Academic Standards

 

Professionalism


Professionalism is one of the core competencies within our curriculum. It requires that the students strive for excellence in the following areas:

  • Altruism: A student physician is obligated to attend to the best interest of patients, rather than self-interest.
  • Accountability: Student physicians are accountable to their patients, to society on issues of public health, and to their profession.
  • Excellence: Student physicians are obligated to make a commitment to life-long learning.
  • Duty: A student physician should be available and responsive when "on call," accepting a commitment to service within the profession and the community.
  • Honor and integrity: Student physicians should be committed to being fair, truthful and straightforward in their interactions with patients and the profession.
  • Respect for others: A student physician should demonstrate respect for patients and their families, other physicians and team members, medical students, residents and fellows.

These values should provide guidance for promoting professional behavior and for making difficult ethical decisions. These principals are especially important in the senior year of medical school as students prepare for the transition from medical students to residents. More responsibility falls on the shoulders of the students to design a curriculum that fulfills their individual needs. Along with this new freedom to design one’s own curriculum comes the responsibility to follow the processes as outlined in this Senior Student Manual. Please read it carefully and refer to it often as questions arise. It is a very comprehensive guide.

 

Goals and Objectives


The fourth year curriculum has been designed to aid in the advancement of the student's professional education.  Each student is asked to consult with his/her Advisor in designing a curriculum which is tailored to the student's interests and career goals.  The Advisor functions to encourage each student to use the fourth year:

  1. To broaden his/her general clinical skills, knowledge and responsibility for patient care.
  2. To explore potential areas of interest to aid in residency selection.
  3. To pursue Basic Science electives in research and teaching as appropriate.
  4. To improve any areas of deficiency.