SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
David N. Bailey, M.D., Dean
Irvine Hall
Admissions
and Outreach: (949) 824-5388
http://www.ha.uci.edu/som
Postgraduate Educational Programs
Overview
The UCI School of Medicine became part of the University of California in 1965. Prior to this time it was known as the California College of Medicine which traces its roots to a private institution founded in 1896.
Mission Statement
The UCI School of Medicine is dedicated to advancing the knowledge and practice of medicine for the benefit of society. This mission is achieved through programs of excellence in in following:
Education: The School of Medicine is committed to provide educational programs of the highest quality to medical students, M.D./Ph.D. and M.D./M.B.A. students, residents, fellows, allied health, graduate academic students, practicing physicians and other health care professionals. Educational programs are offered along the continuum of medical education with programs in undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical education. These programs emphasize the most current knowledge in the health sciences and reflect the changing practice of medicine. Further, the School of Medicine's educational programs are designed to stimulate life-long self-learning and critical inquiry and to exemplify those human values necessary to fulfill the professional commitments of a career in the health sciences.
Research: Excellence in research is an essential feature of the School of Medicine. Therefore, the School is committed to develop and maintain research programs in the health sciences which seek to advance basic scientific knowledge and the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of human illness.
Clinical Care: Recognizing its responsibility to meet the educational needs of students and the diverse needs of the patient community, the School of Medicine is committed to programs of clinical excellence across the spectrum of patient care disciplines.
Service to the Public: As a publicly assisted institution, the School of Medicine is committed to serve the community as a vital resource of expertise and knowledge. The School further serves the public through the training of health professionals whose backgrounds reflect California's ethnic and cultural diversity and whose professional careers address California's health care needs.
Health Sciences Complex
The Health Sciences Complex is a 121-acre site that houses UCI's medical school facilities. Twenty-nine acres have been developed to provide space for teaching, research, and patient care as well as offices for departmental administration.
The School's basic science instructional programs are located in modern, well-equipped, medical sciences buildings. These units provide space for first- and second-year classes, lecture halls (including the Dr. S. Jerome and Judith D. Tamkin Student Lecture Hall), offices and laboratories for various basic and clinical departments, and a student center. Other buildings house the School's administration, laboratories, and student center.
In addition, the 40,000-square-foot Plumwood House is devoted to basic research in the fields of neurological disorders, diagnostic systems and reagents, and industrial bioreactors. In this facility, faculty from the Department of Biological Chemistry share laboratory space with corporate researchers.
Outpatient services are available on campus through the Louis A. and Helen C. Gottschalk Medical Plaza and the Beckman Laser Institute. The Plaza capitalizes upon the broad range of diagnostic and therapeutic programs of the School as well as the extensive clinical expertise of the faculty. The facility offers primary care and specialty services including obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, dermatology, ophthalmology, cardiology, orthopaedics, gastroenterology, and neurology. Special programs in diabetes, multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, and inflammatory bowel diseases also are available. The Plaza also houses the Lon V. Smith Eye Clinic, which offers the latest in diagnostic health care for eye diseases, including computerized refraction analysis, glaucoma diagnosis, and ultrasound analysis of eye disorders. In addition, the Plaza is home to the Susan Samueli Center for Integrative Medicine Clinic, where acupuncture and traditional herbal medicine complements traditional Western health care procedures.
Housing one of the world's leading programs in medical laser technology, the UCI Beckman Laser Institute offers state-of-the-art treatment for cancer and dermatological conditions. The Institute specializes in the development and application of laser and other optical technologies for the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH CENTER
UCI's Biomedical Research Center (BRC) is a landmark public-private collaboration between UCI and businesses involved in biomedical, biotechnological, and health care services. The Center will enable UCI researchers and participating companies to work alongside one another, combining basic science, clinical study, and product development to find new approaches to the diagnosis and treatment of disease. The William J. Gillespie Neuroscience Research Facility, the first of several BRC buildings, is the home of a core group of prominent scientists investigating the causes and cures for neurological disorders, including Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, schizophrenia, and spinal cord injury. The second building is the Robert R. Sprague Family Foundation Hall, where scientists work to reveal the role of genetics in cancer treatment and prevention. The third building, the Dottie and George Hewitt Research Hall, is home to a state-of-the-art General Clinical Research Center and internationally recognized investigators studying infectious diseases, molecular medicine, immunology, and complementary and alternative medicine.
