Office of Student Admissions

Phase II

Phase II is the next year and a half of the curriculum and includes problem-based tutorial learning in both inpatient and ambulatory care settings. Continued reinforcement of basic and clinical science integration and development of basic science learning resources for use on clinical services are additional features of this phase of the curriculum. Continuity Clinic and Perspectives in Medicine continue through Phase II.

Students are introduced to Phase II through the Transition Block, which examines cases that are more complex than previously experienced and will prepare students for the transition into the clinical years. Students will be expected to rise to the next level of problem solving through the practice of skills in questioning, generating hypotheses, thinking ahead, and in-depth interpretation and analysis of clinical data. Additionally, in preparation for Phase II, there will be presentations that include writing notes, reading a chart, introduction to the hospital laboratories, ordering tests, procedures training, computer system (PowerChart) training, common emergency training, and introduction to rounds. In Phase II, students will spend half of their time in an ambulatory setting where they will confront a mix of patients with and without prior diagnoses and with acute and chronic conditions. An equivalent amount of time will be spent on various inpatient services (pediatrics, family medicine, general surgery, internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics/gynecology, and psychiatry). Here students will continue to work in small group tutorials focusing on problems presented by patients seen related to these services.