BIG CHANGES IN 2018
Clinical curriculum revised for all students
OUM students have been hearing throughout the year about changes coming to the clinical curriculum, thanks to the appointment of Clinical Course Directors for each of the core subjects in early 2017.
“The Clinical Course Directors have been making tremendous progress throughout the year,” says Paula Diamante, MD, Director of Faculty Affairs, Chair of the Clinical Course Directors, and herself the Clinical Course Director for Pediatrics. “We look forward to launching the new features to the clinical curriculum.”
Some improvements, such as the Clinical Student Advising Program, were enacted in 2017, but 2018 will feature new syllabi, recorded lectures, and exams, including a new Final Clinical Exam based on the revamped clinical curriculum.
“Unfortunately, not as many clinical students as expected are working with a Clinical Student Advisor, though survey results indicated they overwhelmingly supported having a clinician to help guide them through their clinical rotations,” she adds. “Any clinical student without an advisor is clearly missing out.”
The work of the new Clinical Course Directors is reflected in the upcoming changes to the clinical curriculum. Changes take effect in Term 1801 and some new requirements are based on when a student commences rotations.
New core clinical requirements effective January 2018
All clinical students, no matter when they commence rotations, will be subject to the following on all core clinical rotations that begin in January 2018 and beyond:
- A recorded introductory lecture that outlines learning objectives and other expectations for the clinical rotation.
- A course syllabus and revised reading assignments as prescribed by the Clinical Course Director.
- Weekly 10-question quizzes based on reading assignments and any lectures featured in the core rotations. The quizzes will not count toward the final grade for the rotation, but any failures (including unattempted exams) will require the student to meet with the Clinical Student Advisor, dean, and/or the Student Progress Committee. Quiz failures may be reflected in recommendation letters written for internship and residency applications.
- Re-written End of Rotation exams based on the new clinical content will count toward 30 percent of the final grade for the core rotation.
FCE suspension continues, new exams coming
- Current clinical students not required to sit USMLE for graduation, who either already are currently engaged in their clinical clerkship program or were approved by 1 December to commence their first clinical rotation before 1 January 2018, will not be required to sit the written Final Clinical Exam (FCE) as a graduation requirement. However, it is highly recommended that these students sit for the Final Clinical Exam to help prepare them for the multiple choice question (MCQ) part of the medical registration or licensure exam of their country.
- Students commencing clinical rotations in January 2018 and beyond (and not required to pass USMLE) will be required to pass a newly written FCE following completion of their core rotations but before graduation. The new FCE will be based on the new clinical curriculum that will commence in January 2018, featuring learning objectives, reading assignments, lectures, and exam questions set by the Clinical Course Directors, who are specialists in their particular areas of expertise, for each of the seven core rotations.
- For students required to pass USMLE for graduation, requirements will remain the same.
Students with questions should contact their Dean or Clinical Student Advisor. Clinical students who do not have a Clinical Student Advisor are strongly urged to get one, in order to better navigate the clinical rotations and these changes.
