How to choose a medical school curriculum?

[ieatshrimp24]

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Hi there. I'm deciding on what medical schools to apply to this upcoming cycle. I've noticed medical school websites showing their medical school curriculum and was wondering how important is the type of curriculum to choosing the right medical school?
I've noticed two types of curriculums so far
Curriculum 1: 2 years of basic sciences then 2 years of clerkship
Curriculum 2: clinical rotations integrated with typical classes

What are the advantages/disadvantages of either one? Are there any other factors of the curricula that I should consider when choosing a medical school?
Thanks!

 

[texan2414]

Might want to consider whether or not it is a true P/F curriculum - makes a lot of difference.

A lot of schools are transitioning towards 1.5 yr pre-clinical, 2.5 yr clinical curriculum. Advantage of this is obviously early exposure to clinical medicine and thus better Step 1 preparation. Disadvantage = lol you will have a very short summer break.

 

[NotWayneBrady]

Might want to consider whether or not it is a true P/F curriculum - makes a lot of difference.

A lot of schools are transitioning towards 1.5 yr pre-clinical, 2.5 yr clinical curriculum. Advantage of this is obviously early exposure to clinical medicine and thus better Step 1 preparation. Disadvantage = lol you will have a very short summer break.

Advantage of a 1.5yr is you also get more time for elective rotations prior to the match, which makes deciding on a specialty easier.

For OP, check if the curriculum is or includes:
P/F?
1.5yr or 2yr preclinical?
Are lectures recorded / is attendance required?
Standard lectures? Mix of lecture/PBL?
Clinical exposure in the first two years?

 

[Goro]

With any curricula, you have to figure out what works best for you. With #3, you're learning clinical skills right off the bat (and acquiring a skill set is different from learning about, say, metabolic acidosis, or affective disorders). You're also (ideally) applying what you learn (for example, if you're learning about the cardiovascular system, then your clinics should be listening to patient's hearts, breath sounds, etc.

Superficially, you could say the 1) is a slow buildup, while 2) is more immediate immersion.

Hi there. I'm deciding on what medical schools to apply to this upcoming cycle. I've noticed medical school websites showing their medical school curriculum and was wondering how important is the type of curriculum to choosing the right medical school?
I've noticed two types of curriculums so far
Curriculum 1: 2 years of basic sciences then 2 years of clerkship
Curriculum 2: clinical rotations integrated with typical classes

What are the advantages/disadvantages of either one? Are there any other factors of the curricula that I should consider when choosing a medical school?
Thanks!

 

[mvenus929]

I've yet to see a medical school where all clinical rotations are integrated with traditional pre-clerkship classes. I have seen schools with some sort of longitudinal clerkship that starts relatively soon after you start medical school, but these tend to be with a one-on-one preceptor and tend to supplement/replace the 'how to be a doctor' course where you learn physical exam and history taking skills by working directly with patients.

The real division, as others have mentioned, is the 1.5 vs. 2 year pre-clerkship curriculum.

However, in choosing a medical school, the way the clerkships are structured and where they take place is probably more important than how your pre-clerkship curriculum is structured. Do you do Peds in a children's hospital, or do you do it with FM people? Do you do both inpatient and outpatient medicine? How much away time do you have to do? How good are the teachers at the sites you go for rotations? How much volume does your center see? Are you going to be learning more from books, or from experience? Are you working one-on-one with your residents/attendings, or are you left to fend for yourself?

None of the styles are necessarily bad, you'll just get a different experience and your personality may be suited more towards one over the other.

 

[Officer Farva]

Hi there. I'm deciding on what medical schools to apply to this upcoming cycle. I've noticed medical school websites showing their medical school curriculum and was wondering how important is the type of curriculum to choosing the right medical school?
I've noticed two types of curriculums so far
Curriculum 1: 2 years of basic sciences then 2 years of clerkship
Curriculum 2: clinical rotations integrated with typical classes

What are the advantages/disadvantages of either one? Are there any other factors of the curricula that I should consider when choosing a medical school?
Thanks!

This should literally be your last concern. One way or the other, your learning the same material, does not matter how.

 

[Rainbow Zebra]

I didn't really see a lot of differences, except for schools that try to compress the pre-clinical stuff into 1 year (looking at you, Duke and Vanderbilt).
Everyone else is sort of putting their spin on the same theme (more "clinical" exposure earlier).