Curriculum Changes
Introducing Curriculum 2.0
The new curriculum is based on feedback from students, faculty, and administration and is designed on four main tenets:
- Complete Biomedical Knowledge phase with in the first 20 months.
- Dedicate time for LCME Step 1 preparation and completion in year 3.
- Offer clinical electives earlier.
- Integrate basic and clinical sciences throughout all four years of the curriculum.
The new curriculum started July 2020 and be fully implemented July 2023.
Key Changes
- Re-design (Curriculum 2.0) includes:
- 20-month Biomedical Knowledge phase plus electives (Phase 1)
- 14-month Clerkship curriculum plus electives including dedicated time to study and take USMLE Step 1 (Phase 2)
- 12-month Clinical curriculum with electives and dedicated time to study and take USMLE Step 2 (Phase 3)
- Basic and clinical sciences will be integrated over all four years of the curriculum
- The Class of 2024 entered the newly designed curriculum starting with Phase 2 in February 2022
- The Class of 2025 will be the first class trained entirely in Curriculum 2.0 starting with Phase 1 in July 2021
Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to frequently asked questions below. If you have a question that is not answered here, use the form at left to submit your question. You should receive a reply within 3 business days.
Pre-clinical will start July 5, 2021
Clinical will start February 2022
The Class of 2021 will be unaffected by Curriculum 2.0.
The Class of 2022 will be unaffected by Curriculum 2.0.
The Class of 2023 will be unaffected by Curriculum 2.0. They will experience changes in scheduling and other minor shifts often referred to as Curriculum 1.5. This includes having an "extra" 8-week period in the Clerkship year to study for and take USMLE Step-1. They will experience new assessment scheduling and a minor shifted timeline in Year 2.
The Class of 2024 will have an 20-month pre-clinical Phase-1 curriculum known as Curriculum 1.5. They will then begin Curriculum 2.0 with Clerkships in Phase-2 starting in February 2022.
The Class of 2025 will experience Curriculum 2.0 in its entirety.
Students who would like to contribute to the process can do so by joining one or more design teams or volunteering to consult with them. Please speak to Dr. Carr or Dr. Dunlevy for more information.
Curriculum 2.0 is a one-pass curriculum. This means that the organization of content will change and the depth and breadth of content coverage are being refined. Effective, research-based teaching modalities and assessment methods are being designed in support of our students' ongoing success. Changes in scheduling will be made as the pre-clinical consult with them. Please speak to your department chair and Dr. Carr for more information.
Curriculum 2.0 will shorten the pre-clinical phase to 20 months. This means that medical students will begin clinical courses in February of their 2nd year. Students will have the opportunity to take electives within Phase 2. Curriculum 2.0 features built-in time to prepare for and take Step 1 during Phase 2. Effective, research-based teaching strategies are being designed in support of our students' ongoing success. Changes in scheduling will be made as the pre-clinical phase in Curriculum 2.0 has been shortened to 20 months. Faculty who would like to contribute to the process can do so by joining one or more design teams or volunteering to consult with them. Please speak to your department chair and Dr. Carr for more information.
Several design teams are working diligently to analyze, design, and develop Curriculum 2.0 structure and strategies. Faculty who would like to contribute to the process can do so by joining one or more design teams or volunteering to consult with them. Please speak with your department chair and Dr. Carr for more information.
The classes of 2023 and 2024 will take the Step 1 study course between January and June of 2022 due to the class overlap with the curriculum transition. This will be discussed again for future classes as the NBME decision to move Step 1 to a pass-fail format has been implemented.
Incoming medical students will have 10 weeks of elective time in Phase 1. One of the options students may choose for this time, which includes summer, is research through the REMS-I, REMS-II and REMS-III courses.