and management plans. (Medicine 528)

Psychiatry Clerkship

This six-week clinical clerkship provides an opportunity for hands-on experience in the process of recognizing, diagnosing, and treating mental illness using the latest neuropharmacological advances in brain research as well as more traditional psychotherapeutic approaches. Each student participates fully in patient care, clinical teaching, and conferences. There are several choices of clinical settings for the rotation, including adult in-patient psychiatry, child/ adolescent inpatient psychiatry, consultation psychiatry/emergency psychiatry, geriatrics, and a variety of ambulatory experiences. The sites include the UCI and LBVA Medical Centers where different patient populations are available. A required lecture series is presented on Wednesday afternoons at the UCI Medical Center. (Medicine 529)

Family Medicine Clerkship

This clerkship matches students with a family physician for a four-week block. Students are assigned to a UCI clinic or a private physician's office for three weeks where the principles of family medicine and primary care practice are taught. Additionally, the student spends time on the family medicine inpatient service at UCIMC. Students gain an understanding of the 25 most common health care problems seen in Family Medicine, as well as an understanding of the principles of community health and epidemiology, as practically applied in an ambulatory care setting and the inpatient Family Medicine Service at UCIMC. In addition, students gain awareness of the current health care delivery environment, including issues such as health care costs, and knowledge of the lifestyle of a family physician. Prerequisites: successful completion of the first- and second-year curriculum. (Medicine 597)

Substance Abuse

This two-week course provides an opportunity to directly observe and learn the principles of substance abuse treatment. Students also attend therapeutic groups, 12-step meetings, and family intervention sessions, as well as didactic sessions and small group discussions. Sites include the Betty Ford Center, Hoag Hospital, and the LBVA Medical Center. A reading list is provided to students at all sites. (Medicine 675A)

Intensive Care Unit

This is a four-week rotation offered at UCI, LBVA, and Long Beach Miller's Children Hospital. ICU is offered in medicine, surgery, and pediatrics. Students function as subinterns, becoming integral members of the ICU team, and serve as primary caregivers under supervision. (Medicine 605B, 630K, 633M, 660S, or 685U)

Neuroscience Clerkship

UCI students are required to take the neuroscience clerkship during either their third or fourth year. Extramural students may take the course as an elective during their final-year curriculum. The clinical neurosciences clerkship emphasizes the development of student skills in neurological examination as well as the medical and surgical management of patients with brain, nerve, and muscle disease. (Medicine 532)

Radiology Clerkship

The core clerkship consists of daily clinical film conferences, didactic lectures, and ACR file learning laboratory. Radiology teaching file and slide and book materials are available teaching instruments in radiology. Radiology conferences interrelate general medicine, surgery, and radiology. Emphasis is given to correlate clinical findings and use of imaging modalities for problem-solving and diagnosis and treatment, including an understanding of the risk/cost/benefit ratio involved in daily clinical practice. (Medicine 533)

Senior Subinternship

Students spend four weeks as subinterns during which time they carry the full ward responsibility of an intern on one-half the number of patients usually carried by an intern. The subinternship is designed to improve clinical competence and to prepare the students for the challenges and demands of the internship. Students may choose between subinternships in medicine, surgery, or pediatrics. (Medicine 536, 537, 538, or 539)

Emergency Medicine

The objectives of this course are to introduce students to principles of acute care medicine. Students have the opportunity to evaluate patients and formulate effective testing and treatment strategies. Active participation in patient care and procedural skills are emphasized. The course consists of experiences in patient care, assigned readings from emergency medicine references, weekly conferences, and an end-of-rotation final. (Medicine 630D)

Advanced Patient-Doctor

The Advanced Patient-Doctor course is a two-week required course that all fourth-year students take during the month of March. The students prepare presentations for their peers and faculty that integrate basic science and clinical science. The course also prepares the students for residency and provides them with an opportunity to obtain ACLS certification. (Medicine 535)

ELECTIVES

Depending upon their particular interests, needs, and goals, students may take a variety of elective courses consisting of at least 30 contact-hours per week during the third and fourth years. Electives must be approved by the clinical faculty advisor and the department chair. Students may take up to 20 weeks of their fourth-year course work (core/electives) at institutions other than UCI.

A listing of elective courses and descriptions can be found on the World Wide Web at http://www.com.uci.edu/meded/Elective/index.htm.

All questions regarding the curriculum, electives, or matters of records should be directed to:

University of California, Irvine
College of Medicine
Office of Medical Education
P.O. Box 4089
Irvine, CA 92697-4089

General information/records: (949) 824-6138; electives: (714) 456-8462; curriculum: (949) 824-4609.

Office of Educational Affairs

Alberto Manetta, M.D., Senior Associate Dean; (949) 824-5798

The Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs, in cooperation with the Academic Senate faculty, has responsibility for administrative oversight of the educational program leading to the M.D. degree, the postgraduate residency programs, and continuing medical education programs provided for practicing physicians and allied health personnel. The Senior Associate Dean also has administrative oversight responsibility for the Office of Admissions and Outreach. The Office of Curricular Affairs provides services for the M.D. program which include curriculum development, implementation, management, and evaluation. The Office of Student Affairs provides student support services which include academic advisement, learning skills counseling, psychological counseling, career counseling, and student records, and coordinates additional services offered through general University offices which include housing, student health, and disabled student services.

