Our three programs offer unique experiences to earn a medical degree. The University (Western Reserve 2) Program, our traditional four-year MD program, is our oldest and largest, offering an integrated curriculum to train well-rounded physicians grounded in clinical mastery, scientific inquiry, leadership, and professionalism. Its unique features include the personalized small group learning environment, the unique pathways programs, and the MD Thesis requirement.
The Lerner College Program is a five-year physician investigator pathway that is offered in partnership with the Cleveland Clinic. With only 32 students per class, the distinct “College Program” offers robust training for those interested in pursuing a career as a physician investigator including early research exposure and a mentored research project in Year 4.
The Medical Sciences Training Program offers a combined MD/PhD over 7–8 years. As the first ever MD/PhD program, it offers early laboratory exploration to leverage scientific success for the graduate education years, which also include some clinical assignments to keep clinical skills honed.
The University Program (four-year Doctor of Medicine) is our oldest and largest MD program. It is designed to train well-rounded physicians built on four cornerstones of clinical mastery, research and scholarship, leadership, and civic professionalism. The goal of this program is to challenge students so that they affect positive change through treating disease, promoting health, and understanding the social and behavioral context of illness.
The Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, the "College," is a distinct entity of medical education and research within the Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine. The "College" offers an innovative, five-year program designed to train medical students at Case Western Reserve University with critical skills necessary for success as physicians and investigators. Students are encouraged to learn with—and from—fellow students within the College Program and other future medical professionals within the Cleveland area through its state-of-the-future learning space.
The Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP)—an MD/PhD combined degree program—takes approximately seven to eight years to complete. The program is designed to prepare physician-scientists for careers in clinical and translational research.