Electives Information
Contents
- Electives | 4 electives at 6 credit hours each or a total of 24 elective credit hours
- Elective Considerations for Dual Degree Students
- Electives Opportunities and Course Catalog
- Grading and Assessments
- Clinical Elective Course Competencies and Enabling Competencies
- Research Elective Course Competencies and Enabling Competencies
Electives | 4 electives at 6 credit hours each or a total of 24 elective credit hours
Four elective rotations, each 4 weeks, are required during Individualization Phase. At least two should be clinical experiences (please note that pathology, radiology are considered clinical experiences). Only one elective credit earned in Foundation may be applied toward the Individualization Phase. Electives are not available to students in Application Phase. Electives also offer students an opportunity to visit programs that they may want to get to know for residency. VSAS is the system by which students apply for a rotation at a different medical school.
Course Director: Dr. Claire Larson and Course Coordinator: Mindy McKinney
Elective Considerations for Dual Degree Students
- MD/PhD Program: Can carry over 18 elective credit hours
- MD/MPH: Can carry over 6 elective credit hours
- MD/MBA: Can carry over 12 elective credit hours
Electives Opportunities and Course Catalog
Electives Opportunities for First Year Students
Two Week Career Exploration Electives
Grading and Assessments
Electives taken during Individualization Phase will be graded on a scale of Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail. The exception will be exploratory two-week electives, which will be graded Pass and Fail. Exploratory two-week electives as away rotations will be graded scale of Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail.
Assessments include:
- Mid-course Feedback (formative)
- Common Assessment Form (summative) customized to type of elective (clinical or research)
Clinical Elective Course Competencies and Enabling Competencies
for research elective course competencies, click here
Patient Care and Clinical Skills
- Students must be able to provide care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for treating health problems and promoting health.
PC1. Obtain an accurate, age-appropriate medical history
PC2. Demonstrate proper technique in performing both a complete and a symptom-focused examination, addressing issues of patient modesty and comfort
PC3. Perform routine technical procedures and tests under supervision and with minimal discomfort to the patient.
PC4. Justify each diagnostic test ordered and proposed with regard to cost, effectiveness, risks and complications, and the patient’s overall goals and values.
PC5. Apply clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills in developing a differential diagnosis.
PC6. Apply the principles of pharmacology, therapeutics, and therapeutic decision-making to develop a management plan.
PC7. Identify and incorporate into the care of patient’s appropriate prevention strategies for common conditions.
PC8. Identify when patients have life-threatening conditions and institute appropriate initial therapy
PC9. Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation.
PC2. Demonstrate proper technique in performing both a complete and a symptom-focused examination, addressing issues of patient modesty and comfort
PC3. Perform routine technical procedures and tests under supervision and with minimal discomfort to the patient.
PC4. Justify each diagnostic test ordered and proposed with regard to cost, effectiveness, risks and complications, and the patient’s overall goals and values.
PC5. Apply clinical reasoning and critical thinking skills in developing a differential diagnosis.
PC6. Apply the principles of pharmacology, therapeutics, and therapeutic decision-making to develop a management plan.
PC7. Identify and incorporate into the care of patient’s appropriate prevention strategies for common conditions.
PC8. Identify when patients have life-threatening conditions and institute appropriate initial therapy
PC9. Demonstrate sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in gender, age, culture, race, religion, disabilities, and sexual orientation.
Medical Knowledge
- Students must demonstrate knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, and cognate (e.g., epidemiological and social-behavioral) sciences and the application of this knowledge in patient care, specifically:
MK2. Explain various causes (genetic, developmental, metabolic, toxic, microbiologic, autoimmune, neoplastic, degenerative, behavioral, and traumatic) of major diseases and conditions and the ways in which they operate on the body (pathogenesis).
MK3. Describe how the altered structure and function (pathology and pathophysiology) of the body and its major organ systems are manifest through major diseases and conditions.
MK4. Identify the proximate and ultimate factors that contribute to the development of disease and illness, and that contribute to health status within and across populations regionally, nationally, and globally.
MK5. Demonstrate knowledge of the common medical conditions within each clinical discipline, including its pathophysiology and fundamentals of treatment.
MK3. Describe how the altered structure and function (pathology and pathophysiology) of the body and its major organ systems are manifest through major diseases and conditions.
