Clerkships Curriculum
Overview of Year 3: Clerkships
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 & Procedural Skills | 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 |
| Clinical Performance Exam Week | 1 week |
| Total | 50 weeks |
Overview of Year 4: Sub-Internships, Electives & Selectives
The Year 4 Curriculum is comprised of 11, 4-week blocks (44 weeks) of required sub-internships, selectives, electives, and self-directed study. 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. Flextime for interviews, travel, and USMLE STEP 2 CK/CS preparation is built-in the 4th year schedule. Year 4-course descriptions are viewable in the SOM Course Catalog and One45.
Year 4 Curriculum
| Sub-Internships | 8 weeks |
| Selectives | 4 weeks |
| Electives | 28 weeks |
| Readiness for Residency | 3-5 weeks |
| Graduation Week | 1 week |
| Total | 44-46 weeks |
Sub-Internships (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.
Selectives (4 weeks)
A selective is a required clinical rotation. Selective courses must be completed at a UTRGV-affiliated site.
Electives (24 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).
Readiness for Residency (3-5 weeks)
Year 4 ends with a required residency preparation course that prepares students for graduate medical education training.
Graduation Week (1 week)
During "Graduation Week" students complete requirements for graduation.
Contact
Naomi D'Acolatse, MD, MPH, FAAFP
Associate Dean for Educational Affairs
Email: Naomi.DAcolatse@utrgv.edu
Phone: (956) 296-1905