Doctor of Medicine

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree requires a minimum of four years of study. The focus of the medical curriculum is to prepare students for supervised medical practice through clinical integration of material throughout all four years of study. Students in the pre-clerkship phase of the curriculum (approximately 18 months) do not take separate courses in the traditional basic science disciplines of gross anatomy, biochemistry, genetics, physiology, histology, microbiology, immunology, pharmacology, pathology, and neuroscience. Rather, such content is appropriately organized into integrated blocks of instruction (3 to 19 weeks in duration depending upon the theme of the block). Students in the clerkship and elective phases of the curriculum (approximately 30 months) rotate on clinical service in required clerkships (internal medicine, surgery, psychiatry, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, family medicine, radiology, emergency medicine, critical care medicine, and an acting internship) and also have opportunities for rotations in elective clerkships and areas of interest. Grades are issued for individual blocks and clerkships on an honors/pass/fail basis. Students are required to take and pass and/or achieve a minimum score on National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) customized comprehensive exams and subject exams at various points in the program.

The ethical and social aspects of medical practice receive special emphasis in the Humanities, Ethics, Altruism and Leadership (HEAL), which provide lecture, discussion and small group case studies that focus on the humanistic concerns in modern medicine.

During the clerkship portion of the curriculum, students receive clinical training in a variety of inpatient and outpatient settings associated with our main campus or clinical teaching sites located in Bryan/College Station, Dallas, Houston, Round Rock, and Temple. Clerkships in Internal Medicine, Surgery, Family Medicine, Psychiatry, Pediatrics, Radiology and Obstetrics/Gynecology are required. Also, clerkships in Emergency Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, and acting internship are required. A wide variety of elective clinical experiences are available. Some clinical rotations can be completed at alternate locations around the state (e.g. Pediatrics at Driscoll Children's Hospital in Corpus Christi). Students may also design custom learning experiences for electives or participate in offerings at other medical colleges on a limited basis.

Policies and Regulations

The College of Medicine Student Handbook is published on the College of Medicine website under the Office of Student Affairs. This handbook is the official statement of rules and regulations that govern student conduct and student activities. The handbook can be viewed online on the following site; https://medicine.tamu.edu/academics/students/index.html.  

Professionalism

Students entering a formal medical education program are expected to uphold and adhere to the ethical and behavioral standards of the profession of medicine. The development and maintenance of a professional attitude is an ongoing responsibility of each student. Evaluation of professional behavior is an integral part of the curriculum and will be a factor in assigning grades and determining promotion, retention or dismissal.

For more information, please see the College of Medicine's Admissions Requirements.