Class of 2008 Clinical Studies Requirements

View Your Individual Schedule/Lottery Information
Class of 2008 Clinical Calendar
Third Year
Fourth Year

Clinical course planning grid

Third Year

• Six 8-week clinical core clerkship blocks (includes two, 2-week unscheduled periods during ob/gyn and pediatrics blocks).
• Two 1-week intersessions and one 2-week intersession.
• 22 half-day longitudinal clinic sessions (LCE).
• Two mini-Clinical Performance Exams (CPX), July/August 2006 and November/December 2006.
• Clinical Performance Exam (CPX), May/June 2007.
• In the six blocks of core, you will have two, 2-week unscheduled periods during the ob/gyn and pediatrics blocks. Ob/gyn vacation is always at the end of the block, except for Fresno blocks 3 and 4 when it is at the beginning of the block. Pediatrics vacation varies by site: CPMC, SFGH and Parn has vacation every two weeks; Kaiser SF and Kaiser Oakland is always at the end of the block; Fresno at the end of the block, except for blocks 3 and 4 when it is at the beginning of the block.
• If you have taken 6 units of electives in the first 2 years of medical school, you have a total of 3 months of vacation, not including winter breaks, in your third and fourth years. JMP students automatically receive a total of 3 months vacation.

The 46 Weeks of Clinical Core are made up of:

• Anesthesia 2 Weeks
• FCM 6 Weeks
• Medicine 8 Weeks
• Ob/Gyn 6 Weeks
• Pediatrics 6 Weeks
• Psychiatry and Neurology 4 Weeks Each
• Surgery 8 Weeks
• Surgical Specialties (ids 110) 2 Weeks
• IDS 111 (Longitudinal Clinical Experience) 22 Half-days in blocks 2-5
• IDS 112 (Two one-week Intersessions and one two-week Intersession) 4 Weeks
• Two mini-CPXs -- summer and fall quarters 2006
• CPX Spring quarter 2007

   

Core Clerkship Slots per Site per Block

** Spanish-speaking preferred

Pilot Programs

In 2006-2007 we will offer multiple program options -- Model SFGH, Model Fresno, VALOR and ORACLE. For more information and applications, please go to IRocket, Clinical Core.

Class of 2008 Core Scheduling Timeline

December 5, 2005: Model Fresno information meeting/Maureen Mitchell will also give general overview of 3rd year, 12-1, N217.
January 9, 2006: info meeting with Maureen and 3rd & 4th years re: core clerkships; LCE and Pilot presentations, 5:30pm, HSW301.
January 17: info meeting with Maureen and 3rd & 4th years re: core clerkships; LCE and Pilot presentations, 5:30pm, HSW301.
January 20: Model Fresno and Pilot applications due.
January 20: on-line lottery demo, noon, HSW301.
January 20 - January 31 (8am): on-line lottery.
January 23: on-line lottery demo, noon, room tba.
January 26: accepted Model Fresno and Pilot students will be notified.
January 31 (8am): on-line lottery closed.
February 10: lottery results available.
April 17 - April 20: Preparations for the Clerkships.
April 24: first day of third year.

Fourth Year

The whole scheduling process for fourth year starts after the winter break. There will be lots of people to help you decide how to plan your fourth year and beyond... information meeting with Maureen Mitchell in October during IS-2, departmental residency information meetings mid-Feb through mid-March, career fair February, chat with Med IVs, (Match Day is in March -- they graduate in May), MSPE/residency information meeting with Drs. Loeser and Papadakis and Kristen Fitzhenry in April, and career advisors all year up until you enter your rank order list in February 2008.

Fourth-Year Requirments

24 weeks advanced clinical work (T1/T2)*
17 discretionary weeks (additional T1/T2, AoC or research and 3 weeks CODA).

*MSTP STUDENTS: 28 weeks advanced clinical work (T1/T2); up to 6 units (4 weeks) of med 160.04 can be applied to these clincal weeks. No discretionary weeks are required.

