The clerkship curriculum consists of 80 weeks in years three and four following the COM 1997 course (Entrustable Professional Activities I). Students may advance to clinical rotations after taking the COMLEX-USA Level 1 examination. Students must successfully complete 36 weeks of core clinical rotations during the third year. A minimum of one required third-year clinical clerkship must be completed under the supervision of an osteopathic physician, and more than one of the required third-year clinical clerkship experiences must include an inpatient component.
COM 1996 – Comprehensive Clinical Management is to be taken after completion of core clinical rotations in preparation for COMLEX Level 2-CE. COM 1998 – Entrustable Professional Activities-II can be taken during years three or four but counts toward the OMS-III credit hour requirements.
Students who have successfully passed the COMLEX 2-CE examination will transition to year four. During year four of the program, students are required to complete 16 weeks of required clerkships and 20 weeks of elective clerkship rotations plus COM 2091 – Entrustable Professional Activities III to prepare students for graduation and residency. The required clerkships include a 4-week rotation in a medically underserved area, a 4-week rotation in primary care, a 4-week rotation in a specialty or sub-specialty rotation and a 4-week rotation in emergency medicine.
A total 42.0 credit hours is required for the OMS-III year and a total of 38.0 credit hours is required for the OMS-IV year.
OMS-III Required Core Clerkships
COM 1996 – Comprehensive Clinical Management – (2.0 CH)
A 4-week intensive, self- study period for COMLEX Level 2-CE exam preparation. Students will review basic and clinical science topics from the required Core clerkships during the third year.
COM 1997 – Entrustable Professional Activities – (2.0 CH)
This 2-week capstone course incorporates practical clinical skills labs, competency based OSCEs and other assessments to ensure students are ready to begin clerkships. Basic and Advanced Life Support certifications will be updated during the course.
COM 1998 – Entrustable Professional Activities II – (2.0 CH)
This 4-week capstone course incorporates didactic presentations, practical clinical skills performances, competency based OSCEs and other assessments to help ensure students are proficient /competent in some of the Entrustable Professional Activities. Students will demonstrate their skills as table trainers alongside clinical faculty for the OMS-I and OMS-II clinical skills and OPP courses. Students will also attend additional counseling and advising sessions to help navigate their choice of residency training and the residency match process. This course is available for OMS-III and OMS-IV students.
COM 1911 / COM 1912 – Family Medicine I & II – (4.0 CH each/total 8.0 CH)
These clerkships are designed to provide the student with an understanding of Family Medicine through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings. A total of 8 weeks is required to be completed in Family Medicine.
COM 1921 – Pediatrics – (4.0 CH)
This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of Pediatrics through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and/or inpatient settings.
COM 1931 – Behavioral Health – (4.0 CH)
This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of Psychiatric illness and treatment through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and required inpatient settings.
COM 1941 – Women’s Health – (4.0 CH)
This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of Women's Health through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and required inpatient settings.
COM 1951 / COM 1952 – Surgery I & II (4.0 CH each/total of 8.0 CH)
These clerkships can be general or a subspecialty surgery clerkship. Students may select a clerkship from among a list of medical disciplines. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with a basic understanding of Surgery through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings. A total of 8 weeks is required to be completed in Surgery.
COM 1971 / COM 1972 – Internal Medicine I & II (4.0 CH each/total of 8.0 CH)
These clerkships can be a general or subspecialty IM clerkship. Students may select a clerkship from among a list of medical disciplines. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of Internal Medicine through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and required inpatient settings. A total of 8 weeks is required to be completed in Internal Medicine.
Enrichment Courses – OMS-III
COM 1999 – Clinical Sciences Integration II (CSI II) – (2.0 CH)
A multidisciplinary course that prepares students for successful completion of the COMLEX Level 1 exam, which assess students’ competency in integrated foundational biomedical sciences with other areas of medical knowledge relevant to clinical problem-solving and the promotion of health maintenance. (Does not count in degree requirements).
COM 1991 - Enhanced Study 1 - (2.0 CH)
The Enhanced Study-1 is a 4-week long course. This clerkship is designed to provide students with an additional opportunity to prepare for the COMLEX Level 1. COMLEX Level 1 is an assessment administered in a time-measured manner that integrates foundational biomedical sciences with other areas of medical knowledge relevant to clinical problem-solving and the promotion of health maintenance.
Competency domains assessed include application of osteopathic medical knowledge, osteopathic patient care, osteopathic principles and practice, communication skills, professionalism, and ethics. Competency assessment occurs in the context of clinical and patient presentations and systems-based practice as required for entry into the supervised practice of general osteopathic medicine and for readiness for lifelong learning and practice-based learning and improvement. (Does not count in degree requirements).