CHAO FAMILY COMPREHENSIVE CANCER CENTER
The Chao Family Comprehensive Cancer Center is the only National Cancer Institute-designated facility in Orange County and one of only 39 such centers in the country. Overall, more than 100 faculty members at the Cancer Center are involved in several major research programs, encompassing everything from basic research that looks at how cancer cells grow to bone marrow transplantation. Located at UC Irvine Medical
Center in Orange, the 56,000-square-foot facility provides an ideal setting for the practice of all the basic and clinical subspecialties involved in adult and pediatric oncology, including the application of the latest techniques for diagnosis and management of patients with cancer.
J. EDWARD BERK HALL MEDICAL EDUCATION CENTER
The School of Medicine opened a Student Training Center in J. Edward Berk Hall. Offering state-of-the-art training, the center was developed to teach and assess the clinical skills of medical students, residents, M.D.s, and other health care professionals in an environment that simulates an actual clinical setting. Participants are monitored and videotaped to evaluate their clinical performance related to obtaining a medical history, conducting an appropriate physical examination, and developing treatment management plans. All clinical practice examinations (CPX) and other clinical assessments are also done here.
The Student Training Center is a 2,850-square-foot high-tech facility which incorporates the latest and best innovations in interactive medical instructional technology, as well as eight clinical examination rooms with video cameras, a video monitor control station, a clinical skills laboratory, faculty development conference areas, a computer learning laboratory, interactive learning technology including "HARVEY" and UMedic, a student lounge, and a separate waiting area for actual and standardized patients.
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, IRVINE MEDICAL CENTER
University of California, Irvine Medical Center, located in the City of Orange, is a 449-licensed-bed, comprehensive medical care center. It is the principal clinical facility of the School of Medicine operated by the University. The medical faculty of the School of Medicine together with the medical resident-physician staff, provide the professional care. Services are provided in medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, family medicine, dermatology, pathology, radiology, physical medicine and rehabilitation, ophthalmology, neurology, anesthesiology, orthopaedics, geriatrics, oncology, neurosurgery, otolaryngology, and radiation oncology.
UC Irvine Medical Center also has cardiac, pediatric, neonatal, respiratory, burn medical-surgery, and neurosciences intensive care units and more than 90 specialty outpatient clinics. It is the designated countywide Level I trauma center—the most comprehensive for the treatment of life-threatening injuries. The medical center is building a new university hospital, planned for completion in early 2009. The seven-story hospital will have 236 beds, 19 operating rooms, and interventional procedure rooms. Additionally, private patient rooms will allow family members to stay overnight. For more information about the new hospital, visit http://www.ucihealth.com/newhospital.
UCI FAMILY HEALTH CENTER-SANTA ANA
The UCI Family Health Center-Santa Ana is a state-of-the-art primary care facility, conveniently located near the Santa Ana Civic Center. The Center has two missions—health care delivery and medical education.
As a community clinic, the Family Health Center's multilingual physicians and staff are committed to providing quality healthcare to patients, including the medically underserved. It provides primary care services to people of all ages including family medicine, preventive care for children and adults, and specialty care in pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology.
As an integral part of the UCI School of Medicine, the Family Health Center provides educational and training opportunities for medical and nurse practitioner students, including the UCI Family Medicine and Obstetrics and Gynecology residency training programs.
UCI FAMILY HEALTH CENTER-ANAHEIM
The UCI Family Health Center-Anaheim provides care for more than 20,000 outpatient visits annually and training programs for resident physicians in primary care, general internal medicine, and general and adolescent pediatrics. There are additional programs in gynecology, dermatology, general surgery, podiatry, neurology, ophthalmology, optometry, orthopedics, psychiatry, and multispecialty faculty practice. The Center provides training for medical students in their primary care, general pediatric, adolescent medicine, and geriatric medicine rotations and electives.
