The M.D. curriculum requires four years to complete. If special needs are identified, the time may be extended to five years.
The first and second years are scheduled on a modified quarter system. There is a 10-week vacation period between the first and second years; students may use that time for elective or research work in place of vacation. Between the second and third years is a five-week vacation, during which the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) will be administered. In the third year there are seven weeks vacation; students may use that time for electives. In the fourth year up to 11 weeks of vacation are allowed.
Under the recommendation of faculty supported committees, UCI's M.D. program has undergone curricular reform within all four years of instruction. The College of Medicine faculty view curriculum development as a continual process and feel that medical education must be the highest priority and that teaching innovations must be encouraged and supported. The curriculum encourages medical students to become participants in their education process, facilitates active rather than passive learning, and encourages cooperative learning among students.
The faculty also feel that the curriculum should integrate basic and clinical sciences by bringing substantial clinical material into the early phases of medical education and bringing substantial basic science materials into the later phases of medical education (vertical integration of course material).
The College has achieved vertical integration of the curriculum with the development of the Patient-Doctor series. The Patient-Doctor courses are longitudinal multi-disciplinary experiences. Through Patient-Doctor I and II students begin clinical exposure during their first two years of instruction. During Patient-Doctor III and IV, students are given the opportunity to integrate basic and clinical science into a comprehensive forum and review major basic science topics through PCP conferences and patient workups. These courses also include special interest topics such as death and dying, cultural competence, domestic violence, and many others.
Horizontal integration of the course material has been achieved through the development of multi-disciplinary courses including the Patient-Doctor series and Neurosciences. In addition, the second-year course directors have coordinated the instruction of materials among Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Pharmacology, and Patient-Doctor II.
The faculty and administration at the College of Medicine are committed to the process of curricular reform and foresee continual implementation of new programs to ensure that medical students receive current and innovative education.
To satisfy the requirements for the M.D. degree, each medical student must successfully complete the full curriculum (basic science, preclinical, clinical, and elective course work) with a passing grade and fulfill the National Board Examination requirement. After the second year, all students are required to take Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination before continuing their clinical clerkships. Students must also pass Step 2 of the Boards prior to graduation. In accordance with the College of Medicine policies and procedures, the examination may be taken a maximum of three times.
The curricular policies of the College of Medicine are the responsibility of faculty committees. 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 from the Office of Medical Education and is distributed along with other policy statements to all students upon matriculation.
The College uses an Honors/Pass/Fail grading system for all students who entered after 1994.
No more than six hours of instruction are scheduled per day; of these six hours, no more than four are formal lectures. Course numbers are listed at the end of each description.
The structure of the human body is taught in Human Gross 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 500)
Students may choose between two courses in biochemistry. The basic course provides a general overview of classical biochemistry and molecular biology, including the structure and function of proteins, enzymology, metabolic pathways and their regulation, protein biosynthesis, the molecular mechanisms responsible for regulation at the transcriptional and translational levels, and molecular genetics. The advanced biochemistry course is taught in a problem-solving mode and is designed for more advanced students. It covers molecular genetics, including gene structure and function, as well as molecular and cellular biology. In addition, students from both courses attend lectures concerning aspects of physiological chemistry, such as mechanisms of blood clotting. A clinical correlate is held each week and all students give a seminar presentation. (Medicine 504 and 506)
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)
Understanding the structure and function of the nervous system is the goal of the two-part Neurosciences course. In Neurosciences I, the structure and function of the central and peripheral nervous systems are studied at the cellular level; Neurosciences II studies 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 clinical cases in small group discussions. Corequisite: Physiology. (Medicine 502A-B)
Medical Genetics reviews the basic principles of human genetics related to disease. In addition to the clinical and laboratory methods, students are introduced to the legal, ethical, and social aspects of diagnosis and treatment of genetic disease. Prerequisite: Biochemistry. (Medicine 511)
Patient-Doctor I (PD-I) is a three-quarter sequential course during which students take physical histories from a variety of real and surrogate patients. Patients include homeless, aging, battered, and mentally-ill individuals, as well as patients with AIDS and language barriers. To improve the students' communication and interpersonal skills, students are videotaped and sent to various field locations. Students also participate in universal precautions, and skills laboratories and become CPR certified. (Medicine 519A-B-C)
The course consists of lecture, special topic and review sessions, and audiovisual presentations of the classical concepts of vertebrate physiology, with emphasis on the function of normal tissues in humans. Specific topics related to cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, gastrointestinal, endocrine, exercise, and sexual physiology are presented. Prerequisite: Biochemistry. Corequisite: Neurosciences. (Medicine 506A-B)
