Foundations of Medicine & Health

The first block, Becoming a Doctor, is five weeks in duration and gives students an understanding of population health, professional identity formation (PIF), and the doctor's role in society. Typically students begin their medical education by studying basic science at the molecular level and are often not fully aware of the relevance that this knowledge has in their future education as physicians or how it relates to the actual practice of medicine. This curricular block focuses on how physicians can act as advocates for their patients in the health care system; how social and environmental factors impact health; and the importance of population health. Additionally, students begin to explore their professional identity as future physicians, reflecting on their roles and responsibilities in patient care. During this block, medical students are introduced to key population health concepts including epidemiology, biostatistics, community assessment, health risk behavior, and social-environmental determinants of health.

The next five blocks in the Foundations of Medicine and Health are comprised of basic science education complemented by early contact with patients in clinical preceptorships and simulated clinical experiences. Subject matter is integrated across entire biological systems, which permits faculty in the different disciplines to leverage teaching time to convey content and concepts common to their disciplines.

Year I and Year II Blocks

Year 1 (July - May)

Year 2 (August - March)

Content is divided into the following blocks:

• Block 2 (The Human Blueprint): Consists of endocrine and reproductive systems, development, genetics, molecular biology, and cancer biology.
• Block 3 (Food to Fuel): Encompasses the gastrointestinal system, nutrition, energy, metabolism, and biochemistry.
• Block 4 (Homeostasis): Includes cardiovascular system, pulmonary system, renal system, cell regulation, and pharmacology. During Block 4's Clinical Immersion Week, students leave the classroom and enter the clinical setting to see the relevance of the basic science they have been studying as the concepts are used in the setting of patient care.
• Block 5 (Host Defense and Host Response): Focuses on host defense, microbiology, blood, skin, and the autoimmune and musculoskeletal systems.
• Block 6 (Cognition, Sensation and Movement): Comprised of neurosciences and behavioral sciences.

Longitudinal Blocks: Several concepts and themes stretch longitudinally across the sequential blocks, including Block 7 - Structure (histopathology, gross anatomy - HoloAnatomy, radiology, and ultrasound), Block 8 - Foundations of Clinical Medicine, and Research and Scholarship. Teamwork, professionalism, interprofessional collaboration, health systems, and bioethics are likewise incorporated longitudinally.

Typical Week in the Foundations of Medicine and Health