AFFILIATED HOSPITALS AND CLINICS
Additional major teaching and research programs of the School of Medicine are conducted at the Long Beach Veterans Affairs Medical Center (LBVAMC) and at Memorial Medical Center, Long Beach. Other academic programs are conducted in affiliation with San Bernardino County Medical Center, Fairview Developmental Center (Costa Mesa), Kaiser Foundation Hospital (Anaheim, Bellflower, and Riverside), Children's Hospital of Los Angeles, Metropolitan State Hospital (Norwalk), The City of Hope Medical Center (Duarte), Rancho Los Amigos Hospital (Downey), Western Medical Center (Tustin/Santa Ana), the Kern Medical Center (Bakersfield), Clínica Sierra Vista (Lamont), Presbyterian (Newport Beach), Fountain Valley Hospital and Medical Center, Children's Hospital of Orange County, and the Orange County Health Care Agency/Public Health Clinic.
School of Medicine Alumni Relations
The UCI School of Medicine is an outgrowth of what began in 1896 as the Pacific College of Osteopathy (PSO). Some years later it became the College of Osteopathic Physicians and Surgeons, which then evolved into the California College of Medicine in 1962 and subsequently joined the UC system in 1965. The Office of Alumni Relations provides programs and services for nearly 4,000 alumni of the School as well as for students. From financial support to Honor's Night awards, mentorship to reunions, the Office of Alumni Relations seeks to provide a cornerstone from which students and alumni can benefit from their relationships to one another and in so doing, strengthen the School of Medicine.
Admissions
All inquiries regarding the UCI School of Medicine's admission programs and procedures should be directed to
University of
California, Irvine
School of Medicine
Office of Admissions and Outreach
100
Berk Hall
Irvine, CA 92697-4089
(949)
824-5388 or (800) UCI-5388
http://www.ha.uci.edu/admissions/
The UCI School of Medicine is a member of the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). All students who seek entrance to the UCI School of Medicine must complete the AMCAS application. AMCAS application information is available at http://www.aamc.org/students/amcas/start.htm. Applications must be submitted between June 1 and November 1 of the year preceding anticipated admission.
SELECTION FACTORS
The UCI School of Medicine seeks to admit students who are highly qualified to be trained in the practice of medicine and whose backgrounds, talents, and experiences contribute to a diverse student body. The Admissions Committee carefully reviews all applicants whose academic record and MCAT scores indicate that they will be able to handle the rigorous medical school curriculum. Careful consideration is given to applicants from disadvantaged backgrounds (i.e., disadvantaged through social, cultural, and/or economic conditions). In addition to scholastic achievement, attributes deemed desirable in prospective students include leadership ability and participation in extracurricular activities, such as clinical and/or medically related research experience, as well as community service.
Information provided by the AMCAS application is used for preliminary screening. Based on decisions reached by the Admissions Committee, applicants may be sent a secondary application. Applicants receiving a secondary application are requested to submit additional materials which include a minimum of three letters of recommendation, supplemental information forms, and a nonrefundable application fee of $60. Upon further review by the Admissions Committee, approximately 500 of those applicants receiving a secondary application will be interviewed. Regional interviews are not available. Preference is given to California residents and applicants who are either United States citizens or permanent residents. The UCI School of Medicine does not accept transfer students.
The UCI School of Medicine participates in the Western Interstate Commission for Higher Education (WICHE) Professional Student Exchange Program for applicants from certain western states without medical schools.
REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION
Students can be considered for admission to the School of Medicine if they meet the following requirements:
1. A minimum of three years (90 semester units) of undergraduate course work is required, including a minimum of one full-time year at an accredited U.S. college or university. A baccalaureate degree is strongly recommended but not required. Candidates for admission may submit community college credit only to the extent granted on transfer to a four-year college or university. For purposes of evaluation, letter or numerical grades are preferred for course work, particularly for the required subjects listed below. Final enrollment into the first-year class at the School of Medicine is contingent upon evidence of satisfactory completion of all requirements with a grade of C or higher and of all courses listed as in progress at the time of application. Failure to meet the requirements or falsification of information are grounds for rejection or dismissal.