Advanced Clinical Work

• Tier 1A -- advanced patient care rotations at UCSF. 8 Weeks (4 weeks of Med 140.01 or FCM 140.40 is required -- must be completed by the end of Winter Block 2. If you choose to take either course Winter 2, you must have 4 weeks of vacation scheduled the following Spring 1. Career advisor approval is required if you choose FCM 140.40). First two "A" rotations must be done in two different departments. ED rotations with Medicine course number are acceptable as second "A" rotation. At least one "A" rotation must be completed by the end of Fall Block 1.
• Tier 1B -- advanced patient care rotations at UCSF. 8 Weeks. First two "B" rotations must be done in two different departments (medicine rotations are exempt).
• Tier 2 -- advanced clinical rotations. No other Tier 2 rotations are required if Tier 1 "A" and "B" rotations have met the requirement for 24 advanced clinical weeks. Off-campus electives qualify. Also, two weeks of the 3-week, end-of-the-year required course, CODA, can qualify as Tier 2.

Discretionary Work

• Area of Concentration work
• Research
• Additional clinical electives
• Independent study/international work not through AoC -- up to 4 weeks.
• 3-week CODA Course -- usually offered at end of fourth year.
  

Details Regarding Advanced Studies

24 required clinical weeks. All advanced clinical rotations have:

• Rigor and substance
• Clinical content
• Explicit learning objectives
• Learning plan
• Appropriate assessment of student mastery
• Core as prerequisite
• Significant role in preparing students for graduation as well-rounded physicians and prepared interns

Advanced Patient Care Rotations -- Tier 1

• Characterized by responsibility for patient management.
• Done under the supervision of UCSF faculty, therefore not "away."
• At least 8 weeks of "A" rotations; at least 8 weeks of "B" rotations.
• First two "A" rotations are done in 2 different departments.
• First two "B" rotations are done in 2 different departments (dept of medicine is exempt)
• "A" rotations:
  • Must be done on services that have interns (or clear role for 4th years managing patients directly).
  • 4th years work side by side with house staff with a similar level of responsibility.
  • Required: Medicine 140.01 or FCM 140.40 - inpatient medicine, must take by Winter Block 2 (if you choose to take this Winter 2, you must have 4 weeks of vacation scheduled the following Spring 1); ICU (anes 140.03a. Anes 140.03b, or Surgery 140.23) and ED rotations with Medicine course number are acceptable as second "A" rotation.
  • At least one "A" rotation must be completed by the end of Fall Block 1
  • Four weeks long
• "B" rotations:
  • Responsibility for patient management as member of primary team or consultant
  • 40 hours or more per week
  • Two or four weeks long.

Advanced Clinical Rotations -- Tier 2

• No other Tier 2 rotations are required if Tier 1 "A" and "B" rotations have met the requirement for 24 advanced clinical weeks.
• Must meet general requirements above.
• Clinical content, but not necessarily patient care responsibility.
• May be done "away" but must be signed off on by UCSF analog dept as conforming to general requirements.
• Two weeks out of the 3-week CODA Coda course qualifies as a Tier 2 rotation.
  

Class of 2008 Advanced Studies Scheduling Timeline

October 16, 2006: information meeting with Maureen re: extending, advanced studies requirements, lottery, etc, 2pm, C701.
January - March: initial meetings with career advisors.
mid-February/mid-March: departmental residency information meetings.
February/March: start contacting off-campus institutions, AAMC's Extramural Electives Compendium.
February 26: Career Fair, noon, MU.
February 28: 4th year lottery strategy meeting with Maureen, 5:30-6:30pm, HSW303.
March 12: 4th year lottery strategy meeting with Maureen, 5:30-6:30pm, HSW303.
March 19: signed, tentative 4th-year schedule due to Maureen.
March 26- April 3 (8am): on-line lottery.
April 11 : results of lottery.
May 7: first day of 4th year.
May 23 - June 8: CPX.

