Q: What's Innovative About Hopkins' Curriculum?

The development of the new "Genes to Society" curriculum has been ongoing since 2003, when Edward Miller, M.D., dean/CEO, charged David Nichols, M.D., M.B.A., vice dean for education, to review the undergraduate medical curriculum, to ensure JHUSOM graduates continue to become leaders in research, clinical care, and education.  Below are some frequently asked questions about the curriculum.  Please feel free to contact the Admissions Office with further questions.

Background

In 2003 JHUSOM began a review of its medical student curriculum and decided it was time for an update.  Some of the considerations that led to this decisions were:

• The need for coordinated avenues to incorporate the explosion of biomedical knowledge, new technologies, and emerging multidisciplinary topics into the curriculum. 
• A move from a partitioned medical curriculum to one that integrates basic, clinical, and social science throughout all four years and allows students to revisit topics in light of their increasing knowledge base.
• The changing view of medicine framed around individual variability rather than the distinct separation between “normal” and “abnormal.”
• Societal concerns with health disparities, outcomes, and safety.
• Student need for earlier exposure to patients, longitudinal ambulatory experiences, and structured avenues to explore areas of interest.

When is the curriculum changing and will I be affected?

The new curriculum to be rolled out in the fall of 2009.  The class of 2013 will be the first class to receive the new curriculum.

How is the Genes to Society Curriculum structured?

Year 1:

• The first course of medical school is Anatomy.  Anatomy is the quintessesntial medical school experience. 
• Following the seven weeks of Anatomy, Scientific Foundations of Medicine will emphasize principles fundamental to the science presented over the next four years.  This will include basic sciences, social sciences, public health, and information skills.  
• Clinical Foundations of Medicine will allow you to begin your patient-centered education immediately in by learning clinical skills, including interviewing, communication, and physical diagnosis.
• Genes to Society will follow Foundations.   This course will be divided into disciplines and will combine the traditional “normal” and “abnormal.”  Each discipline will be taught on a similar framework:  genes, proteins, cells, tissues, organs, systems, individuals, communities, environments, and societies.  This framework allows basic science to be taught using evidence-based medicine and a public health perspective.
• Concurrent with the start of Genes to Society in January of Year I, you will begin a Longitudinal Ambulatory Clerkship.  You will spend one afternoon each week in an outpatient setting with a dedicated preceptor.  This course will also include didactic or web-based learning of common outpatient clinical and systems-based topics.
• Intersessions in the first two years are one-week sessions that highlight how the basic science being learned is applicable in a clinical setting.  Intersession themes include: Global Health, Disaster Medicine, Health Disparities, Pain, Patient Safety, End-of-Life Care, Substance Abuse and Prevention.

Year 2:

• Genes to Society continues through February of Year II, with Intersessions continuing, as well.
• Directly prior to entering your clinical clerkships, you will have the four-week course Transition to the Wards.  Transitions will include integrative problem-based learning modules to consolidate and reinforce lessons of the first two years, as well as introduce specific content in preparation for the clerkships.  This content will include ECGs, radiographs, clinical pathology, safety, pharmacy, information systems, and community resources.
• Scholarly Concentrations will allow you to pursue in greater depth broad topics already covered in less depth in the curriculum  Dedicated faculty will follow students in their chosen fields through the first two years.  Scholary Concentrations will be designed to integrate with summer activities and provide defined opportunities for students to pursue advanced degrees from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health or Graduate School.  Possible topics for Scholarly Concentrations are basic translational investigation, clinical translational investigation, health policy/public health, history of medicine, and medical humanities.  You will be required to complete a scholarly project in you concentration in conjunction with a dedicated mentor.

Years 3 and 4:

• You will have a choice in how they take their core clinical clerkships (Medicine, Surgery, OB-GYN, Pediatrics, Neurology, and Psychiatry).  Option 1 is a fixed path, where students take all core clerkships in Year III.  Option 2 is a flexible path, where students can choose to delay one of the clerkships until Year IV.  Regardless, all core clerkships will be preceded by an integrated, one-week, skill-building session.  Much of this week will occur in the Simulation Center.
• In addition to the core clerkships, there will be a series of required Advanced Clerkships to be completed before graduation.  These will include a subinternship in Medicine, Surgery, or Pediatrics, a chronic care clerkship (e.g., palliative care, rehabilitation, geriatrics), and a critical care clerkship.  In addition, you will have ample opportunities in Years III and IV to take electives (e.g., Radiology, Urology, Orthopaedics, etc.). 
• Intersessions in the clinical years will provide the opportunity to revisit basic science topics applicable to the clinical clerkships.  Clerkship directors will collaborate with basic science faculty to develop a series of seminars linked to core clerkships, which model modern scientific inquiry of bench to bedside medicine.
• Transition to Residency and Prep for Life (TRIPLE) will be the final required course experience prior to graduation.  The goal of TRIPLE is to provide preparation for residency and life.  Practical topics in preparation for residency will include Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS), procedure simulations, teamwork skills, advanced communication skills (e.g., informed consent, breaking bad news, admitting mistakes, and personal safety).  Discussion regarding issues outside of residnecy will include leadership training, emotional health, career guidance, and managing finances.  TRIPLE has been piloted three times already and received rave reviews from students.

Medicine in Context

That physicians do not work in a world unto themselves may seem obvious, but that fact gives rise to issues of enormous complexity and urgency. That's why you'll spend time in the course called Physician and Society discovering how legal, political, economic, ethical and religious matters play out in a professional practice. And that's also why you'll discuss often-sensitive situations surrounding race, gender and sexual preference.