2. Completion of the following college course requirements prior to matriculation:
Biology (Courses must include a minimum of one semester or two quarters of upper-division biology, excluding botany): 12 semester units
General Chemistry: 8 semester units
Organic Chemistry: 8 semester units
Physics: 8 semester units
Biochemistry (One semester or two quarters. On the quarter system, a quarter of biochemistry must be taken in combination with either an additional quarter of biochemistry, molecular biology, or genetics): 4 semester units
Calculus: (One semester or one quarter of calculus is required.): 4 semester units
Applicants are strongly encouraged to have completed their basic science requirements at the time of application. No specific major is required, however, demonstrated ability in the sciences is of great importance. In addition, applicants are advised to take advantage of the intellectual maturation afforded by a well-rounded liberal arts education. English, the humanities, and the social and behavioral sciences are considered particularly important. The following courses are also recommended but not required: molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, vertebrate embryology, psychology, and Spanish.
3. The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required. An officially certified test score must be received by the Admissions and Outreach Office before the candidate's application can be considered. Applicants applying to the fall 2009 entering class must have taken the MCAT no earlier than April 2006 and no later than August 2008 MCAT information is available at http://www.aamc.org/students/mcat/start.htm.
OUTREACH
Outreach efforts coordinated by this office are designed to meet the challenges of California's changing demographics and to contribute to the School 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 high school, community colleges, and four-year 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.
Medical Student Advisor System
The School of Medicine provides a comprehensive academic advising and assistance program that spans the full duration of the students' educational program.
Academic Advisors
Michael Prislin, M.D. (949) 824-5932
Associate Dean Student Affairs
Student academic performance during the first two years is monitored on a monthly basis by the Educational Support Committee. The committee develops specific action plans for each student experiencing academic difficulty. All students are also assigned a faculty advisor beginning early in their first year. This faculty advisor serves as the student's Clinical Foundations course small-group leader during years one and two. For years three and four, academic advisement occurs primarily via continuing interactions with the student's faculty advisor and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The School of Medicine has developed an overarching set of knowledge, skill, and behavior-based competencies that are expected to be attained by the School's graduates, and a portfolio-based system to document these competencies. The Clinical Foundations course faculty advisor continues to interact with the students during years three and four as their "portfolio advisor" providing a semi-annual review and formative feedback regarding their performance as well as general counseling relating to emerging career preferences and year four scheduling. Students also have access to a group of faculty in the various departments who have agreed to provide specialty-specific academic advice in their various disciplines. Additional resources are involved on an as-needed basis by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Peer Review and Peer Counseling Program
Michael Prislin, M.D., Chair (949) 824-5932
Associate Dean Student Affairs
The School of Medicine has an informal peer review process, aimed at early detection and assistance for medical students who are experiencing difficulty such as professional conduct problems, suspected impairment, violation of the honor code, or violation of any University policy, regulation, or rule. The Peer Review Committee is comprised of two representatives from each class, the student body co-presidents, and two advisory faculty members. The committee operates within guidelines set jointly by the School of Medicine administration and the student body. Cases involving serious professional misconduct are referred to the Dean's Office. The Peer Review Committee conducts hearings and may impose sanctions or provide assistance to the student.
Medical Scholars Program
Geraldine Codd (949) 824-3415
Academic Skills Coordinator
The Medical Scholars Program (MSP), a student-driven effort, is an innovative, collegial study support program which was implemented in the fall of 1993. This program benefits all students in the School of Medicine and provides a special sense of community for first-year students. A great deal of the informal knowledge concerning medical school is communicated through the components of MSP. Small groups of first-year students are led by second-year co-leaders who develop clinically relevant case-based problems for discussion covering material learned in first-year basic science courses. Fourth-year students serve as co-leaders for similar groups of second-year students. First-year discussion groups meet every other week, and groups for second-year students meet once per month. First- and second-year students also receive MSP study packets, which contain test questions and answers from the previous year, and are distributed prior to each examination.
Another component of MSP is designed to meet the needs of students as they face the challenges and transitions of their third year. During their various clerkships, third-year students are assisted in four basic areas by fourth-year students: oral examinations, presentation of cases, written examinations, and clinical skills. These fourth-year students not only share their knowledge of the subjects, but also share information about appropriate study material, and what to emphasize in studying for their various test experiences. Both third- and fourth-year students benefit from participating in this program.
