Most UNIQUE Curriculum

[ZekeMD]

Are there any schools that have very unique curricula? I can think of 2 off hand, Rochester and Penn State. Rochesters Double Helix curriculum is amazing and the integration of humanities into Penn States is impressive. These are the only real unique things I have heard of. Are there others?

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[medstylee]

cleveland clinic lerner college of medicine

 

[Street Philosopher]

Stanford & their "area of concentration" thingy + the optional year of research.

 

[mpp]

Duke and Mayo both start their clinical rotations in second year...Mayo has a dedicated research quarter (80% of students get something published by the time they graduate).

 

[SoulRFlare]

I really don't have an intimate knowledge of many cirricula around the country, but I thought I'd toss out the Lerner College of Med. for your inspection. The cirriculum, from what I understand, is all PBL and independent study. Plus there is a long term research project to consider, which consequently allows students to be very flexible with their 3rd and 4th year rotation schedules. (they want research to be conducted over a longer period of time than simply one year) students are evaluated based upon learning portfolios (i think that's what they call them...), gross anatomy is taught entirely with prosections and computer models, and students begin clinical work in the first year. when I was there, they described it as the most radical cirriculum out there right now. (based in part on rochester, but a few clicks to the left)
also...school starts july first, just like the grown-up doctors.

 

[beanbean]

At UConn we start clinical work immediately! UConn assigns all med students to a primary care physician for the first three years. You see patients independently and with your mentor once a week - taking histories, vitals and writing notes. etc. As you learn more skills you perform more independent physical exams. It is an amazing program and really helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are buried in lectures and exams.

Deirdre

 

[Jalby]

I wouldn't quite call Uconn's program in any way unique. [brag]USC was the first school to introduce students to the clinical aspect back in 1954. Others schools (almost all of them) copied this concept[/brag]

 

[mpp]

Originally posted by beanbean
At UConn we start clinical work immediately! UConn assigns all med students to a primary care physician for the first three years. You see patients independently and with your mentor once a week - taking histories, vitals and writing notes. etc. As you learn more skills you perform more independent physical exams. It is an amazing program and really helps you see the light at the end of the tunnel when you are buried in lectures and exams.

I think that is pretty much standard practice at most medical schools.

 

[jlee9531]

Originally posted by mpp
I think that is pretty much standard practice at most medical schools.

yeah...all the schools i have visited have contact early too. usually within the first few months if you feel ready for it. (with student run clinics for example...)

 

[Gleevec]

Duke and Baylor have 1 and 1.5 years of basic science only.

Yale doesnt have grades at all, though you do get stickers that smell like strawberries if you pass Step 1.

 

[AverageMan]

To me, Columbia seemed to be unique in that they had little or no PBL in their carriculum, something the students and faculty seemed to stress at the interview. All the other shools I've been to are all about PBL (I've lost track of how many dank, windowless "PBL rooms" I've toured at different schools. And then we're told that the students spend countless hours in those rooms ), so Columbia was refreshing in that sense.

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by Street Philosopher
Stanford & their "area of concentration" thingy + the optional year of research.

Vanderbilt also has some kind of emphasis program, but I think it's not the same as Stanford's...after a while, all the schools feel alike...I wouldn't choose school based on curriculum unless the curriculum really sucks.

 

[ewing]

Originally posted by Gleevec
Yale doesnt have grades at all, though you do get stickers that smell like strawberries if you pass Step 1.

And like 10% of the class matches in derm...so someone must be doing something right over there.

 

[DannGee]

Originally posted by Street Philosopher
Stanford & their "area of concentration" thingy + the optional year of research.

CWRU has an "area of concentration" program as well.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by ewing
And like 10% of the class matches in derm...so someone must be doing something right over there.

I guess it depends on what you mean by "right". America's best and brightest (supposedly) being steered towards flicking warts? Fantastic.

 

[ewing]

Originally posted by Gleevec
I guess it depends on what you mean by "right". America's best and brightest (supposedly) being steered towards flicking warts? Fantastic.

I don't think they're being steered towards it...I think that lots of people would apply for derm if they thought they could get it....and these Yale kids clearly can.

Incidentally, that's actually one of my biggest turn-offs about Yale...and the whole thing was sort of tongue-in-cheek.

 

[Gleevec]

Originally posted by ewing
I don't think they're being steered towards it...I think that lots of people would apply for derm if they thought they could get it....and these Yale kids clearly can.

Incidentally, that's actually one of my biggest turn-offs about Yale...and the whole thing was sort of tongue-in-cheek.

Yeah, I really dont mind derm that much at all, they do a lot of good things as well. My comment wasnt directed at you, but the general notion of analyzing matchlists which I think is incorrect.

I just dont see how a derm match at podunk U is somehow superior to an internal medicine residency at hopkins or a pediatrics residency at penn.

 

[CalBeE]

Also, a few schools have "stretch" program for the basic science years, so you spend 3 instead of 2 years in basic science in case you want to spend more time on non-school stuff.

I believe SUNY Upstate is one of these schools.

BTW, I just don't understand why Dermatology is the most competitive specialty??

 

[dara678]

Originally posted by CalBeE
BTW, I just don't understand why Dermatology is the most competitive specialty??

Easy hours and lots of money?

 

[exmike]

Originally posted by dara678
Easy hours and lots of money?

bingo

 

[CalBeE]

Originally posted by dara678
Easy hours and lots of money?

Darn it, why am I always the dumbest person around?

 

[ewing]

Originally posted by CalBeE
Darn it, why am I always the dumbest person around?

I dunno. Who the hell goes to Hokkaido for vacation? What are you going to do: Work the mines? Learn about Ainu culture?

 

[appomattox]

Originally posted by AverageMan
To me, Columbia seemed to be unique in that they had little or no PBL in their carriculum, something the students and faculty seemed to stress at the interview. All the other shools I've been to are all about PBL (I've lost track of how many dank, windowless "PBL rooms" I've toured at different schools. And then we're told that the students spend countless hours in those rooms ), so Columbia was refreshing in that sense.

To some, Columbia's lack of small group instruction might seem "unique" and "refreshing," but in reality it makes the experience "suck" and feel like the administration is "being really cheap."