Curriculum News & Changes

We want to more broadly communicate changes that have been made to the curriculum as a result of student feedback. Therefore, among other news, this section includes updates on some of these changes. (We have not included all changes made in response to feedback, so that this section is not overwhelming.)

Curriculum Improvements in the Clinical Skills Course

The CS faculty team introduced new teaching methods into the pre-clerkship curriculum this year. In response to past feedback, we have created more opportunities to do detailed case review and offer individualized feedback about students’ clinical reasoning skills. Don’t worry – Dr. Wijesekera’s large group discussions are still a highlight! On top of those, we’ve added 1:1 case discussions and small group self-directed learning sessions, both of which mimic activities that occur during clerkship rounds.

Curriculum Improvements in the Anatomy Course

As a result of your feedback, this year we have implemented the following changes:

• Moving the primary resource from iBooks to Guided Anatomy website.
• Have provided weekly notes most weeks of the course to the class, indicating upcoming plans, assignments, and opportunities.
• Offered frequent weekly office hours including Practice Practical Exams when appropriate. There are also Practice Written exams.
• Increased participation by specialty clinicians.
• Pelvic hemi-section became optional since it has been taxing for some students.
• Participation at the end of select labs by the YSM Mental Health and Wellness team, Sundari Birdsall, Lisa Ho, Officer Rich, Heidi, and Insomnia Cookies (for last Practical Exam of term).

For next year we will be:

• Beta testing the use of HoloLens headsets and the virtual reality software application called Anatomy-X with student and faculty groups this summer, in anticipation of integrating these experiences into anatomy instruction and dissection next year.
• Further integrating the Wellness Group into the course, for e.g., initial orientation and Service of Gratitude.
• Adding more system video by region, as with extremities in Guided Anatomy.
• Enhancing our recruitment of TAs and specialty specific faculty for labs.

Graduating Class of 2023 Capstone Course

The graduating class of 2023 completed their Capstone course on March 24th. In the final session they shared reflections of their time at Yale and the course using Mentimeter.

Addressing the Inappropriate Use of Race in the Curriculum

We wanted to again share our response to student concerns about presentations of the role of race in pre-clerkship courses when discussing the mechanisms and treatment of disease. At the start of the curriculum in iPro, we set expectations that curricular discussions of race-related mechanisms of disease would focus on race as a social, not biological construct. We recognize that at various times during the curriculum race is presented as a biological construct. In an effort to address this ongoing issue, we are piloting several steps during the Homeostasis course to make faculty aware when text in their slides or notes use terms commonly considered to refer to race so that they consider if these references are appropriate, and if so that the discussion of race acknowledges its relevance as a social and not biological construct. We are taking several steps to assist faculty in meeting this standard.


1. We are providing lecture and workshop faculty with a toolkit developed at UCSF, Antiracism and Race Literacy - A primer and toolkit for medical educators to review. We are asking faculty to particularly focus on Step 3 with definitions and a framework for addressing issues of race.
2. The Office of Curriculum (OoC) is reviewing the course PPTs, cases, and notes using keywords such as Asian, African American, Black, etc to identify slides or references that may be related to race. When found, the lecture or workshop leader will be alerted that they should consider if these references are appropriate, are evidenced-based, and use “race” as a social not biological or genetic construct.
3. We are asking course directors and other course faculty to alert the OoC to any instances of the inappropriate use of race that might have slipped through this review process or occurred as a result of discussions in the classroom.
4. We asked Dr. Beverley Sheares, the Director of the Health Equity Thread (HET), to produce a short video that can be used for faculty development to prepare them for discussions of race in relation to the mechanisms and treatment of disease. If successful, this video could be included in the materials that all medical education faculty are required to view and attest to annually.
5. We encourage students to speak to any of the deans or Dr. Sheares of the HET with any concerns related to curricular issues in the presentation or representation of race or gender in the curriculum so that we are able to address them and prevent future occurrences.

Please feel free to reach out to me, Associate Dean Michael Schwartz, with concerns or additional ideas of how to address these issues.

Addressing Mistreatment, Lapses of Professionalism, & Bias

Preventing mistreatment, addressing lapses in professionalism, and having a transparent and supportive reporting process is a priority at YSM. We recognize that the process will only be effective, and you only will have confidence in it, if we do a better job of providing you information about how and to whom you can share concerns and complaints about mistreatment, issues of professionalism, or bias and how the school addresses them. TheOffice of Academic and Professional Development (OAPD) receives these reports.

How Can You Report a Concern?

1. You can report a professionalism/mistreatment concern in real-time, using this link, which we have embedded in five locations on the MD Program webpage, including toward the bottom of the Curriculum homepage.
2. At the end of every curricular experience (course, clerkship, elective), you have the opportunity to complete an evaluation, which includes reporting any mistreatment, harassment, or bias you experienced or observed. Your reports are confidential and anonymous and are not visible to anyone who is evaluating you.
3. You may ALWAYS contact your course/clerkship/elective director, advisor, or any medical education dean if you have a concern that you would like to discuss. We will respect your confidentiality and discuss ways to approach or address your concerns.

What Happens When You Report a Concern?

1. Reports to the OAPD are responded to within two business days. OAPD’s first action will be to set up a time to talk with you about the concern and discuss options on how to respond to the concern, keeping in mind that confidentiality is often an important consideration. While OAPD’s purview is professionalism among YSM faculty, if your concern is not about a faculty member, OAPD staff will work with you to direct your concern to the group that can best address it. This OAPD summary provides additional information on how professionalism concerns are handled at YSM.
2. Reports embedded in curricular evaluations are reviewed on a quarterly basis by the Office of Curriculum and OAPD. The responsible department is required to produce an action plan in response to each report. In collaboration with Deputy Dean for Professionalism and Leadership Robert Rohrbaugh, Deputy Dean Jessica Illuzzi follows up with the chairs of each department to monitor progress in addressing issues of professionalism and conduct in the learning environment.

Deputy Dean Jessica Illuzzi and Associate Dean Michael Schwartz are establishing a new subcommittee of the Educational Policy and Curriculum Committee (EPCC) to regularly review reports of harassment, mistreatment, or bias in the learning environment, departments’ responses, and outcomes and to provide recommendations to the EPCC. Students interested in joining this subcommittee should contact Associate Dean Michael Schwartz.

Click here for more details on OAPD’s role in promoting faculty professionalism.

2023-2024 YSM Academic Calendar for the MD Program

The 2023-2024 academic calendar for the YSM MD program is now available for download here.

Walking Maps

If you need to find your way around the Yale New Haven or Saint Raphael hospitals, walking maps can be found at Yale New Haven Hospital Walking Maps.