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)
| First and Second Years: Basic Science and Preclinical Course Work | |||||
| First Year | Hours | Second Year | Hours | ||
| Gross Anatomy and | 178 | Clinical Pathology | 134 | ||
| Embryology | Mechanisms of Disease | 130 | |||
| Biochemistry | 136 | Pathology | 172 | ||
| Histology | 70 | Pharmacology | 140 | ||
| Neurosciences | 130 | Patient-Doctor II | 316 | ||
| Physiology | 200 | ||||
| Microbiology | 200 | ||||
| Medical Genetics | 35 | ||||
| Patient-Doctor I | 86 | ||||
| Third and Fourth Years: Clinical Clerkships and Electives* | ||||||
| Clerkship Rotations | Electives and Core Clerkships | |||||
| Third Year | Weeks | Fourth Year | Weeks | |||
| Pediatrics | 8 | Radiology | 3 | |||
| Obstetrics and | 9 | Neurosciences | 4 | |||
| Gynecology | Senior Subinternship | 4 | ||||
| Psychiatry | 8 | Surgical Selectives (2) | 4 | |||
| Junior Medicine | 10 | Surgically Related | 3 | |||
| Surgery/Surgery | 10 | Electives | ||||
| Selective | Medically Related | 4 | ||||
| Primary Care | 5 | Ý | Electives | |||
| Patient-Doctor III | 1 | Nondesignated | 7 | |||
| Electives | ||||||
| Musculoskeletal and | 4 | |||||
| Rehabilitation | ||||||
| Patient-Doctor IV | 1 | |||||
| Intensive Care Unit | 4 | |||||
* The sequence of the third and fourth years varies; student rotation is assigned by lottery.
Ý One-half day per week for 50 weeks.
No more than seven hours of instruction will be scheduled each day, and of these no more than four are formal lectures.
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)
A clinical case approach is used to focus on diagnosis and pathophysiology of disease. Prerequisites: Pathology, Clinical Pathology, Pharmacology, and Patient-Doctor II. Prerequisite: first- and second-year curriculum. (Medicine 515)
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)
This course deals with drugs of various classifications which are used for specific or symptomatic therapies of disease states. Emphasis is on the mechanisms of action of drugs at the organ or system level and on their use in medical therapy. The course includes lectures that illustrate pharmacologic principles, supplemented by small group problem-solving sessions. Prerequisites: Biochemistry and Physiology. (Medicine 517A-B)
Patient-Doctor II (PDII) is a year-long multidisciplinary course which integrates two physical examination courses, Examination of the Patient and Introduction to Clerkships with courses in Ethics, Nutrition, Human Sexuality, Preventive Medicine, Behavioral Science, and Toxicology, and material from geriatrics, genetics, medical economics, and cross-cultural medicine. PDII is based on a problem-oriented, small-group learning concepts and incorporates essential objectives from each of the courses listed above. Prerequisite: first-year curriculum. (Medicine 519A-B-C)
The third-year curriculum consists of six core rotations. For passage into the third year, students must successfully complete all first and second-year course work and take the USMLE Step 1 Examination. Third-year students may petition to enroll in fourth-year course work.
During this clerkship, students are taught the scientific and clinical basis of gynecology and obstetrics, including reproductive 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. Students who have completed an introductory clerkship may then apply for an advanced elective that allows a progression of clinical responsibility both in operative obstetrics and office gynecology. This advanced period also may be devoted to an in-depth study of a subspecialty area such as gynecologic oncology, maternal-fetal medicine, reproductive endocrinology, and infertility. (Medicine 524)
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 medical 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).
The objective of the surgical subspecialties core is to provide an opportunity for students to expand their skills and knowledge in the surgical field. Students spend two, two-week blocks on orthopedics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, anesthesiology, or urology. Students are required to complete two additional two-week surgical selectives during their senior year which were not previously taken. (Medicine 526)
The clerkship occurs in a highly structured clinical environment. Students gradually assume responsibility for the care of patients, thereby enhancing their clinical, diagnostic, and procedural skills. Clinical vignettes and bedside teaching serve to round out the experience. (Medicine 527)
This pediatrics clerkship serves as an introduction to general pediatrics. Students rotate through the pediatric ward, the pediatric outpatient clinic, and the newborn nursery. During the clerkship, students are expected to refine their knowledge and skills in obtaining accurate historical data, performing physical examinations with pediatric patients, and developing appropriate diagnoses and management plans. Subspecialty clinics and adolescent medicine experiences also are included. The clerkship additionally offers insight into the natural history of diseases associated with pediatric patients and stresses the relationship of the health of infants, children, and adolescents with regard to the integrity of the family unit. (Medicine 528)
This eight-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, adolescent/child psychiatry, consultation psychiatry, geriatrics, and emergency room psychiatry. 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. Students spend four weeks on each of two primary rotations with outpatient treatment and substance abuse experience as an integrated component. (Medicine 529)
This unique clerkship matches students with a primary care physician for the entire third year. Students attend a UCI clinic or a private physician's office for a half day per week where the principles of primary care practice are taught. Each student becomes the primary care provider for a number of patients and continues to care for them throughout the clerkship. (Medicine 597A-B-C-D-E)
The Patient-Doctor III course provides students with an orientation week which emphasizes preparation for the clinical experience, a core curriculum which is based in the Primary Care Clerkship, and coordination of the overall clinical curriculum experience. (Medicine 520)
During the fourth year, students participate in core clerkships as well as electives. Students must complete the third-year curriculum prior to enrolling in the fourth-year curriculum unless a petition is filed and approved with the department and the Medical Education Office.
