Office of Medical Education

Curriculum Overview

The undergraduate curriculum for the College of Medicine promotes excellence in the foundational scientific principles and concepts and relates these to the delivery of compassionate, cutting-edge preventative and therapeutic clinical care. The College prides itself on continually renewing its curriculum, with revisions and additions which represent the latest in modern medicine correlated with principles of professionalism and cultural competence, providing the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for students to become outstanding physicians in today’s environment.
As a result of both annual review of individual courses as well as regular review of the entire curriculum, UK’s COM Curriculum incorporates changes that keep students current and utilize the latest technology in medical education. Examples of these innovations include early longitudinal clinical experiences beginning in first year, integration of pre-clinic and clinical sciences, exposure to the concepts of Clinical and Translational Sciences, and longitudinal continuity experiences during clinical rotations. These and other curricular elements are delivered using state-of-the-art human-patient simulators, standardized patient encounters with immediate videotape feedback capability, small-group tutorials and team-based learning, interactive computer tutorials, and laboratory exercises.

Human-Patient Simulators
With the inception of the Standardized Patient program in the 1990’s, and the addition of the Simulation Center in 2004, UK placed itself in the forefront of medical schools. The Clinical Skills Testing and Assessment Center provides opportunities for students to practice clinical skills on human patient simulators prior to interacting with real patients. UK continues to lead in integration of simulation throughout the curriculum, allowing educational encounters in a realistic but risk-free environment. These learning scenarios improve students’ competence and confidence and allow them to master intricate and high-risk skills at a level far beyond what many universities offer. The UK COM simulation center is an example of a model of teaching for the twenty-first century.

Pre-Clinical Years
The first two years of study introduces students to the technical language, principles, and methods of investigation in the primary disciplines of biomedical science. UK was one of the first medical schools to adopt block scheduling, which provides an intensive, concentrated exposure to each content area.

Printable version of the Medical School Curriculum with credit hours (PDF)

First Year
• Human Structure – examines gross and microscopic anatomy, integrated with embryology.

• Cellular Structure and Function – focuses on the basics of human biochemistry and genetics, including the biochemical and genetic inheritance involved in a variety of human diseases, and real patient clinical correlations.

• Neurosciences – includes the study of neuroanatomy, neurochemistry, neurophysiology, neurology, ophthalmology, psychiatry and neurosurgery to understand how the nervous system functions in health and disease.

• Human Function – studies normal human physiology with an introduction to human pathophysiology.

• Introduction to Clinical Medicine I – provides students with opportunities to develop the knowledge, skills and attitudes necessary to practice patient-centered and evidenced-based care in today’s health care environment, using multiple experiential learning modalities. Active learning approaches include experiential learning in clinical settings, training in communication and interviewing skills through practice with "actor" patients in small group and in laboratory settings and with real patients in clinical settings, and through self-directed learning. Using portfolio-based assessment and internet-based resources, students in small group seminars with behavioral and clinical faculty preceptors work through topic areas that include Medical Humanities, Medical Ethics and Professionalism, Developmental Pediatrics, Geriatrics, and Cultural and Social Aspects of Health Care.

• Nutrition for Physicians I – provides an introduction to nutritional concepts as they relate to biochemical pathways and physiology, with an emphasis on the connections between basic nutrition and disease prevention.

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Second Year

• Immunity, Infection and Disease – focuses on immunity, immunopathology, microbiology, infectious agents and infectious diseases.

• Mechanisms of Disease and Treatment – examines human pathology, pathophysiology, psychopathology, and pharmacology.

• Introduction to Clinical Medicine II - as a continuation of ICM I, explores the four major areas of Health Prevention, Patient Safety, Health Systems, and Clinical and Translational Research, with additional coverage of applied ethics, supplementary experiences with the medical history, and the introduction to the normal physical examination.

• Introduction to Clinical Medicine III – the culmination of readying students for their clinical clerkships, this course covers physical diagnosis, examination of real patients in the hospital and clinic settings, clinical reasoning and medical problem solving.

• Nutrition for Physicians II – concentrates on disease states directly related to nutrition (obesity, diabetes) including prevention and management.

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Clinical Years
These two years provide the clinical exposure required for students to fully integrate their pre-clinical learning into the care of patients, and experience the “art of doctoring”. Individual rotations balance the need for adequate exposure to and involvement with patient care with the time needed for study and assimilation of information. Student learning occurs in hospital facilities and in ambulatory settings. Students are required to complete two rotations at rural or alternative sites through UK’s Area Health Education Center (AHEC) program.