Medical Scientist Training Program (M.D./Ph.D.)
Alan Goldin, M.D., Ph.D., Chair (949) 824-5264
Exceptionally well-qualified students interested in careers in academic medicine and with demonstrated research accomplishments may be considered for admission to the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). Students in this program pursue a combined curriculum for an M.D. degree from the School of Medicine and a Ph.D. degree from any of the graduate programs at UCI. The normative time for completion of the program is eight years, and students holding either degree are not eligible for MSTP. Additional information is available from the MSTP Coordinator's Office, (949) 824-5264; mstp@uci.edu; http://www.mstp.uci.edu/.
Applicants must submit a supplementary application (available from the School of Medicine Office of Admissions) to the Medical Scientist Training Program when they are submitting their secondary application information to the School of Medicine. Students accepted into the program have the option of pursuing graduate study in any of the graduate programs at UCI. Although a specific graduate department need not be chosen at the time of admission, students are expected to have selected a field for their graduate studies. Financial support in the form of a fellowship, which includes a stipend as well as tuition and fees, is provided. Applicants not accepted into MSTP may be considered separately for admission to the School of Medicine.
M.D./M.B.A. Degree Program
Maria Chandler, M.D./M.B.A. Faculty Advisor (949) 824-7133
The M.D./M.B.A. program requires five or six years for completion. It is aimed at individuals who are exceptional in ability and motivation and who seek a career as physicians with major responsibility for administration and management in health care organizations and institutions. Students in this program pursue a combined curriculum for an M.D. degree from the School of Medicine and an M.B.A. degree from The Paul Merage School of Business.
Students must be currently enrolled in the M.D. program in order to apply to the combined M.D./M.B.A. program. During their second or third year of medical school, interested students submit an application to The Paul Merage School of Business Admissions Committee, after review by the School of Medicine. Final acceptance to the program is granted by The Paul Merage School of Business, and M.B.A. course work begins following completion of the student's third year of medical school. Students should be aware that enrollment in the M.D. program does not guarantee acceptance into the M.B.A. program.
The MCAT, along with the completion of three years of medical school training in good standing and passage of USMLE Step 1, currently serve as a waiver for the GMAT entrance examination usually required for application to the M.B.A. program. The total number of units required to graduate from each program separately are satisfied in the M.D./M.B.A. program.
Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC)
Charles Vega, M.D., Director (949) 824-7136
A carefully selected group of students from diverse backgrounds and with superior academic credentials, proven commitment to service, and solid conversational Spanish will be considered for acceptance to the Program in Medical Education for the Latino Community (PRIME-LC) at the UCI School of Medicine. PRIME-LC responds to the increasing demand for physician-leaders who are culturally and linguistically competent to address the health care delivery, research, and policy needs of underserved Latino communities in California. The program spans all three components of medical training: undergraduate (medical school), graduate (residency program), and continuing medical education (post-residency). PRIME-LC residency experiences are designed to enhance the medical school training. Although students are free to enter any residency of their choice, program graduates are encouraged to enter primary care areas such as Family Medicine, Pediatrics, Internal Medicine, and Obstetrics and Gynecology, or Emergency Medicine or Psychiatry. A placement office will help PRIME-LC-trained physicians find employment including leadership roles in health care, academia, and advocacy, as well as further develop the professional network and relevant continuing medical education training.
The PRIME-LC supplemental application is part of the UCI School of Medicine secondary application and must be completed to be considered for acceptance. Applicants selected for faculty and student interviews are required to undertake a third interview in Spanish to evaluate conversational skills and commitment to service. All interested applicants, including those who are not currently California residents, are encouraged to complete the PRIME-LC application. Financial support is available in the form of scholarships, loans, and loan repayment programs. Applicants not accepted into PRIME-LC may be considered separately for admission to the regular School of Medicine M.D. program. For more information contact (949) 824-7136; primelc@uci.edu; http://www.ucihs.uci.edu/PRIMELC.