Maureen is available to answer ANY questions you may have regarding fourth year. She can sit down with you and plan out a sample schedule that you can then take to your career advisor Jan-March 2008. Normal office hours are: Monday-Wednesday, 7:30-5:30; Thursday (7:30-3 available by email or phone only, 476-8084); and Friday, 9:30 - 2:30. Please call 476-8084 to check for any changes to Maureen's hours for a particular day.

Anesthesia

07-08: offered every two weeks, except for summer quarter and fall 4a/4b.

Surgical Specialties

07-08: offered fall 1b, 3a; winter 1a, 2b, 3a. Beginning this year, there will be five specialty options: neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthosurgery, otolaryngology and urology.

USMLE Step 2

Extending to the Class of 2009

If you are planning on graduating in June 2009, you must meet with a faculty advisor and Dr. Loeser preferably before the lottery in March 2007, but no later than August 24, 2007. A Request for Extended Program needs to be completed and signed by an advisor before this meeting. Also, you must complete all core clerkships and the Clinical Performance Exam (CPX) before extending.

Off-Campus US/Canadian Electives

Off-campus electives, numbered 140.02, are scheduled with the assistance of Curricular Affairs. Beginning in February of your third year, contact the institution where you would like to take an elective. A complete listing of all contact information for U.S. and Canadian medical schools can be found in AAMC's Extramural Electives Compendium. The institution's application needs to be signed by Dr. Loeser. Also, you must complete UCSF's Application for Extramural Clerkships, which requires the appropriate departmental permission/signature (meet with 140.02 faculty member listed in electives catalog) before Dr. Loeser can sign the forms. If you are interested in the Indian Health Service or the Centers for Disease Control, please visit their Web sites.

Off-Campus International Electives: You must complete
UCSF's Application for Extramural Clerkships as well as take a description of what, where and who will be supervising you, to the appropriate UCSF department. You also must make an appointment with Student Health at least three weeks prior to leaving the country — Student Health will give you a PPD, check your vaccine titers, and give you a one-week supply of Combivir. (Prior to your visit, go to the Traveler's Clinic to get the necessary vaccines.) Maureen can provide you with the names of current students who have done clinical work abroad, and you will find helpful information on the Office of International Programs' web site at and on the Epidemiology and Biostatistics site.

Research Electives: To receive research credit, you will need to complete a Research Approval Form and obtain signatures from the principal investigator, the sponsoring UCSF department, Dr. Daniel Lowenstein, and Dr. Loeser. Please call Mario at 476-2347 as soon as possible to make an appointment to meet Dr. Lowenstein to discuss your research project. You may apply up to four months of research credit towards your elective time. For information about research opportunities, please review http://medschool.ucsf.edu/studentresearch

Attendance Policy

It is extremely important that you have excellent attendance in all of your clerkships. If you are unable to attend a clerkship, whether it be for a residency interview, illness, or another reason, it is essential that you contact your clerkship/site director. THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME YOU MAY MISS IS ONE DAY PER MONTH, WITH THE PERMISSION OF THE CLERKSHIP/SITE DIRECTOR. If you exceed the one-day maximum and fail to make up the work, the instructor may issue you a failing grade. If you are ill, you should be seen by a doctor, and then call your clerkship supervisor to report your illness.

Add/Drop Policy

• You may add a clerkship at any time, based on availability.
• A drop is allowed up to eight weeks before the beginning of the clerkship. After that, a drop will be allowed only if you find a student to replace you.
• Add/Drop Study List Change
  

Full-Time Student Status

The School of Medicine Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy requires that all students are registered for a minimum of 12 units per quarter. The exceptions are quarters where it is only possible to fit in one 9-unit core clerkship/vacation and also spring quarter of the 4th year when students finish in mid-May.