Clerkships Curriculum
Overview of Year 3: Clerkships
Curriculum Schematic Clerkship Contact Information
Year 3 comprises a total of 50 weeks. Clerkships provide opportunities for students to further develop their clinical thinking and diagnostic skills by providing direct patient care in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Required Clerkships:
| Clinical Foundations | 1 week |
| Elective | 4 weeks |
| Family Medicine | 4 weeks |
| Internal Medicine | 8 weeks |
| OB/GYN | 8 weeks |
| Pediatrics | 8 weeks |
| Psychiatry | 8 weeks |
| Surgery | 8 weeks |
| End of Yr. 3 OSCE: Clinical Performance Exam Week | 1 week |
| Scheduled Weeks of Instruction | 50 weeks |
Overview of Year 4: Sub-Internships, Electives & Required Courses
The Year 4 Curriculum is comprised of 10, 4-week blocks (42 weeks) of required sub-internships, Emergency Medicine, Flextime, electives, and Readiness for Residency. The year 4 program offers the opportunity for students to tailor their educational experience to their own interests and career aspirations. Students are encouraged to plan their elective schedule with the advice of their career advisor. Up to 8 weeks of Flextime for interviews, travel, and USMLE STEP 2 CK preparation are built-in the 4th year schedule. Year 4-course descriptions are viewable in the SOM Course Catalog and One45.
Year 4 Curriculum
| Sub-Internship (home) | 4 weeks |
| Sub-Internship (away) | 4 weeks |
| Emergency Medicine | 4 weeks |
| Electives | 20 weeks |
| Flextime | 8 weeks |
| Readiness for Residency | 2 weeks |
| Scheduled Weeks of Instruction | 42 weeks |
Sub-Internship (8 weeks total)
Students must complete 2, 4-week Sub-Internships in any specialty. One Sub-Internship must be completed at a UTRGV-affiliated site. The Sub-I gives students the opportunity to expand their outpatient and inpatient knowledge and clinical skills by acting as an intern. Students may select their Sub-Is from a variety of disciplines such as Pediatrics, Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Psychiatry, OB/GYN, and Surgery.
Electives (20 weeks total)
An elective is a rotation chosen by students based on their professional interests. Electives can be taken in specialty areas at a UTRGV-affiliated site or another institution (away rotation).
Flextime (8 weeks)
Up to 8 weeks are built-in the 4th year schedule to allow for travel for interviews and USMLE STEP 2 CK preparation.
Readiness for Residency (2 weeks)
Year 4 ends with a required residency preparation course that prepares students for graduate medical education training.
Graduation Week
During "Graduation Week" students complete requirements for graduation.
