Curriculum - Highlights of the New 1st year UKCOM Curriculum
- Basic Science and Clinical co-course directors for each course
- Block scheduling – one course at a time, mornings 8 am – 12 pm
- Five weeks shorter than previous curriculum
- A true Winter Break
- A systems-approach to learning that mirrors upcoming changes in Board examinations
In this newsletter, we wanted to describe in more detail some of the course changes and highlight key features of the new curriculum.
- Greater integration of the clinical and foundational sciences. To ensure this successful integration, each course will have a basic scientist and a clinician as co-course directors.
- Retention of our old curriculum's strengths. Students have long appreciated our "block" curriculum, where focus is primarily on one course, with classes 8 am -12 pm. This will continue in the new curriculum (the only standing afternoon commitment is a weekly
- Introduction to Clinical Medicine small group meeting, one of our most popular experiences which will continue in the revised curriculum).
- Elimination of Redundancies. With greater integration of M1 and M2, we have identified areas of redundancy in our old curriculum.
- This has resulted in the M1 year being 5 weeks shorter, ending in late May rather than early July! The M2 curriculum is currently being developed, and is expected to be of similar length to our current M2 year (early August-early May).
- Anatomy. Your first course will be principles of anatomy and basic histology/cell biology, with increased clinical correlates.
- Biochemistry/Genetics. This has long been an exception to our one course/one block system, as these courses dovetail in so much material and are naturally taught in tandem. One benefit of our curriculum change: Biochemistry and Genetics had previously spanned November-February, with exams occurring soon after Winter break. Students will now finish these courses prior to Winter break in the new curriculum (courses will extend one week longer in December, but resume one week later in January), with a true break in study.
- Foundations of Disease and Therapeutics. This course will focus on the basics of disease (inflammation, neoplasia, infectious disease), the basic principles of therapeutics, and immunology.
- Neurosciences. This will be the first "systems" course, including not only neuroanatomy, but also neurophysiology, neuropharmacology, neuropathology, neurohistology, and neuromicrobiology.
- Behavioral Basis of Medicine. This will include instruction on psychiatric disease and psychiatric medications, dovetailing nicely with the neuroscience course.
The dates for first year are in the
online academic calendar.
