Hi all. As you know, every medical school in the country is constantly improving and innovating its administration, currirulum, and clinical training. There are a long of important and fantastic changes going on at here at Case so I thought I would take a few moments to highlight the new things you might want to know as an applicant.
In no particular order
Student Interviews
Interviews typically happen on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. This year the school has added a student interviewer segment to the interview day. The majority of you will have a student interviewer, but not all. The student interview will typically be during the afternoon and is closed file so no need to be nervous!
New Curriculum
Case is completely overhauling the curriculum for the entering 2006 class. While the details haven't been set yet, the important points are as follows. The new curriculum will be student focused meaning it will be more adaptable to each students learning style. There will be a mix of small groups, large groups, and other interactive learning forums, supplemented by reduced lecture time. The basic sciences blocks will be integrated with longitudinal "organ based" blocks such as anatomy and histo-pathology. You learn the anatomy and histopathology as you learn the basic sciences related to them. In addition, there will be longitudinal modules on subjects like clinical skills, professionalism, public health, and leadership. Importantly, you will finish your basic sciences in a little over a year and a half, leaving you with a large block of time for independent research and board study.
Research
With a dedicated block of time for research, students can focus on their interests rather than detracting from their studies and not being able to dedicate their attention completely to either research or scholarship. Research is a broad term, and the requirements are quite flexible. The research need not be basic sciences or even clincal research. It can be anything of relevance to the health sciences such as public health or bioethics.
Core Clinical Rotations
Core clinical rotations will now be consolidated into three sixteen week blocks so there is more continuity of learning during the wards. Instead of bouncing around from rotation to rotation, students will go through a planned sixteen week clinical block with basic sciences integration. This is the key point. The idea is to make sure that important facts you learn during your basic science years arent just lost after you take Step I, but rather are integrated into your clinical education in the wards.
Everyone at the schools seems very enthusiatic about this forward progress in medical education. I'm pretty envious of whoever will get to experience this new curriculum. In any case, those are the basics. Ill try to answer any questions as best I can. Case is an amazing school, I hope you get to find out for yourself.
In no particular order
Student Interviews
Interviews typically happen on Monday, Thursday, and Friday. This year the school has added a student interviewer segment to the interview day. The majority of you will have a student interviewer, but not all. The student interview will typically be during the afternoon and is closed file so no need to be nervous!
New Curriculum
Case is completely overhauling the curriculum for the entering 2006 class. While the details haven't been set yet, the important points are as follows. The new curriculum will be student focused meaning it will be more adaptable to each students learning style. There will be a mix of small groups, large groups, and other interactive learning forums, supplemented by reduced lecture time. The basic sciences blocks will be integrated with longitudinal "organ based" blocks such as anatomy and histo-pathology. You learn the anatomy and histopathology as you learn the basic sciences related to them. In addition, there will be longitudinal modules on subjects like clinical skills, professionalism, public health, and leadership. Importantly, you will finish your basic sciences in a little over a year and a half, leaving you with a large block of time for independent research and board study.
Research
With a dedicated block of time for research, students can focus on their interests rather than detracting from their studies and not being able to dedicate their attention completely to either research or scholarship. Research is a broad term, and the requirements are quite flexible. The research need not be basic sciences or even clincal research. It can be anything of relevance to the health sciences such as public health or bioethics.
Core Clinical Rotations
Core clinical rotations will now be consolidated into three sixteen week blocks so there is more continuity of learning during the wards. Instead of bouncing around from rotation to rotation, students will go through a planned sixteen week clinical block with basic sciences integration. This is the key point. The idea is to make sure that important facts you learn during your basic science years arent just lost after you take Step I, but rather are integrated into your clinical education in the wards.
Everyone at the schools seems very enthusiatic about this forward progress in medical education. I'm pretty envious of whoever will get to experience this new curriculum. In any case, those are the basics. Ill try to answer any questions as best I can. Case is an amazing school, I hope you get to find out for yourself.
