Third-Year Curriculum

Clinical Clerkships

Clinical clerkships give students an opportunity to get out of the classroom and into the wards and clinics to gain first-hand experience with patients. The third-year curriculum is dedicated almost entirely to clinical clerkships.

The required clerkships are:

Internal Medicine                        8 weeks
Ambulatory Medicine                 4 weeks
Surgery 10 weeks, including two weeks in ED
Anesthesiology2 weeks
Pediatrics8 weeks
Clinical Neuroscience4 weeks
Obstetrics and Gynecology6 weeks
Psychiatry6 weeks

There is no required order for clerkships, nor is there an advantage to any particular order. Students should try to complete as many required clerkships as possible during the third year.

USMLE Step I

The USMLE is a multi-part exam medical doctors are required to pass before practicing medicine in the United States. Students are required to take USMLE Step I by the end of December of their third year, but we encourage students to take it before starting clinical clerkships in June of the third year.

Note: If you fail Step 1, you may take it again any time before May of your third year.