Program Structure and Requirements
Overall Program Structure
The MD degree curriculum integrates basic and clinical science instruction across four sequential periods of study designed to prepare the medical student for entry into any residency program and for the subsequent practice of medicine. Four longitudinal strands run throughout the program:
- Biomedical Science
- Clinical Medicine
- Medicine and Society
- Research, Technology and Innovation
The MD program is a full-time cohort-based program. The minimum period of study is four years from the date of first matriculation as a degree student, with a maximum period of study of six years. Study is considered to commence from first enrollment in degree courses as a fully admitted (matriculated) medical student. The duration of the entire program will never be less than 130 weeks. Courses and clerkships are delivered at the Main Campus medical program facilities of Khalifa University (Buildings A and B) and at affiliated hospitals and clinics.
Program Requirements
The learning pathway for the Doctor of Medicine degree is presented in Table 1. The curriculum is divided into four periods of study, comprising foundations of medicine (Period 1), integrated organ systems (Period 2), core clinical clerkships (Period 3), and advanced clinical rotations (Period 4). Coursework is multidisciplinary and features a case-based format in which biomedical sciences are delivered to the students in a clinical context. Clinical experiences in primary care and emergency settings begin in the first period of study with coordinated opportunities for practical application of basic knowledge, skills, and reasoning (the Clinical Medicine strand). Students participate in the Abu Dhabi health sector to engage with the community in a program to enhance medical and preventative health practices, the Balsam Community Health Learning Program (Balsam - Barnamij L-Ta‘leem Sehat al-Mujtama (برنامج لتعليم صحة المجتمع - بَلسمْ)).
Period 1 focuses on the study of the foundations of medicine. The period starts with Transitions I, which is an orientation to medical education and the practice of medicine. Students are welcomed into their learning community, meet with a learning specialist to identify their learning styles, and are introduced to the diverse educational pedagogies used in the MD program, such as team-based learning and the flipped classroom. The Biomedical Science strand covers foundational topics in molecular and cellular biology; human genetics; human anatomy, histology and embryology; physiology and immunology; pathology; microbiology and infectious disease; and, pharmacology and therapeutics. An introduction to clinical skills in the Clinical Medicine strand focuses on doctor–patient communication, history-taking, general physical examination skills and basic clinical procedures. Clinical skills training includes simulation, standardized patient, and real-world experiences, including half day preceptorship in primary-care clinics and emergency departments. Impeded within this strand are physicianship-focusesd sessions which introduce students to professional identity formation, medical professionalism and ethics, career selection, and personal health and wellness. The Medicine and Society strand introduces students to healthcare systems, social determinants of health, and the roles physicians hold in society. The strand also prepares students to participate in Balsam during Period 2 (explained below). During the Research, Technology and Innovation strand, students review the basics of medical research, human subjects research, epidemiology and biostatistics, and evidence-based medicine. Students undergo CITI training and are paired with a research mentor to identify a required research project which will continue throughout the four years of study.
Period 2 focuses on the in-depth study of human biology, disease, illness, and injury organized by the major organ-systems; specifically, the cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, integumentary, musculoskeletal, gastrointestinal, hematopoietic, lymphoreticular, endocrine, reproductive, nervous and behavioral systems. Clinical correlations tie the biomedical sciences to medical practice. In the Clinical Medicine strand, students build upon their clinical skills by performing targeted histories and physical exams, developing differential diagnoses, and formulating evidenced-based diagnostic and therapeutic strategies. Within this strand, a set of physicianship-focusesd sessions are set to help students identify potential career pathways while continuing to explore their own personal and professional development. They also continue to participate in half-day rotations at outpatient clinics and emergency rooms. The Medicine and Society strand focuses on systems of care, healthcare policy and advocacy, medical jurisprudence, interprofessional healthcare, community-based healthcare, and end-of-life care. During Period 2, students begin their service-learning study with participation in the Balsam Community Health Learning Program (Balsam - Barnamij L-Ta‘leem Sehat al-Mujtama (برنامج لتعليم صحة المجتمع - بَلسمْ), a service-learning program that focuses on home-based healthcare. Students move forward with their research projects during Period 2.
Period 3 begins the intensive clinical training phase and consists of eight (8) core clerkships: Surgery, Internal Medicine, Neurology, Medical Imaging, Family Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, and Psychiatry. All students take these same core clerkships although not in the same order. During these clerkships, students spend the majority of the week at affiliated hospitals and clinics, gaining experience in both inpatient and outpatient areas. They work with faculty clerkship directors and preceptors, residents, fellows, and other healthcare professionals. One day each week, students participate in formal lectures, case-based small group sessions and/or simulation training as part of the Medical Science in Clinical Practice course. These experiences provide students a third opportunity to integrate learning objectives from the core biomedical with the practice of clinical medicine. Students continue to participate in the Balsam Community Health Learning Program during Period 3, work or complete their required research project, build upon their clinical skills, and further explore career opportunities and pathways to specialty training through the three strands.
Period 4 builds on the clerkship experiences and prepares students to enter their chosen field of specialization after graduation. All students must complete rotations in Emergency Medicine and Advanced Medicine and a Sub-Internship experience. Advanced Medicine (Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, or Surgery) provides the students progressively greater responsibilities, while the Sub-internship rotation requires students to take on the role of intern under direct supervision by faculty, residents, and other healthcare providers. Additional six elective rotations give students the latitude to follow a pathway of emphasis, consistent with their long-term career goals, or to explore other areas of interest. The Clinical Medicine, Medicine and Society, and Research, Technology and Innovation continue to run through P4 where students work on finalizing requirements and projects related to these strands. At the end of Period 4, all students participate in a clinical medicine capstone that is intended to prepare them for their chosen residency.
Program Core
The curriculum includes required core content from the biomedical, behavioral, and socioeconomic sciences to support the medical student’s mastery of contemporary scientific knowledge and concepts and the methods fundamental to applying them to the health of individuals and populations. The table below provides a list of core courses that are offered in the Doctor of Medicine program.
MD Program Curriculum Learning Pathway
Clinical Experience
The clinical experience is integral to the curriculum. Students begin clinical training (the Clinical Medicine strand) early in the first year by encountering basic medical conditions in outpatient settings; clinical training advances progressively to include exposure to more complex cases and conditions in hospital settings, and culminates in subinternship experiences. The Period 3 curriculum includes clinical experiences in both inpatient and ambulatory settings appropriate for the achievement of required clinical experiences. Each medical student participates in at least one clinical clerkship in a health care setting in which he/she works with resident physicians currently enrolled in an accredited program of graduate medical education.
Program Electives (Pathways)
Independent scholarship and broad elective opportunities in the fourth year encourage students to explore personal interests and build competency through pathways in preparation for advanced postgraduate study and practice in a specialty area. Differentiation in training occurs during Period 4 when students choose six electives (24 credits) and participate in an advanced medicine rotation, emergency medicine, and a subinternship (see Period 4 description above). Electives may be chosen from a list of choices within Khalifa University affiliated institutions or at other institutions locally, regionally, or internationally.
Required Courses
MDCM 901 and MDCM 903: Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, or Surgery.