Medical Education
We prepare graduates to be competent, caring physicians with the skills necessary to incorporate new knowledge and methods into their practice and can adapt to a changing environment.
The Medical Curriculum is organized by phase. Use the navigation menu at left to locate information on the requirements for each phase, the interprofessional healthcare course, epidemiology, electives, planning documents, application-related resources, and more. Detailed schedules and objectives are organized by unit, clerkship, or elective.
Accessing the Medical Curriculum
The medical curriculum uses Leo as its learning management system. Faculty and students should click on the Leo Medical Curriculum Login button on the left by to access Leo.
Community-Based Medical School
Medical education should aspire to serve the common good and to respond to the changing health care needs of individuals and societies. Because the SMHS is a community-based medical school, and because of the unique circumstances of our regional location, we place special emphasis on the unique skills needed to provide care for patients and populations in rural and Native American communities across all competencies. In the context of achieving and demonstrating these competencies, students should also be able to identify, analyze, and manage health problems effectively, efficiently, professionally, and humanistically.
Medical Program Overview
The medical curriculum is designed and delivered by the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences (UND SMHS) basic science and clinical faculty. Our goal is to prepare students to become Physicians who:
- Are able to investigate and evaluate one’s care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and lifelong learning.
- Apply foundational science concepts to the practice of medicine.
- Provide patient-centered care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.
- Demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.
- Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.
- Demonstrate an awareness of, and responsiveness toward, the larger context and system of health care, including the ability to call effectively on other resources in the system to provide optimal health care.
- Are skilled in functioning both as a team member and as a team leader, and demonstrate the ability to engage in an interprofessional team in a manner that optimizes safe, effective patient-centered and population-focused care.
- Demonstrate the qualities required to sustain lifelong personal and professional growth.
Students enrolling at the University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences generally earn their M.D. Degree after four years of study.
The first phase (Phase 1) of study (20 months) takes place on the Grand Forks campus and is focused on basic sciences, pathology and fundamental clinical skills.
During Phase 2 (14 months), students are assigned to clinical rotations on one of four campuses: Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck or Minot. Students complete seven clerkships during Phase 2: Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Surgery, Psychiatry, Internal Medicine, Neurology and Obstetrics/Gynecology. Students may choose to participate in a traditional clerkship format or alternately, students may choose to participate in either of the longitudinal clerkship programs: Rural Opportunities for Medical Education (ROME) or the Minot Integrated Longitudinal Clerkship (MILE). Students also complete Step 1 Prep Course and take Step 1 of the national licensing exams, choose elective experiences, and complete a Clinical Epidemiology course/research project during Phase 2.
Students spend Phase 3 at one of four campuses - Grand Forks, Fargo, Bismarck and Minot. One acting internship, and six electives are required during Phase 3. By the end of Phase 3 (end of the fourth year), students are expected to complete the Patient Safety/Quality Improvement Course, Transition to Residency Course, Step 2 Prep Course, and pass the Step 2 national licensing exam.
COMPETENCIES FOR UNDERGRADUATE MEDICAL EDUCATION
UND School of medicine & health Sciences Student Policies
Systems are used to describe workflows, responsibilities, and accountability within the medical curriculum. The following documents illustrate how components of academic advising, and career advising, assessment, wellness and personal health care, and curriculum management work cooperatively to support student success and program integrity.