4-Year Program

Overview

The Four-Year pathway begins in the same manner as the Three Year pathway during the TEC Foundation Phase, however is intended for students who are still in the journey of deciding their specialty or future residency location. In the four-year pathway, students follow the following curriculum, which mirrors the intensity and curricular time as their three year pathway cohort (including weekly half days in clinic during MS1 and MS2 year, along with an immersive summer clinical experience in rural settings). This allows for students to benefit from the early and in depth clinical exposure, while exploring their future career desires and fit, in addition to various areas of North Carolina. If a student decides during their MS1 year, summer experience, or at the beginning of MS2 year that they would like to join the three-year accelerated pathway, they will have enough curricular credit to be able to do so if there is capacity to accept them into the accelerated pathway on the GME (residency) side. If they do not have the desire to accelerate, they will continue their Application Phase and Individualization Phase as they would in the traditional 4-year curriculum, with credit hours from the Foundation Phase electives, however would still be a part of the Community Health Training Program and benefit from the ongoing cohort experience, early clinical exposure, dedicated teaching towards rural and under resourced medicine topics, and placement in rural and under resourced communities for their clinical experiences.

Four-Year Pathway

Four-Year MD Curriculum:

A More Detailed Look at the Four-Year Community Health Training Program’s Curriculum:

• Curricular Time: Matches the same curricular time as traditional UNC SOM Curriculum

• Adult Outpatient Medicine (CBPC): 8 week block during Application Phase

• Vacation: 1st year winter break: 2 weeks; Summer- 2 weeks (flexible scheduling); 2nd Year winter break: 2 weeks: other vacation 4 weeks

• Step 1 study time: 8 weeks (same as TEC)

• Scholarship Support: Available for those who have a passion for primary care in rural areas of NC

• Dual Degree Programs:  Four-Year CHT scholars are able to obtain a MD/MPH or MD/MBA programs, in addition to additional research time

Residency:

Acceptance into the 4-year Community Health Training Program does NOT have a directed pathway into one of our affiliated NC Residency Programs. There is opportunity, however, through the close mentorship and longitudinal clinical exposure in working with preceptors, that you will become intimately familiar with the various residency programs in North Carolina and this will help guide your decision in applying for residency programs.