Class of 2010 Clinical Studies Requirements

View Your Individual Schedule/Lottery Information
Class of 2010 Clinical Calendar
Third Year
Fourth Year

Clincal Course Planning Grid

Third Year

• Six 8-week clinical core clerkship blocks (includes two, 2-week unscheduled periods during ob/gyn and pediatrics blocks).
• Three intersessions: two one-week sessions, one two-week session.
• 22 half-day longitudinal clinic sessions (LCE).
• Two mini-Clinical Performance Exams (CPX) -- July/August 2008 and November/December 2008
• Clinical Performance Exam (CPX), May/June 2009.
• In the six blocks of core, you will have two, two-week unscheduled periods during the ob/gyn and pediatrics blocks. Ob/gyn vacation is always at the end of the block (in 08-09, block 4 Fresno ob/gyn vacation will be at the beginning of the block). Pediatrics vacation varies by site: CPMC, SFGH and Parn has vacation every two weeks; Fresno, Kaiser Oakland and Kaiser SF is always at the end of the block (in 08-09, block 3 Fresno peds vacation will be at the beginning of the block). Except for block 2, surgical specialties is automatically placed in the block where you receive fcm. You may replace surgical specialties with anesthesia in your third year.  
• 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 automatically receive 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 2008
• CPX Spring quarter 2009

   

Core Clerkship Slots per Site per Block

** Spanish-speaking preferred

Structured Program Options

In 2008-2009 we will offer multiple structured program options -- Model Madres (Child and Family Health in the Central Valley); Model SFGH; ORACLE; PISCES and VALOR. Information and interest form is on IRocket, Clinical Core.

Class of 2010 Core Scheduling Timeline

Fri, January 4: structured program descriptions on IRocket, Clinical Core.
Fri, January 4, 10-12 (HSW300): meeting with Dr. Loeser, Maureen Mitchell and structured program directors.
Mon, January 7, 12-1 (HSW301): Model Madres (Child and Family Health in the Central Valley) Q&A, Adriana Padilla, MD.
Mon, January 7, 5:30-6:30 (N225): Neurology/Psychiatry site information meeting, Robert Daroff, MD and Ann Poncelet, MD.
Weds, January 9, 5:30-6:30 (Toland Hall): Anesthesia site information meeting, Martin Bogetz, MD.
Fri, January 11, 12-1 (HSW301): Medicine site information meeting, Karen Hauer, MD.
Mon, January 14, 5:30-6:30 (N225): Surgery site information meeting, Andre Campbell, MD.
Tues, January 15, 12-1 (HSW301): VALOR Q&A, Calvin Chou, MD.
Weds, January 16, 12-1 (HSW301): Pediatrics site information meeting, Tim Kelly, MD.
Weds, January 16, 5:30-6:30 (N225): 3rd/4th year panel and Maureen Mitchell re: core year; on-line lottery. Informal -- bring your questions for those who have experienced 3rd year!
Thursday, January 17, 12-1 (HSW301): Model SFGH Q&A, Margo Vener, MD.
Fri, January 18, 12-1 (HSW301): PISCES Q&A, Ann Poncelet, MD and Patty Robertson, MD.
Weds, January 23, 12-1 (HSW301): Ob/Gyn site information meeting, Patty Robertson, MD.
Mon, January 28, 12-1 (HSW301): Surgical specialties site information meeting, Mohammad Diab, MD.

Mon, February 4, 5:30-6:30 (N225): 3rd/4th year panel and Maureen Mitchell re: core year; on-line lottery. Informal -- bring your questions for those who have experienced 3rd year!
Weds, February 6, 12-1 (HSW300): FCM site information meeting, Margo Vener, MD.
Mon, February 11, 12-1 (HSW302): Longitudinal Clinical Experience (LCE) information meeting, Cindy Irvine; Margo Vener, MD; and Maria Wamsley, MD.
Fri, February 15, 12-1 (HSW301): lottery demo, Maureen Mitchell.
February 15- February 26(8am) : on-line lottery.
March 7: lottery results.
April 14 - April 25: Transitional Clerkship.
April 28: First day of third year.

General Infomation

• LOTTERY : If you are unable to attend the Feb 15 noon lottery demo meeting, please set up an appointment with Maureen for a demo in her office (S221). If you are accepted into a Structured Program, you will enter the lottery for only non-Program blocks.
• SURGICAL SPECIALTIES (IDS 110) : 2-week core clerkship in either neurosurgery, ophthalmology, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology or urology is offered the same block as family and community medicine (fcm). Each fcm block starts with 2 weeks of ids 110, followed by 6 weeks of fcm -- ids 110 automatically gets assigned to the block where you receive fcm. Surgical specialty assignments will be done at a later date by the department. It is only offered the first two weeks of each block.
• ANESTHESIA : Anesthesia is a 2-week core clerkship that can be taken during your unscheduled times in fcm, ob/gyn and pediatrics. It is offered as follows: the first six weeks of blocks 1 and 3; last two weeks of block 2; every two weeks in blocks 4, 5 and 6.
• MEDICINE : core medicine and 4 th-year medicine sub-internship must be taken at different sites.
• NEURO/PSYCH : you will have the option to rank both neuro/psych and psych/neuro. Half the students in each block will be starting with neuro, the other half will start with psych. These two clerkships are linked together by a psych continuity clinic so you will be taking them both at the same site.
• OB/GYN : 2-week vacation is always at the end of the block.
• PEDIATRICS : 2-week vacation is at the end of the block at all sites; 'floating' 2-week vacation option at CPMC, Parn and SFGH -- this means you can choose vacation weeks 1&2, 3&4, 5&6 or 7&8.
• PARKING : information on IRocket, Clinical Core, 'Before and Beyond.'
• OFF -CAMPUS HOUSING : paid housing is provided in Fresno, Salinas and Santa Rosa. All core (except anes, surg spec and med) is offered in Fresno; fcm and ob/gyn in Salinas and fcm in Santa Rosa.
• WEEKENDS : No weekends are required in anesthesia and psychiatry. FCM generally has weekends off, except for the students assigned to a very popular East Bay Saturday clinic. You always have the weekend off between blocks.

Maureen Mitchell is available to answer ANY questions you may have regarding third year. 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.

Fourth Year

The whole scheduling process for fourth year starts after the winter break of your third year. There will be lots of people to help you decide how to plan your fourth year and beyond... information meeting with Maureen 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 2010.

Fourth-Year Requirements

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 clinical 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 (not offered Fall Block 4; only available in Winter Block 1 to students who will have completed all interviews by 12/31/09). 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.
  

Extending to the Class of 2011

If you are planning on graduating in June 2011, you must meet with a faculty advisor and Dr. Loeser preferably before the 4th year lottery in March 2009, but no later than August 31, 2009. 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