These electives must be approved by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs & Assessment and is intended for students who are identified as at-risk and/or have previously failed a COMLEX exam and may need additional preparation and review time.
OMS-IV Required Clerkships and Electives
Community or Underserved Medicine Clerkship
xxx 2001 – Community or Underserved Medicine Clerkship – (4.0 CH)
The Community or Underserved Medicine clerkship is a required 4-week clerkship. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with clinical experience in a non-profit or public community-based health care clinic located in a medically underserved area or that provides services to a medically underserved population. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings. The course number (xxx) will be defined by the specialty, (i.e., IM 2001 – Internal Medicine).
Primary Care Clerkship
FAM 2011 – Primary Care: Family Medicine – (4.0 CH)
PED 2021 – Primary Care: Pediatrics – (4.0 CH)
OBG 2041 - Primary Care: Obstetrics and Gynecology - (4.0 CH)
IM 2071 – Primary Care: General Internal Medicine – (4.0 CH)
The clinical clerkship in either Family Medicine, General IM, or Pediatrics is a required 4-week Core clerkship. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of Primary Care through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and/or inpatient settings.
Specialty Clerkship
PED 2022 – Specialty: Pediatrics – (4.0 CH)
SUR 2051 – Specialty: Surgical – (4.0 CH)
IM 2072 – Specialty: Medical – (4.0 CH)
The clinical clerkship in a specialty or Sub-Specialty of medicine, surgery or pediatrics is a 4-week clerkship. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of a specific area of concentration not otherwise part of a traditional curriculum. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in either an ambulatory or inpatient setting.
Emergency Medicine Clerkship
EME 2081 – Emergency Medicine – (4.0 CH)
The clinical clerkship in Emergency Medicine is a required 4-week clerkship. This clerkship is designed to provide the student with an understanding of emergency medicine through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings.
EPA III
COM 2091 – Entrustable Professional Activities III – (2.0 CH)
This 2- week capstone course incorporates practical clinical skills labs and knowledge along with required OPP activities and other assessments to ensure students are ready for graduation and residency.
Electives
Elective rotations are designed to provide the student with the opportunity to select a discipline and receive hands-on training through the integration of didactic knowledge and clinical experiences. Students will receive exposure to a diverse community of patients in both ambulatory and inpatient settings and are offered at various medical sites. A total of 20 weeks of electives is required throughout the fourth year.
Elective rotations are recorded by the specialty and numbered as 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096 (i.e., PED 2092 for a Pediatric elective rotation). Elective rotations are variable in credit hours and require a total of 20.0 credit hours during the fourth year.
Clinical Rotation Categories by Specialties / Sub-Specialties
The following list of specialties / sub-specialties will satisfy the requirement of a primary care, specialty, emergency medicine or elective requirement.
Allergy and Immunology
Course: AI 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Allergy and Immunology
- Elective: Allergy and Immunology
Anesthesiology
Course: ANE 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Anesthesiology
- Elective: Anesthesiology
- Adult Cardiothoracic Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Obstetric Anesthesiology
Dermatology
Course: DER 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Dermatology
- Elective: Dermatology
Emergency Medicine
Course: EME 2072, 2081, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Emergency Medicine
- Elective: Emergency Medicine
- Specialty: Emergency Medicine
- EME Toxicology
- EME Urgent Care
- EME Psychiatric
- EME Ultrasound
Family Medicine
Course: FAM 2011, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Primary Care: Family Medicine
- Elective: Family Medicine
- FAM Nutrition
- FAM Sports Medicine
- FAM Occupational Medicine
Internal Medicine
Course: IM 2071, 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Primary Care: General Internal Medicine
- Elective: Internal Medicine
- Specialty: IM (sub-specialty)
- IM Cardiovascular
- IM Critical Care - ICU
- IM Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- IM Gastroenterology
- IM Hematology
- IM Infectious Disease
- IM Oncology
- IM Nephrology
- IM Pulmonary Disease
- IM Rheumatology
- IM Geriatric Medicine
- IM Interventional Cardiology
- IM Sports Medicine
Neurological Surgery
Course: NS 2051, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Neurological Surgery
- Elective: Neurological Surgery
Neurology
Course: NEU 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Neurology
- Elective: Neurology
Obstetrics and Gynecology
Course: OBG 2041, 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Primary Care: Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Specialty: Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Elective: Obstetrics and Gynecology
Ophthalmology
Course: OPH 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Ophthalmology
- Elective: Ophthalmology
Orthopedic Surgery
Course: ORO 2022, 2051, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Orthopedic Surgery
- Elective: Orthopedic Surgery
- Pediatric Orthopedics
Otolaryngology
Course: OTO 2022, 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Otolaryngology
- Elective: Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Otolaryngology
Pathology
Course: PTH 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Pathology
- Elective: Pathology
Pediatrics
