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The Application Phase academic calendar at Asheville is comprised of three blocks with a mix of two types of clinical experiences. The inpatient experience is 15 weeks and includes surgery, internal medicine, psychiatry, pediatrics, cardiology, and OB/GYN. In addition, students complete (20) 5-hour emergency medicine shifts throughout the course of the year. The remainder of the weeks are spent in the longitudinal outpatient setting.

The three blocks are as follows:

  • Block A – 12 weeks Inpatient/3 weeks of Flex
    • Flex Weeks
      • These weeks are not consecutive, but rather they are spread out over the trimester
      • These can be used for studying, assignments, research, exploring specialty interests, ED shifts, making up clinical time, shelf exams, additional inpatient/outpatient time, etc.
  • Block B – 15 weeks Outpatient
    • Students will receive a personalized outpatient schedule with assigned preceptors for family medicine, internal medicine, pediatrics, psychiatry, and OB/GYN
    • Students will work one-on-one with their preceptors and have the opportunity to follow continuity patients throughout their longitudinal outpatient time
  • Block C – 12 weeks Outpatient/3 weeks Inpatient
    • Student inpatient weeks in this block will be consecutive to allow for maximum continuity
    • Student outpatient preceptors and schedule will stay the same for Blocks B & C

Unique features of the program also include:

  • Responsive, supportive, individualized attention from the administrative team
  • Flexible schedule for self-directed learning, including research
  • Added experience in cardiology, emergency medicine, neurology and radiology
  • Fully integrated ethics and humanism curriculum
  • Art of Medicine series and Master Clinician case presentations, a collaborative discussion between students and faculty across specialties
  • All students will experience at least 1 rural clinic opportunity, with the option to complete more if desired
  • Opportunity to work at ABCCM (free clinic)
  • Low student faculty ratio
  • UNC Health Sciences Center at MAHEC- opened Fall 2019

Other Curriculum Components:

Orientation: Asheville students complete orientation in Asheville. This includes an orientation to Mission Hospital and its ancillary services, electronic health records, surgery skills lab, and orientation to surgical scrub/OR procedures. Other student services include review of grading, One 45, Clerkship/Course expectations, Shelf Exam prep, access to MAHEC digital library, UNC-A student health and gym services, and getting to know the community itself.

Didactics: Students meet weekly as a group for a variety of didactic sessions consisting of case studies, problem-based learning sessions, core lectures, and skills labs.

Testing and evaluations: Tests and exams will be administered throughout the course of the year, and students will work with their advisors to plan an individualized testing schedule. All tests are administered in Asheville. Additionally, students are evaluated regularly by their faculty.

Individualization Phase Curriculum: The fourth year curriculum reverts to block months. Asheville campus students have the same fourth year requirements as Chapel Hill students. All required courses and many electives are available in both Asheville and rural settings. A one month rotation in global health through Shoulder to Shoulder is available to all students. Students are able to do other away rotations if desired.

Student Services: Students will need to find housing in the community but there is ample affordable housing. We have a reciprocal agreement with UNCA for student health services and access to the gym and library. We offer other support for students’ educational and health care needs.

Outcomes:

  • High shelf and step 2 scores
  • Sustained empathy and patient centeredness
  • Amazing breadth of clinical experiences
  • Acceptances to top residency programs in the country
  • High student satisfaction