MK4. Identify the proximate and ultimate factors that contribute to the development of disease and illness, and that contribute to health status within and across populations regionally, nationally, and globally.
MK5. Demonstrate knowledge of the common medical conditions within each clinical discipline, including its pathophysiology and fundamentals of treatment.
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Students must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that facilitate effective interactions with patients and their families and other health professionals.
IC1. Communicate effectively in oral format with patients and patients’ families.
IC2. Communicate effectively in oral format with colleagues, and other health care professionals.
IC3. Communicate effectively in written format colleagues, and other health care professionals.
IC2. Communicate effectively in oral format with colleagues, and other health care professionals.
IC3. Communicate effectively in written format colleagues, and other health care professionals.
Professionalism
- Students must demonstrate a commitment to professional service, adherence to ethical principles, sensitivity to patients, and maintain personal health and well-being.
PR1. Identify and consistently demonstrate ethical principles and behaviors in the care of patients.
PR2. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with expectations for the medical profession including punctuality and attire.
PR3. Demonstrate respect for and adapt to different patient and medical cultures and expectations.
PR2. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with expectations for the medical profession including punctuality and attire.
PR3. Demonstrate respect for and adapt to different patient and medical cultures and expectations.
Life Long Learning
- Students must be able to investigate and evaluate their patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and improve their practice of medicine.
LL1. Demonstrate skills in retrieving, critically assessing, and integrating social and biomedical information into clinical decision-making.
LL2. Reflect upon clinical, service and educational experiences, evaluate positive and negative aspects, and make changes to improve future experiences.
LL3.Demonstrate personal accountability by actively seeking feedback, admitting errors openly, and honestly modifying behavior.
LL2. Reflect upon clinical, service and educational experiences, evaluate positive and negative aspects, and make changes to improve future experiences.
LL3.Demonstrate personal accountability by actively seeking feedback, admitting errors openly, and honestly modifying behavior.
Social & Health Systems Science
- Students must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger system of health care and demonstrate the skills needed to improve the health of specific clinical populations.
SHS6. Apply principles of translational research, patient safety, or quality improvement to enhance patient care.
SHS7. Demonstrate collaborative teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively with other members of the health care team.
SHS8. Identify and develop the leadership skills required in an era of teamwork.
SHS9. Identify necessary elements for coordinated care of patients with complex and chronic diseases.
SHS7. Demonstrate collaborative teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively with other members of the health care team.
SHS8. Identify and develop the leadership skills required in an era of teamwork.
SHS9. Identify necessary elements for coordinated care of patients with complex and chronic diseases.
Research Elective Course Competencies and Enabling Competencies
Interpersonal and Communication Skills
- Students must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that facilitate effective interactions with patients and their families and other health professionals.
IC3. Communicate effectively in written format colleagues, and other health care professionals.
Professionalism
- Students must demonstrate a commitment to professional service, adherence to ethical principles, sensitivity to patients, and maintain personal health and well-being.
PR1. Identify and consistently demonstrate ethical principles and behaviors in the care of patients.
PR2. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with expectations for the medical profession including punctuality and attire.
PR3. Demonstrate respect for and adapt to different patient and medical cultures and expectations.
PR2. Demonstrate professional behavior consistent with expectations for the medical profession including punctuality and attire.
PR3. Demonstrate respect for and adapt to different patient and medical cultures and expectations.
Life Long Learning
- Students must be able to investigate and evaluate their patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and improve their practice of medicine.
LL1. Demonstrate skills in retrieving, critically assessing, and integrating social and biomedical information into clinical decision-making.
LL3.Demonstrate personal accountability by actively seeking feedback, admitting errors openly, and honestly modifying behavior.
LL3.Demonstrate personal accountability by actively seeking feedback, admitting errors openly, and honestly modifying behavior.
Social & Health Systems Science
- Students must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger system of health care and demonstrate the skills needed to improve the health of specific clinical populations.
SHS6. Apply principles of translational research, patient safety, or quality improvement to enhance patient care.
SHS7. Demonstrate collaborative teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively with other members of the health care team.
SHS8. Identify and develop the leadership skills required in an era of teamwork.
SHS7. Demonstrate collaborative teamwork skills and the ability to work effectively with other members of the health care team.
SHS8. Identify and develop the leadership skills required in an era of teamwork.