Here's where the school explains the curriculum:
http://dms.dartmouth.edu/ed_programs/mdprog.shtml
Our days are different every week and we're out by noon most of the time.
Every other Thursday we have "On Doctoring" class which is were we learn interviewing techniques, the physical exam, and speakers come in to talk about their professions or their problems with alcohol/cancer etc.... For example, on our last On Doctoring we had an ex orthopedic surgeon talk about how alcoholism cost him his practice. He's finally alcohol free and will work on medical statistics and computer programs at UF starting next year. Tommorrow we're having a special presentation on the undergrad campus called "crossing the border" and I have no clue what it's about. After the 1hr presentation we break up into smaller groups and practice what we learned, do ethics presentations, or work on patients that have volunteered (usually from the nursing home). This is the class that keeps us in school until 5pm once every other week. Also, once every other week (the week when you're not doing On Doctoring), you have to visit your preceptor so you won't get home until around 5 then too.
First Year: Besides On Doctoring, you'd be taking 4 classes a trimester, and the schedule varies. They like to start you off with the basic sciences before integrating everything in a systems based format your 2nd year. PBL doesn't start until second year either. It's mostly lecture, although there is plenty of small group, problem working sessions, clinical correlations and conference stuff to not let it get too boring. That and since our schedule's different every day the routine doesn't get boring. They don't take attendance except for in some of the endocrinology small group conferences. Bio also gives us extra credit for going over a research papers, answering questions about it, and going over it in small group, so they'll take attendance for that. You'll spend more time in class your first year since 1) you'll have some afternoon classes (usually 2 hrs of bio) and 2)people are hesitant to skip (seriously, bio gives such great notes that you won't have to go unless you want to....the same for a few courses and some lecturers). That first semester you'll also have some days when you don't have to show up until 9am and a couple of times not until 10am.
First semester - Bio(genetics)/Anat/Hist/Phys(heart,lungs) with Anat and Hist labs.
Second - Bio(met)/Anat/Micro(Immuno,Virology)/Phys(Kidney, Endo) with Anat lab.
Third - Neuroscience/Micro(bacteriology)/Pathology/ Biostatics & Epidemiology (we don't do this last two until later in the year, so right now I'm taking 3 classes).
Testing: That first semester you'll have a "quizzes" every other Monday. All 4 classes at the same time (around 20 questions per class). They used to not give quizzes and only finals at the end of the semester, but people didn't like that. They might seem like a pain in the butt, but they worked wonders in getting me acclimated to med school and keeping up with stuff. Since it's only 2 weeks of information per quiz, you'll learn that you'll pretty much have 1.5 weeks of freedom and then 4 or 5 days of intense studying and you'll do fine.
Second and Third semesters you'll have quizzes every 3 weeks. Second semester you end up having 4 quizzes + finals, Third you have 3 quizzes + finals. Quiz worth varies. For some classes, quizzes combined only count for half your grade, for others it's 70%. The Finals are given in the same week, 4 in 5 days. They come before Thanksgiving, before Spring break, and at the end of the year.
Second Year: I can't tell you too much since I haven't gone through it, but I know that they don't have quizzes and just take finals, although their year is not divided into semesters. They end up taking 6 finals all year I believe and their finals are from Monday - Wednesday, then they take the rest of the week off. Classes are systems based and they start PBL. I guess I would have to refer you to the link on this one.
Grading: H/P/F We had a vote on whether to change it to just P/F but it ended up being around 50/50 so H/P/F is staying. Grades your first 2 years won't matter too much (first year mattering the least) so there's not much reason to worry.
Personally I like the curriculum because it gives me tons of free time. Some people like to work a little each day (some work a lot). I like to take a couple of weeks off before I start studying for quizzes. I also like that many lectures are skipable so that I can get good sleep (my apt can be loud until late). My only problem is that after the first 3 quizzes that first semester, when you think you're settled and your study habits have improved, you start to get tired of having a quiz every other week. Second and Third semesters are so much better
Hope I covered everything, and sorry to all those wait listed. People like to drop out if they don't like their award letter or when they finally have to choose 1 school, so keep your hopes up if you really want to come here. Let them know how interested you are!
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Why does it take so long!!!! I hope they aren't making me wait this long just to reject me! Ok. I'm done venting. No wait...AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH Ok. Now I'm done.
