VCOM 2023 Annual Report

Academic Program L earning to be a physician is no small thing. They have to understand the many systems of the human body and what can go wrong, the impact of pharmaceuticals, how to

Although first-and second-years students spend most of their time in the classroom, students must also begin learning clinical skills in order to prepare for their rotations. During these Early Clinical Experiences (ECEs), students are carefully supervised In addition to being learning experiences, ECEs also help VCOM provide medical care to those who may lack access. The Outreach section shows more about how ECEs support VCOM’s outreach efforts. by VCOM faculty. There are approximately 20 one-day ECEs throughout the first two years, and each focuses on a team-approach to medicine. For example, students may go on pharmacology rounds, observe geriatric assessments, spend a day with an ICU nurse or an athletic trainer, or complete internal medicine rounds with a resident. In addition, service-based learning experiences at VCOM enable the College and its students to provide free medical care to patients from medically underserved areas through health fairs, free clinics and other community outreach programs, while simultaneously reinforcing their classroom learning.

interact effectively with patients, and so much more. There’s a lot to learn. So how do VCOM students learn to be effective physicians? Years 1 and 2 A student’s first two years at VCOM are divided into blocks and are generally referred to as the pre-clinical years, meaning that they spend most of their time in classrooms and laboratories. VCOM’s Medical Education Division works with the administration and faculty to create and enhance the curriculum, develop effective assessment tools and generate There are eight blocks in total, each of which is 9-12 weeks in length and provides concentrated training in core areas of medicine. The blocks are completed sequentially and cover topics such as foundations of medicine, professional ethics, anatomy and physiology, the musculoskeletal pathology, dermatology, reproductive and endocrine systems and more. In Block 8, at the end of their second year, students do a comprehensive review of what they have learned in preparation for the COMLEX exam, which is required before they can begin their clinical experiences—called rotations—in year 3. system, psychiatry, pharmacology, neuroscience, preventative medicine, opportunities for educational development for students.

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