Fundamental Principles of the Medical School Curriculum

As the faculty of the School of Medicine, we will strive to implement these curricular principles:

1. We must ensure that our teaching methods and our evaluation system reflect our fundamental goals of training better doctors, improving patient care, and advancing knowledge.

2. We must view the four years of medical school as an integrated experience and teach both basic science and clinical skills throughout the curriculum.

3. We must utilize methods of instruction that foster active learning throughout our students' careers.

4. We must ensure that our students develop patient care and communications skills needed to care for diverse patient populations, as these skills are central to the practice of medicine.

5. We must ensure that students develop critical appraisal skills and understand the scientific method as applied to the practice of medicine.

6. We must ensure that topics reflecting social, ethical, economic, and professional issues are taught throughout the curriculum and will be integrated within clinical education wherever possible.

7. We must ensure the success of our curriculum by providing the necessary resources, faculty time, and rewards for medical student teaching activities.

8. We must continuously update the curriculum to keep pace with the rapid advances in the scientific underpinnings of medicine.

9. We must provide broad elective, investigative, and other special program opportunities for students to explore science and medicine beyond the required curriculum and develop their individual potential to the fullest.

10. We must ensure that we support a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the medical school community.

Updated 2017