Requirements for Graduation
College of Medicine · Registrar

The elective year allows the student significant flexibility in selecting courses that is of importance to him/her. However, the following basic requirements must be met when designing the elective year:

  1. Students must carry a minimum of (44) hours per week to obtain full credits. The following electives supply a 22-hour experience that must be supplemented with a second 22-hour course:

    BMS 7188, Selected Topics in Human Anatomy; BMS 7303, Clinical Microbiology and Immunology; BMS 7304, Review of Immune and Infectious Diseases; and MEL 8355, Clinical Nutrition

  2. Students will select, with the aid of their faculty advisor, a sequence of eleven (11) four-week periods as outlined below:
    1. (4) Elective Periods = 4 Required Courses: (see) Sec 3.d. below)
      • 1 Critical Care Senior Clerkship (4 weeks)
      • 1 Oncology Clerkship (4 weeks)
      • 1 Skin and Bones Medicine Clerkship (4 weeks)
      • 1 Acting Internship
    2. (7) Other Electives that may include:
      • 1 Interview Period
      • 1 USMLE Preparation Period/Remediation or an additional interview Period
      • 3 Independent Studies/Externships (optional see Sec 3 a. below)
      • 2-5 Electives (other than Independent Study/Externship)
      11 Elective Periods
  3. Required remediation/make-up: For various reasons students may be required to perform remedial or make-up course work during the senior elective year. These requirements will be met as specified by each department under the following guidelines:
    1. No more than eight weeks of the elective year may be used for remediation. This time can only replace study or interview time and will not be counted as one of the nine required elective periods. Any more time may result in delayed graduation. Only after remedial/make-up requirements have been scheduled may the Independent Study/Externship periods and regular elective courses be scheduled.
    2. Unless otherwise specified by the department, remedial/make-up courses must be scheduled before all other elective courses (usually periods 1, 2, 3) and must be successfully completed prior to continuing the elective year.
    3. Students with any history of academic difficulty should take the Critical Care Senior Clerkship course during the first six blocks of their senior year.
    4. Students may schedule no more than four (4) courses in any one discipline, exclusive of the required Critical Care Senior Clerkship Interdisciplinary Oncology Clerkship, or Skin and Bones Medicine Clerkship.