The objective of the surgical subspecialty core is to provide an opportunity for students to expand their skills and knowledge in the surgical field. Students spend two, two-week blocks on orthopedics, otolaryngology, ophthalmology, plastic surgery, anesthesiology, or urology, which were not taken during the third year.
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)
Radiological sciences is taught throughout the four years of medical school: anatomy courses, first year; Mechanisms of Disease course, second year; radiology electives and rotations, third and fourth years; and a required clerkship in the fourth year. Daily clinical film conferences, didactic lectures, ACR file learning laboratory, and 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)
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 clerical 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)
Students obtain outpatient experience in common musculoskeletal disorders and rehabilitation. This includes a three-hour weekly lecture series and clinic experience. The clinics involve physical medicine and rehabilitation, orthopedics, and rheumatology and focus on practical aspects of outpatient care of common disorders.
The objectives of this course are to provide an opportunity for students to integrate basic and clinical sciences in a single, comprehensive forum; to provide an opportunity to review major, basic science topics; to provide students with an opportunity to challenge their clinical and diagnostic skills; to provide students in the basic science years with an opportunity to observe their more senior fellow students in action, to see that clinical skills, reasoning, and opportunities are in the foreseeable future; to provide a forum for bringing together basic and clinical faculty for a school-wide, educational/academic event. (Medicine 535)
A total of 18 weeks in the medical curriculum are allotted for elective time. Seven of those weeks are nondesignated electives, and students, depending upon their particular interests, needs, and goals, may take a variety of elective courses consisting of at least 30 contact-hours per week beginning in the fourth year. In addition, four weeks are devoted to medically related electives which may include pediatrics or family medicine, three weeks are devoted to surgically related electives which may include anesthesiology, obstetrics and gynecology, or ophthalmology. Four weeks are devoted to either a surgical or medical intensive care unit.
Electives must be approved by the clinical faculty advisor and the department chair. Students may take up to 12 weeks of electives at institutions other than UCI.
A listing of elective courses and descriptions can be found in the Elective Book, which is available in the Science Library (on campus), and the UCI Medical Center Library.
All questions regarding the curriculum, electives, or matters of records should be directed to:
Office of Medical Education
College of Medicine
University of California, Irvine
P.O. Box 4089
Irvine, CA 92697-4089
General information/records: (714) 824-6138; electives: (714) 456-7515; curriculum: (714) 824-4609.
| Alberto Manetta, M.D., Senior Associate Dean | (714) 824-6197 |
The Offices of Educational Affairs serve as the umbrella unit for all support services provided at the College of Medicine. Within the Offices of Educational Affairs are two main departments: Medical Education and Student Affairs. Within these departments are the divisions of Medical Admissions, Medical Education, Student Affairs, Graduate and Extramural Education, and a satellite Financial Aid Office. The Senior Associate Dean is responsible for the overall management and functions of these departments including budgeting, personnel, space, long-range planning, development, and program evaluation.
| Deborah Stewart, M.D., Associate Dean | (714) 824-8358 |
| Marianne Ross, Ph.D., Counseling Psychologist | (714) 824-5932 |
| Marcia Albert, Ph.D., Academic Skills Specialist | (714) 824-3415 |
Offices of Student Affairs consists of Admissions and Outreach, Financial Aid, Counseling Psychologist, and Academic Skills Specialists. One of the primary goals of these offices is to assist students in their personal and professional development by identifying and responding to issues and problems they encounter while pursuing their medical education. This is accomplished through student support services, student development workshops, and seminars. Support services available through Student Affairs are: workshops on stress management, interpersonal relationships, and assertiveness; career counseling; summer programs; training in communication skills and counseling techniques; academic monitoring; coordination of the faculty advisor program; assistance for students with special needs; and development of student programs such as a wellness curriculum, substance abuse awareness, and sexual harassment awareness.
| Ralph Purdy, Ph.D., Assistant Dean | (714) 824-5388 |
| E. Leah Parker, Director | (714) 824-5388 |
| Outreach Counselors | (714) 824-4603 |
Among its primary functions the Office of Admissions and Outreach processes applications for admission; provides administrative support to the Dean's Admissions Committee; counsels prospective, current, and non-accepted applicants; and coordinates interview events and campus tours.
