First Year - Preclinical Courses
The biomedical sciences portion of the curriculum is approximately 65 weeks in duration. The first year curriculum runs from August through May, and is devoted to the basic scientific foundations of medicine and an introduction to clinical medicine. The first year format consists primarily of basic science activities in the General Education Building and clinical activities in the Robert Kaplan Clinical Skills Center. Approximately twenty hours weekly are devoted to scheduled activities.
Second Year - Preclinical Courses
The second year curriculum runs from August through March, and is devoted to the continued exposure to the basic scientific foundations of medicine and clinical medicine, focusing around organ systems. It consists primarily of basic science activities in the General Education Building and clinical activities in the Robert Kaplan Clinical Skills Center. Approximately twenty hours weekly are devoted to scheduled activities.
Third Year - Clinical Rotations (Begins in May)
Students proceed directly into the Third Year Clinical Clerkships upon successful completion of the Biomedical Sciences, and having taken the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1. Students need to have fulfilled all additional requirements for entering the clinical environment, i.e., immunizations, Tb skin test, VAMC onboarding, HIPAA and BLS certificate, electronic medical record training and credentialing, etc.
Students begin the third year with a week-long Principles of Clinical Medicine block that focuses on providing clinical skills essential to success in the third year clerkships. These clerkships provide a breadth of clinical experiences in the major care areas. Students become an integral part of the health-care team in an academic setting involving both house staff and faculty as well as ancillary services of the teaching hospitals. Programs are available in facilities in Memphis, Knoxville, Chattanooga, Jackson, and Nashville.
In addition, third year medical students will have the opportunity to take six weeks of career exploration electives to assist them in making important career decisions. Two of these six weeks may be used as option weeks. Also, two Longitudinal Scholars Program (LSP) courses are required in the third year. One scheduled in the Fall and one in the Spring term.
| Course |
Course Type |
Term/Total Weeks |
Memphis |
Knoxville |
Chattanooga |
Nashville |
| Principles of Clinical Medicine V |
Clinical |
1 week |
x |
|
|
|
| Family Medicine |
Clinical |
6 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
| Medicine |
Clinical |
8 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
| Neurology |
Clinical |
4 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
| OB/GYN |
Clinical |
6 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
X |
| Pediatrics |
Clinical |
6 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
| Psychiatry |
Clinical |
4 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
| Surgery |
Clinical |
8 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
| Longitudinal Scholar’s Project 3.1 and 3.2 |
Independent Study |
Fall, Spring |
x |
|
|
|
| Career Exploration Electives* |
Clinical |
4-6 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
| Option Block |
N/A |
0-2 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
*Students are required to take a minimum of 4 weeks of career exploration electives, and a maximum of 6 weeks within their third year. If the minimum of 4 weeks is scheduled, the student must then schedule a 2 week third year option block (OPN 35000 ).
Required Third Year Courses
Fourth Year - Clinical Rotations
The fourth year is composed of four 4-week required rotations, Principles of Clinical Medicine VI (1) and (2) (Fall and Spring terms), Longitudinal Scholars Program (Fall and Spring terms), and 16 weeks of electives. In addition to fulfilling all course requirements, students must meet additional non-course degree requirements by specified graduation deadlines. For more information on non-course degree requirements go to: Completion of the Degree of Doctor of Medicine .
Electives: Sixteen weeks of two-week (half-time) or four-week (full-time) elective work are required during the senior year. During this time, each student has the opportunity to: 1) select experiences that meet individual career goals, 2) study in depth in a clinical or basic science area, and 3) have increased responsibility in patient care under the direct supervision of the faculty. Electives are offered by the University of Tennessee, UT-affiliated hospitals, and (with approval) at other accredited medical schools.
Students are required to meet with their Specialty Advisors to obtain advice on how best to choose and appropriately schedule electives to assist with career choice as well as to improve student competitiveness for the match.
Although prior approval by the course coordinator is not required for all electives, the responsibility of verifying the availability of an elective for a particular scheduling period rests with each student. For courses, which indicate, “Prior Authorization Required,” permission must be obtained from the instructor of record prior to scheduling.
In very special circumstances, a student may request an elective not currently available in the bulletin. Any specially designed elective requires approval of the involved faculty member and approval from the Assistant Dean of Clinical Curriculum. The Office of Medical Education has forms available for this purpose. Since the approval process for a special elective could require considerable time, students are advised to begin this process well in advance of the time at which the requested elective is to be scheduled.
All Fourth Year Course Requirements and Locations
| Course |
Course Type |
Term/Weeks |
Memphis |
Knoxville |
Chattanooga |
Nashville |
Jackson |
| Principles of Clinical Medicine VI (1) and (2) |
Clinical |
Fall and Spring |
x |
|
|
|
|
| Geriatrics/Palliative Rotation |
Clinical |
4 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
| Junior Internship (any discipline) |
Clinical |
8 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x* |
| Longitudinal Scholars Project 4.1 and 4.2 |
Independent Study |
Fall and Spring |
x |
|
|
|
|
| Capstone Course |
Clinical |
4 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
|
|
| Electives |
Clinical |
16 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x* |
| Option Blocks** |
N/A |
20 weeks |
x |
x |
x |
x |
x |
*A limited number of Family Medicine rotations are offered at the Jackson Tennessee location.
**8 weeks of option blocks (OPN 45000 ) must be taken in blocks 11, 12 or 1, and one option block must be used if necessary to accommodate asynchronous away rotations.
Required Fourth Year Courses