Student Affairs

Michael Prislin, M.D., Associate Dean; (949) 824-8358
Barbara Lutz, Registrar, Director; (949) 824-5283
Marianne Ross, Ph.D., Counseling Psychologis; (949) 824-4621
Geraldine Codd, Academic Skills Coordinato; (949) 824-3415
Marie Nubia-Feliciano, Student Affairs Officer; (949) 824-5932

The mission of the Office of Student Affairs is to create an environment within the College of Medicine community that fosters student attainment of the College of Medicine educational objectives. This is accomplished through assuring that student participation in the educational program occurs in a manner consistent with College of Medicine policies and regulations, and through the provision of support services that facilitate optimal student participation in the educational program. To accomplish the educational assurance mission, the Office of Student Affairs disseminates information regarding academic policies and regulations, provides administrative and executive support for the faculty committee on Promotions and Honors, and facilitates the institutional recognition of student achievement through the conduct of various College of Medicine events. To accomplish the educational support mission, the Office of Student Affairs provides academic, personal, psychological, career, and financial counseling; academic skills assessment and learning resources support, student wellness programs, student facilities support, initiatives to enhance the learning environment, and support for a variety of student organizations and informal activities.

Admissions and Outreach

Ellena Peterson, Ph.D., Associate Dean; (949) 824-5388
Gayle Pierce, Director, Admissions; (949) 824-4617

The Office of Admissions and Outreach is responsible for the processing of applications for admissions and providing administrative support to the Dean's Admissions Committee. In addition, applicant interviews are coordinated through this office.

Outreach efforts coordinated by this office are designed to meet the challenges of California's changing demographics and to contribute to the College of Medicine's goal of achieving a broad spectrum of diversity in the student population, and ultimately, in the medical profession. A goal of this office is to build a pipeline of potential candidates for medical school and recruit students from socio-economically disadvantaged groups who have a desire to serve in the medically underserved communities in California. To reach this goal, programs are developed and implemented for students in grades K-12 and at undergraduate institutions. Examples include a Postbaccalaureate Re-applicant Program, a Premedical Postbaccalaureate Enhancement Program, Premedical Conferences, Summer Outreach Programs, a PreEntry Program, and CampMed, which is targeted at high school students interested in a health sciences career. In addition, there is support for student-initiated projects and outreach efforts emanating from medical student organizations. Outreach staff conduct academic advising, develop liaisons with general campus student services and academic departments, and facilitate workshops.

Financial Aid

James Miles, Director; (949) 824-6476

UCI College of Medicine Financial Aid Office provides financial assistance and financial counseling services to entering and continuing medical students. The office secures, manages, and provides funds in the form of scholarships, grants, and loans to assist in meeting students' educational expenses.

The office coordinates financial aid application materials; tracks documents needed to complete an application; reviews and evaluates information provided by applicants; awards financial aid programs; and conducts research to determine basic educational expense budgets. It also provides students with information on policies and procedures, cost of attendance, and eligibility criteria.

In providing counseling services, the office advises students, reviews their individual circumstances, and provides financial assistance within financial aid program guidelines. It presents financial aid workshops for prospective and enrolled students to enhance their knowledge about financial aid programs and the application process, provides debt management counseling, and conducts entrance and exit interviews.

Curricular Affairs

Lloyd Rucker, M.D., Associate Dean, Curricular Affairs; (714) 456-7539
Robin Kirchoff, M.B.A., Director; (949) 824-4609

This office provides support related to curricular issues for the College of Medicine, departments, faculty, and students; initiates curriculum review and innovation to meet the challenges of contemporary medical education; establishes and reviews the objectives of the College of Medicine and ensures individual courses are teaching to meet the objectives; serves as facilitators of new programs and curriculum and supports working committees during curriculum development; facilitates and monitors curriculum content theme integration; and maintains records on course materials and grading policies. This office is responsible for curriculum documentation for review by the Curriculum and Educational Policies committee; the collection of course evaluations by students; maintaining accurate information on core and elective curriculum; and assessing the success of the current programs.

Medical Academic Computing Center

Claudiu Dan, Director; (949) 824-1215

The Medical Academic Computing Center was established to facilitate student use of computers and to further educational objectives by providing medical instructional software which is integrated into the curriculum. The center also provides access to Internet resources and productivity applications, and is equipped with 45 computers (Macintosh and PCs), all networked locally and to the Internet. Students benefit by using the multimedia capabilities of the computers for anatomical visualization and self-evaluation, and the instructional software which is currently used in numerous courses, including Histology, Pathology, Genetics, and Anatomy. Students do much of their course write-ups in the center, where they have access to word processing programs and printers. Students also use the center to access their e-mail, the World Wide Web, and the many online medical information resources now available.

Continuing Medical Education

Gerald A. Maguire, M.D., Assistant Dean; (949) 824-6039
Bonnie Caroll, Director; (949) 824-9163
Elena Gilliam, Coordinator; (949) 824-4220

The Office of Continuing Medical Education provides educational activities to physicians and other health care professionals that reinforce basic medical knowledge; impart updated information on clinical practice and health care delivery; introduce new ideas, skills, and technology; and disseminate pertinent research findings in order to improve the quality of the health care that is delivered by the participants.

Graduate Medical Education

Kirk A. Keegan, Jr., M.D.; (714) 456-3526
Nancy Koehring, Director,; (714) 456-3526
Postgraduate Medical Education and Community Programs

The UCI College of Medicine Graduate Medical Education Training Programs attract medical students from prestigious medical schools nationwide. UCI offers 42 ACGME-approved residency and fellowship training programs. There are approximately 600 residents and fellows in these training programs. UCI Medical Center, the Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Long Beach and Long Beach Memorial Medical Center are the integrated training sites for the residency programs. Other affiliations such as Kaiser Anaheim, Kaiser Riverside, Western Medical Center, City of Hope, Children's Hospital Los Angeles, and Rancho Los Amigos offer additional residents training in specialized fields.