Required Course and Clerkship Descriptions: Core MD Program

Link to USF Graduate Academic Catalog Description 

Doctoring I-IV

The first three years are delivered in a small group-based sequence that teaches students interviewing, physical diagnosis, and differential diagnostic skills; bioethics, medical humanities, health systems and economics; community, preventive, and public health. Introduces care of special populations including the disabled. Year 4 is a combination of in-person conference-style events with longitudinal online learning.

Evidence-based Clinical Reasoning I-II

A two-year sequence first introduces students to principles of statistics and evidence-based medicine, then applies that knowledge in small group-based problem-based learning (PBL) cases in which students research topics relevant to the presented cases and teach their small group peers what they learned. The course emphasizes evidence-based and lifelong learning principles.

Year 1-2 Medical Science Courses

Years 1 and 2 of the curriculum are a continuum that introduces students to an organ system-based overview of normal and disease processes, increasing the emphasis on diseases and therapy as the courses progress. Courses integrate anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, cell biology, biochemistry, microbiology, and pharmacology relevant to the organ systems under study.

Year 1:

• Musculoskeletal System - dissection-based anatomy of the back and extremities; physiology and biochemistry of muscle contraction
• Cancer biology - a review of important tenets of molecular/cellular biology, genetics, and immunology from the perspective of cancer pathogenesis and treatment.
• Cardiovascular and Pulmonary Systems - normal function, common abnormalities, and structural anatomy of the heart, lungs, and vessels; components and physiology of blood.
• Gastrointestinal, Endocrine, Renal, and Reproductive Systems -  molecular, cellular, tissue, organ, and system-level integrations through concepts derived from basic anatomy, biochemistry, cell biology, genetics, histology, microbiology, physiology, and radiological imaging; gain experience and improve skills in diagnosis, reasoning, and communication
• Neurological System - basic neurobiology and neuroanatomy, the motor and sensory systems, and basic aspects of higher cortical function, human development, and core principles of pharmacology.

Year 2:

• Infection and Immunity - immunology, microbiology, hematology, and gastrointestinal system; presents the core principles of pathology, microbiology, immunology, and pharmacology while providing an introduction to clinical medicine.
• Cardiovascular, Pulmonary, and Renal Systems - core biomedical and clinical principles of pulmonology, cardiology, nephrology, organ transplantation, and multi-organ disease processes. Each topic includes an integrated approach that blends pathology and pathophysiology, pharmacology, immunology, microbiology, and clinical medicine.
• Neurology, Endocrinology, Reproductive Health, Rheumatology, and Dermatology - core biomedical and clinical principles of the central and peripheral nervous systems, psychiatry, endocrinology, men’s and women’s health, skin/bones, and selected topics encountered in the ambulatory care setting. 

Year 3 Clinical Clerkships

MCOM clinical clerkships in Tampa emphasize the integrative process of patient care from a patient perspective, vs. the traditional departmental-based approach. Multiple departments interact to deliver the curriculum at core clinical sites including Tampa General Hospital, Haley VA Medical Center, All Children’s Hospital, and Morsani Center for Advanced Patient care. The year includes 2 electives of the student’s choice that are 2 weeks each to explore non-clerkship career options or do research.

• Primary Care - outpatient care in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, and Pediatrics, emphasizing management of common chronic diseases and prevention strategies.
• Adult Medicine - inpatient care of acute adult illness
• Surgical Care - principles of pre-, intra-, and post-operative care, with rotations in general, trauma, vascular, and gynecologic surgery. Includes selective rotations in surgical subspecialties and simulation training at the Center for Advanced Medical Learning and Simulation (CAMLS) in downtown Tampa.
• Psychiatry - a five-week clerkship that runs paired with the Neurology clerkship and is focused on the diagnosis and therapy of psychiatric illness in the inpatient and outpatient setting.
• Neurology - a five-week clerkship that runs paired with the Psychiatry clerkship focused on diagnosis and therapy of neurologic illness in the inpatient and outpatient settings.
• Women’s Health - a four-week clerkship that runs paired with the Pediatric Medicine clerkship and is focused on general gynecology, obstetrics, labor, and delivery. Students work on the labor floor to better understand antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum care. On outpatient women's health, students will have exposure to prenatal care, well-woman preventative care, and evaluation of common gynecologic problems.
• Pediatric Medicine - a four-week clerkship that runs paired with Women’s Health and is focused on general newborn nursery and inpatient pediatric care; covers the fundamentals of well newborn care and inpatient acute care pediatrics

Year 4 Specialty Track Sub-Phase: Electives/Selectives

Year 4 is focused on preparation for residency, building advanced clinical skills, and exploration of areas of medicine of interest to the student. Nine months of coursework are required, including:

1. Three to five months of work in a track that prepares students for a specific residency discipline, including:
1. An Acting Internship with direct patient management responsibility (4 weeks)
2. Specialty track electives: two 4-week selectives to prepare for a specialty of choice
3. Unstable Patient courses: choose a 4-week course based in the intensive care units or emergency dept.
4. Entrustable Professional Activity (EPA) course: a 2-week course to solidify skills in the specialty-specific EPAs 
5. General Elective: choose a 4-week general elective, or complete an independent study or extramural elective 
2. Longitudinal Doctoring IV course (14 weeks) with training in leadership, how to be a teacher as a resident physician, pain management, management of substance use disorder, patient safety, life support, disaster management, financial wellness, and other key skills needed for the intern year of residency.