Third Year
The third-year curriculum provides the student with broad exposure to the major medical disciplines. The required third-year courses are as follows:

• Clinical Neurosciences: Neurology and Psychiatry - This block consists of two separate four-week rotations of neurology and psychiatry, including child neurology, stroke service and inpatient psychiatry care, with an integrated lecture series.
• Family and Community Medicine – The specialty of Family and Community Medicine has a long history of caring for people of all ages in their communities. During this four-week clerkship, students work with practicing family physicians in a variety of outpatient settings, where patients are at the center of all learning activities.
• Internal Medicine and Emergency Care - This 16-week integrated clerkship combines inpatient and outpatient Internal Medicine and two weeks of Emergency Medicine. Students are an integral part of and round with UK and VA inpatient teams, and work in continuity clinics with the same clinician one afternoon per week in either a UK, VA or community-based practice for the duration of the clerkship. Students also gain experience in both the ICU and emergency room settings, and receive training and certification in ACLS. Additional clinical experiences occur in subspecialty clinic settings and diagnostic labs (endoscopy, cardiac catheterization). Finally, students explore a number of topics relevant to the practice of medicine such as professionalism, service learning and ethics in weekly small group learning experiences.
• Obstetrics and Gynecology – This four-week rotation allows students to participate in the care of women, to assist in prenatal care, birth, and follow-up of mothers, and to focus on the family unit. This clerkship offers the opportunity to care for women in both clinic and hospital settings. Students will spend two weeks in Labor and Delivery, one week in benign gynecology and one week in gynecologic oncology. Students will also have the opportunity to spend time in a gynecology operating room setting.
• Pediatrics – This eight-week rotation gives students four weeks of ambulatory pediatrics and four weeks of inpatient pediatrics. Students see patients with a wide variety of illness, from well-child visits to rare pediatric diseases. Students learn though direct patient care, small groups, lecture, and one-on-one mentoring. The ambulatory rotation may be completed at a Kentucky AHEC location, where students spend the entire month with a community based physician.
• Surgery – This eight-week course presents surgical approaches to adult disease. Students learn through direct involvement in patient care, as well as weekly conferences and clinical skills workshops. Students rotate on a general surgery service for four weeks and on two surgery specialty services for two weeks each. Students may opt to complete one four-week surgery specialty rotation. During the General Surgery rotation, students take part in Trauma Call and will function as part of the Trauma Surgery Team. This system is designed to give all students an exposure to a wide variety of general surgery patients and problems.

Clinical Performance Exam - The CPX is a requirement for the third year students upon completion of the third year rotations. Students cannot take Step 2 CS until they have taken and passed the CPX.  Passing the CPX, which is graded on a Pass/Fail basis, is a requirement for graduation.  Students with a failing grade will be required to undergo remediation through the Office of Medical Education.  Students who pass the CPX may take Step 2 CS at any time prior to December 31st of that calendar year.

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Fourth Year

Fourth Year Curriculum
The fourth year of study is designed to allow students to further develop and demonstrate their clinical skills and prepare for residency in their chosen specialty. In addition the requirements listed below, students complete 16 weeks of elective rotations at the University of Kentucky or another approved site.

• Acting Internships - Students must complete two four-week acting internships, one in a medical discipline and one in a surgical discipline.
• Advanced Clinical Pharmacology and Anesthesiology - This four-week course is designed to integrate basic and clinical sciences. This course uses lectures, practice with the human patient simulator, interactive small groups, students’ presentations and first -hand experiences in the operating room and pain clinics to introduce anesthesiology and critical care medicine to students as they relate to pharmacology and physiology.
• Dean's Colloquium - This capstone course occurs one week before graduation and focuses on inter-professional relationships, medical jurisprudence, health care systems and issues of managed care.

Additional Information:

To view electives available for M1 and M2 students:
http://www.mc.uky.edu/meded/student_affairs/Electives.asp

To view the M4 Course offerings with additional information on the Acting Internships and links to the AHEC and other sites:
https://uky.oasisscheduling.com/public/courses/select_student_level.html

To view the COM graduation requirements:
http://www.mc.uky.edu/meded/student_affairs/2012_4th_year_catalog_grad.asp

To view the current academic calendar:
http://www.mc.uky.edu/meded/student_affairs/handbook_calendar.asp

To view the COM Student Policies:
 http://www.mc.uky.edu/meded/student_affairs/Policies.asp