Course: PED 2021, 2022, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Primary Care: Pediatrics
- Specialty: Pediatrics (sub-specialty)
- Adolescent Medicine
- Pediatric Critical Care
- Pediatric Emergency Medicine
- Pediatric Cardiology
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Pediatric Hematology/Oncology
- Pediatric Nephrology
- Pediatric Pulmonology
- Pediatric Rheumatology
- Pediatric Gastroenterology
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Course: PMR 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Elective: Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Psychiatry
Course: PSY 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Psychiatry
- Elective: Psychiatry
- Addiction Psychiatry
- Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
- Forensic Psychiatry
- Psychiatry Telemedicine
Radiology - Diagnostic
Course: RAD 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Radiology
- Elective: Radiology
Surgery
Course: SUR 2051, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Specialty: Surgery
- Elective: Surgery
Women's Health
Course: WMH 2041, 2072, 2092, 2093, 2094, 2095, 2096
- Primary Care: Women's Health
- Specialty: Women's Health
- Elective: Women's Health
Elective Clinical Rotations – United Health Centers
- POD 2292 – Elective: Podiatry
- ORH 2293 – Elective: Oral Health Medicine
- CPC 2294 – Elective: Chiropractic Care
Non-Clinical Electives
COM 2090 – Elective: Medical Administration – (variable credit 2.0 – 4.0)
The Medical Administration Clerkship is a 2 or 4-week elective clerkship to give students experience in working with CMOs of various hospitals.
COM 2097 – Elective: Research – (4.0 CH)
The Research elective provides meaningful research experiences for medical students, with the expectation that students will gain initial experience and interest in research that will carry over into the practice of medicine. The goals of the Research Selective are to provide students an opportunity to participation an ongoing research project, to create a greater appreciation for clinical, basic science, or medical education research, and to introduce future physicians to good research practices.
COM 2190 – Elective: Physician Wellness – (1.0 CH)
This elective provides an opportunity to explore and practice different modalities for maintaining wellness as a practicing physician. (This course cannot be repeated)
CSL 2092 – Elective: Clinical Skills Facilitation and Leadership – (variable credit 1.0 – 2.0)
The Clinical Skills Facilitation and Leadership elective allows OMS-IV students to build additional competencies and strengthen their clinical skills facilitation and leadership. Requirements may be met over 1 week (1 credit hour) or 2 weeks (2 credit hours). This course can be completed as 2 consecutive weeks or 1 week non-consecutive week for a maximum of 2 weeks / 2.0 credit hours earned.
Students requesting to complete this elective must receive pre-approval from the Course Director, contact their Clinical Affairs Coordinator to register for the course, and schedule the course in CORE ELMS.
RES 2091 - Elective: Professionalism in Careers in Medicine - (1.0 CH)
Students will gain the requisite communication and deportment skills to effectively succeed in a career as a physician. The core principles of deportment, inter-professional communication and critical appraisal will be reviewed and emphasized. At the end of the course, the student will understand the concepts of closed loop communication, self-reflection, and deadline planning as they pertain to careers in medicine. System and educational paradigm models will be employed as case studies in effective strategy planning and deployment of their Graduate Medical Education transition readiness.
Independent Study Elective Series
The Independent Study Electives are designed to allow students during their fourth year of the program to build additional competencies and strengthen their knowledge base. It may be taken either as a stand-alone course or concurrently with other OMS IV requirements. Requirements may be met in a menu-style fashion, where students may opt into and complete activities commensurate with the required number of credits, not to exceed 4 total credits for any combination of independent study electives.
Students requesting to complete an independent study course must complete the Independent Study Form available from the Registrar’s Office, contact their Clinical Affairs Coordinator to register for the online study course, and schedule the course in CORE ELMS. The completed signed form must be submitted to the Registrar’s Office for processing.
IND 2991 – ECG Academy – (2 or 4 CH)
The ECG Academy® Learning System is offered as a two- or four-week distance learning course for OMS-IV students. Students will elect to enroll in an ECG skills course customized for attending physicians, medical residents, and cardiology fellows. The online educational experience provides targeted lesson plans and coaching sessions for students to complete at their own pace. Students will gain proficiency in reading and interpreting both simple and complex cardiac rhythm strips and have the opportunity to put into practice the knowledge and skills they have acquired. The purpose of the course is to help students gain confidence in the ECG prior to or in conjunction with their clinical rotations, particularly in Emergency Medicine, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine (IM), and IM subspecialties. The goal of the course is to attain a resident-physician level of proficiency in understanding engineering concepts, ECG recording and lead basics, and interpreting various pathologies, including: mechanisms of arrhythmias, advanced conduction system concepts, wide QRS complex tachycardias, advanced atrial arrhythmias, pre-excitation (Wolff Parkinson White) syndromes, distinguishing paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia (PSVT) mechanisms, congenital arrhythmia syndromes, and pacemaker troubleshooting.
