DSP Courses and Modules - LECOM Education System
Additionally here is some of a handout (modules can be seen at the link) that it within the pathway description handout. I'll just type it since my scanner is acting wonky. There may have been some changes to this at some point (as don't know if this is the most recent version) and forgive a typo or two if it exists. Also the following is considered property of LECOM for all intents and purposes as I only transcribed what was written by them.
The Directed Study Pathway
Introduction
The DSP is a unique program among medical school curricula and provides significant flexibility for students during their first two years of medical school. In turn, the pathway requires the student to have excellent organizational and time management skills in order to proceed through the curriculum and meet strict examination deadlines.
The DSP stresses the students' self-directed learning capabilities. Compared to the more traditional LDP medical curriculum, which, during the first two years, may involve an average of 25 hours of mandatory class attendance per week, class time is greatly reduced in the DSP.
The Directed Study Pathway (DSP) is appropriate for students who:
- Are self motivated and self-directed, with good organizational and time management skills (procrastination is not acceptable)
- Learn best through reading and small group interactions.
- Are responsible to utilize the freedom from required attendance at lectures to acquire the necessary knowledge and can balance the demands of academic responsibilities with those of extracurricular activites; and
- Have a strong science or previous clinical background
Program Description
Initial matriculation at LECOM involves a 12-week, five days per week, group of anatomical science courses including Gross Anatomy, Embryology and Histology, with mandatory attendance. Following this course load, DSP students study other basic sciences using lists of highly structured learning objectives compiled into "module" booklets, used in combination with textbooks and other educational resources, in order to master the materials typically in a small group environment. Students proceed through these modules with certain time limits in place and examinations are administered on specific dates by which time the students are expected to have mastered all learning objectives outlined in the module.
While primarily based on faculty-directed module study, DSP students may be required to be present on campus two to five days per week in order to attend
classroom and laboratory-based courses needed to complete the preclinical curriculum (both first and second years). Students are therefore expected to maintain living accommodations near campus to limit the time lost to travel.
Though the program stresses independence, it is very much a closely directed course of study and students meet with faculty members regularly. Faculty are also available to assist individual or groups of students in mastering difficult concepts and materials.
The modules are divided into two curricular categories: "Core" and "Systems". Core modules deal with fundamentals of basic science while system modules integrate basic science and clinical disciplines in an organ systems approach to learning. Core modules are utilized during the first and part of the second semesters of the first year, while systems modules begin in the second semester of first year and continue through the full second year. Lecture based courses, including Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP), one of the most characteristic courses of osteopathic medical education, are presented throughout the first and second years, joining together members of the DSP with students from the other curricular pathways. If a class, laboratory session, or meeting is listed on the DSP schedule, unless noted otherwise, it is mandatory.
[My editing in brackets: Modules for 1st and second year and courses are listed. Please see the link above. ]
Students from all pathways are integrated into the clinical clerkships.
The DSP Curriculum Calendar
The DSP curriculum calendar contains specific lectures, meetings and examination times that the students are expected to attend. Entering DSP students begin work on the modules during the fall semester. The calendar is based on five study days per week (though students are expected to dedicate a large amount of their evenings and weekends to study to total about 60-70 hours per week), with the DSP preclinical curriculum to be completed in two years. No courses are scheduled during the summer period between first and second years. Successful completion of the two year DSP program by the set date permits students to take the COMLEX 1 Licensure Examination following their second year and to begin their clinical clerkships at the same time as the LDP and PBL students.
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Hopefully this clarifies some things for you both.