This office has a number of outreach-related functions including: community education (supporting local high school and college campuses in their science-related efforts and providing information concerning health care programs, health-related issues, and career opportunities); coordination of non-curricular educational programs and raising scholarship monies; serves as the focus for medical student organizations, coordinating their activities with the needs of the community; responsible for summer programs (Pre-entry, Pre-medical); and interacts with various local colleges and high schools and assists with scholarship related activities. For more information on these programs refer to the College of Medicine Support Programs section.
| James Miles, Assistant Director | (714) 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; reviews and evaluates information provided by applicants; tracks documents needed to complete an application; 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. Also, it conducts entrance/exit interviews and provides debt management counseling.
| Alberto Manetta, M.D., Associate Dean | (714) 824-6197 |
| Lloyd Rucker, M.D., Assistant Dean, UCIMC | (714) 456-5176 |
| Robert Wesley, M.D., Assistant Dean, LBVAMC | (310) 494-5486 |
| Robin Kirchoff, Director | (714) 824-4609 |
This office provides support related to curricular issues for departments, faculty, and students; serves as facilitators of new programs and curriculums and supports working committees during curriculum development; oversees calendar issues; maintains records on course materials and grading policies; provides support for the Committee on Educational Policies; oversees student registration and enrollment, student grade reporting, and transcripts; provides assistance to medical student organizations; serves as liaison with main campus organizations, student health insurance, and health clearance issues.
| Kenneth Longmuir, Ph.D., | (714) 824-7781 |
| Assistant Dean Education and Curricular Resources |
This office assists students in meeting their academic goals through the acquisition and integration of learning tools such as computer-aided instruction and curriculum data base and provides state-of-the art computer work stations designed to utilize the newest teaching technology such as video disk, patient simulation software, and USMLE preparation software. Students are also exposed to electronic communication and electronic searches and can obtain information on improving their study skills, reducing test anxiety, time management, study plan organization, critical reading and reasoning, and test preparation and endurance.
| Kirk A. Keegan, Jr., M.D., Assistant Dean | (714) 824-4220 |
| Nancy Koehring, Director, | (714) 824-6039 |
| Postgraduate and Community Programs |
The primary goal of the Continuing Medical Education program is to provide multi-disciplinary educational offerings which improve the quality of health care delivery. This is attained by providing continuing medical education through careful needs assessment and in-depth evaluation, resulting in programs which promote reinforcement of basic knowledge, acquisition of new skills, and the dissemination of current medical advances and research.
| Rosalind Dietrich, M.D. | (714) 456-5033 |
| Nancy Koehring, Director, | (714) 824-6039 |
| Postgraduate and Community Programs |
The UCI College of Medicine Graduate Medical Education Training Programs attract medical students from prestigious medical schools nationwide. UCI offers 23 ACGME-approved residency training programs and ACGME-approved fellowship training programs in eight of the disciplines. There are approximately 650 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, Rancho Los Amigos, and FHP offer residents training in specialized fields.
The Office of Admissions and Outreach is designed to meet the challenges of California's changing demographics and to contribute to the College's goal of achieving a broad spectrum of diversity in the student population, and ultimately, in the medical profession. This office is responsible for the recruitment and success of targeted socioeconomically disadvantaged students who have the potential of service to the medically underserved communities in California. To reach this goal, Admissions and Outreach directs the following programs: Summer Premedical and Pre-Entry Programs, Minority Premedical Conferences, Reapplicant Conference, support to medical student organizations, academic counseling, study skills workshops, liaison with general campus support services, and recruitment workshops at other colleges and universities.
In addition to providing general services to all students, Educational Affairs is responsive to the unique concerns of socioeconomically disadvantaged and nontraditional students. Such services include the following programs.
The Summer Pre-Entry Program introduces newly accepted socioeconomically disadvantaged students to the type and volume of study materials they will encounter in medical school. The rigorous, highly scheduled, six-week summer program is designed to prepare and orient entering students to the medical school curriculum, which begins in September, and is intended to help students adapt to the professional school setting, meet new classmates and faculty, become acquainted with the surrounding communities, and find living accommodations. On-campus housing during the regular academic year is provided to students who qualify according to the Federal Health Careers Opportunity Program guidelines.
The Summer Premedical Program seeks to increase the number of socioeconomically disadvantaged students who are accepted into medical school and who successfully complete their medical education. The program achieves this goal by providing participants with the special skills and prerequisites needed to become more competitive for entrance into a health professional school. Participants take course work in basic sciences, conduct clinical work, and are exposed to the application process for medical school admission. The program is conducted on the UCI campus from early July to mid-August. Participants are provided with housing paid by a grant from the Federal Health Careers Opportunity Program. Undergraduate students entering their second year of college are encouraged to apply. Individuals who show a commitment to practicing in medically underserved areas are given highest priority.