IND 2992 – PsychiatryOnline Premium – (1 – 4 CH)
PsychiatryOnline Premium allows Access to five peer-reviewed eJournals, the DSM Library, the Psychotherapy Library of eBooks, APA Guidelines, Patient Education, Podcasts, and more. For this elective, the DSM-5-TR® Clinical Cases [found in the drop-down DSM Library] offers 19 chapters exploring patient vignettes in each diagnostic category.
IND 2993 – Medical Humanities Elective – (1 - 4 CH)
This course is an introduction to medical humanities, an interdisciplinary field that engages critically with various aspects of health care, such as the concepts, practices, values, and experiences of patients and clinicians. Topics may include how medical practice has changed over time; our ideas of health, illness, disease, pain, and suffering; the role of stories in clinical care and patient experiences; aging and dying; and what doctors may know about religion and spirituality. Students will increase their understanding of how medicine, health, and illness are portrayed in fiction, poetry, memoirs, and movies and learn to closely read those texts. Students will be invited to think, read, reflect, and share their reflections across genres and learn to use narrative accounts and concepts from the humanities to expand our understanding of how biosocial, medical, and ethical realities actively shape each other.
IND 2994 – Wikipedia: WikiProject Medicine Elective – (1 - 4 CH)
The Wikipedia: WikiProject Medicine is an online elective course. The goal is to select and improve important medical topics and develop them to a high level of quality. In 2013, Dr. Amin Azzam, MD, Adjunct Professor at UCSF School of Medicine, founded the WikiMedicine Project and has since worked with medical students from such institutions as UCSF, University of Central Florida, and Vanderbilt to offer immersion elective rotations for fourth-year medical students to receive academic credit for editing Wikipedia. In this WikiProject Medicine elective course, students will gain insight into the value of Wikipedia as a viable reference and build the skills and knowledge needed to evaluate articles on Wikipedia for yourself or your colleagues, with a specific focus on health and medical topics. Students also learn skills that help them detect the quality of information on the site.
IND 2995 – Clinical Conversations in Healthcare – (1 - 4 CH)
This course helps equip students with advanced skills in six essential areas crucial for delivering high quality patient-centered care. By course completion, students will achieve a greater understanding of the following topics: health literacy (7 modules), cultural humility (5 modules), LGBTQ+ affirming care (4 modules), social determinants of health (5 modules), motivational interviewing (8 modules), and/or shared decision-making (3 modules).
IND 2996 – Fundamentals of Evidence Based Medicine – (4 CH)
The Fundamentals of Evidence-Based Medicine (EBM) elective is a self-directed online learning course comprised of EBM exercises and reflection activities.
OPP 2061 - Elective: Advanced Osteopathic Principles and Practice - (1 - 4 CH)
The Osteopathic Principles and Practice (OPP) elective allows OMS-IV students additional opportunities to study and practice osteopathic manipulative medicine (OMM) in a variety of teaching, clinical, and research settings through active participation alongside OPP Department Scholars and faculty. They will also gain confidence and mentorship experience assisting in the instruction of small and large groups during OPP curricular activities.
Students requesting to complete this elective must receive pre-approval from one of the Co-Course Directors, contact their assigned Clinical Affairs Coordinator to register for the course.
Enrichment Courses – OMS-IV
COM 2000 – Comprehensive Clinical Management (CCM II) – (1.0 - 2.0 CH)
A multidisciplinary course that prepares students for successful completion of the COMLEX Level 2-Cognitive Evaluation (CE) exam, which is a problem-and symptoms-based assessment, administered in a time-measured environment to solving clinical problems and promoting and maintaining health in providing osteopathic medical care to patients, principally in the supervised (Graduate Medical Education: GME) setting. (Counted as an elective in degree requirements – 1.0 credit hour per 2 weeks). A maximum of 2.0 credit hours can be earned toward the degree. This elective course must be approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Dean of Clinical Education.
COM 2098 – Elective: Enhanced Study – (2.0 CH)
This clerkship provides students with an additional opportunity to prepare for COMLEX Level 2CE. The student will submit a board study plan and timeline for their curriculum of study for approval. During the clerkship, students access the learning website to review Evidence-Based Practice learning modules. This elective must be approved by the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Dean of Clinical Education and is intended for students who are identified as at-risk or have previously failed a COMLEX exam who may need additional preparation and review time. A maximum of 2.0 credit hours can be earned toward the degree.