Fase de pre-clerkship
The preclerkship phase of the M.D. curriculum at Albert Einstein College of Medicine features 16 months of interdisciplinary preclerkship blocks that cover the molecular and cellular foundations of medicine, anatomy, physiology, and pathophysiology and integrate basic, clinical, and health systems science. Preclerkship education includes a concurrent Becoming a Physician course, during which students learn foundational clinical skills and participate in clinical learning experiences that prepare them for more in depth clinical experiences in the clerkship year.
Preclerkship blocks including molecular and cellular foundations of medicine and clinical and developmental anatomy take place from August through December of the first year. Organ systems courses, including hematology, and renal take place from January through early June of the first year. Students also participate in several longitudinal courses that take place across the preclerkship phase, including Bioethics; Health Systems Science and Health Equity; Epidemiology and Biostatistics; Service Learning; and Impact, part of our Scholarly Impact and Research Program.
| Fase de pre-clerkship |
|---|
| Block 1: August – December |
| Molecular & Cellular Foundations of Medicine |
| Clinical & Developmental Anatomy |
|
Longitudinal Courses (simultáneamente con otros aprendizajes) |
| Foundations of Biostatistics & Epidemiology |
| Bioethics |
| Health Systems Science & Health Equity |
| Becoming a Physician |
| Impacto |
| Sevicio de aprendizaje |
|
Block 2: January – June Organ Systems Courses |
| Hematología |
| Pulmonary |
| Gastrointestinal & Liver |
| Cardiovascular |
| Renal |
|
Curso Longitudinal (simultáneamente con otros aprendizajes) |
| Foundations of Biostatistics & Epidemiology |
| Bioethics |
| Health Systems Science & Health Equity |
| Becoming a Physician |
| Impacto |
| Sevicio de aprendizaje |
|
Block 3: August – December Organ Systems Courses |
| Nervous System & Behavioral Health |
| Endocrine |
| Reproductive Systems |
| Cardiovascular |
| Musculoskeletal & Skin |
|
Curso Longitudinal (simultáneamente con otros aprendizajes) |
| Bioethics |
| Health Systems Science & Health Equity |
| Becoming a Physician |
| Impacto |
| Sevicio de aprendizaje |
Organ systems courses, including neuroscience and behavioral health, infectious diseases, endocrine, reproductive, and musculoskeletal and skin systems, take place from August through December of the second year.
In addition to traditional lectures, our preclerkship curriculum features a variety of interactive, learner-centered teaching methods, including problem-based learning, case conferences, laboratory sessions, clinical encounters, small-group discussions, and team-based learning. These small-group programs require students to work cooperatively toward the solution of clinical problems of varying complexity with assistance from faculty facilitators.
The combination of lecture-based and student-centered learning strategies enables each student to have experiences in line with their learning style and achieve course objectives using multimodal approaches. The structure of the M.D. curriculum is based on interdisciplinary courses that reflect major unifying themes and concepts of modern biology, associations among different biomedical science disciplines, and applications of basic knowledge to the diagnosis, prevention, and treatment of human disease. These concepts are then linked to discussions of structural determinants of health and health disparities.
Becoming a Physician Course
En el curso longitudinal "Convertirse en Médico", impartido por profesores del Programa de Comunidades de Aprendizaje de Einstein, los estudiantes comienzan a adquirir los conocimientos y las habilidades necesarias para una interacción eficaz con los pacientes y el sistema de salud. Durante este curso, los estudiantes participan en experiencias clínicas y sesiones prácticas en grupos pequeños para desarrollar habilidades básicas de anamnesis, entrevistas y exploración física. Nuestros instructores fomentan las actitudes necesarias para una interacción respetuosa y compasiva con los pacientes y sus familias, y ayudan a los estudiantes a sentirse cómodos entrevistando y examinando a los pacientes.
Preclerkship Electives
During the preclerkship phase, students also have opportunities to take elective courses in Medical Spanish; Medical Mandarin; Current Topics in Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, and Pharmacology; and Nutrition and Health.
Medical Spanish
Einstein is committed to providing an elective offering for Einstein students in conversational Spanish to better meet the healthcare needs of the large and growing Spanish-speaking population in the United States. Students begin language classes in the first year of the M.D. curriculum and continue to practice and expand language-building skills throughout the second year of medical school. Classes are offered at beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. In the summer between the first and second years of medical school, students are eligible to apply for funding to participate in Spanish-language programs in Central America and Mexico.
Medical Mandarin
To meet the healthcare needs of the large and ever-increasing Mandarin-speaking population in the Bronx community and at several of Einstein’s clinical sites, Einstein offers a one-semester elective in Medical Mandarin. Students who take this course must have at least a conversational knowledge of Mandarin, since the 19-session course involves immediate immersion in medical terminology and interviewing techniques.
Current Topics in Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, and Pharmacology
In this student-directed independent learning course, Current Topics in Biochemistry, Genetics, Pathology, and Pharmacology, students pursue topics of interest, share findings with, and receive feedback from peers and selected faculty. It is possible to explore individualized topics of interest during this elective—for example, precision medicine, drug development, cancer immunotherapy, the human-microbiome ecosystem in health and disease, and epigenetics.
Nutrition and Health
The Nutrition and Health elective provides students with an understanding of the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s dietary guidelines, how to assess nutrition in patients, and the effectiveness of popular diets. Other topics include the integration of motivational interviewing into physician–patient discussions of nutrition and lifestyle issues and discussing nutritional labeling on packaged foods with patients who have limited English-language literacy.
Impacto académico e investigación
In the summer between the first and second years of medical school, students have time to participate in research, global health, community engagement, or other professional development opportunities through funding from Einstein’s Scholarly Impact and Research Program and Global Health Center, as well as external grants. Nearly two-thirds of all students receive fellowship funding to participate in summer scholarship during this phase of the M.D. curriculum.
Preparing for the Boards
Upon completing the preclerkship curriculum, all students take Step 1 of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), a three-part exam required for medical licensure, also known as “the boards.” USMLE Step 1 comprises a series of questions and problem-solving tasks that assess your ability to apply science fundamentals to the practice of medicine.
Para preparar a los estudiantes para el USMLE Paso 1, todos los estudiantes de Medicina de Einstein reciben una suscripción de por vida a UWorld USMLE Prep Questions y acceso gratuito a la biblioteca de Boards & Beyond, un recurso popular que ayuda a los estudiantes a prepararse para el USMLE. Los instructores de Einstein incorporan preguntas del USMLE Paso 1 en los exámenes de todo el currículo mediante el Servicio de Evaluación Personalizada de la Junta Nacional de Examinadores Médicos (NBME) para que nuestros estudiantes se familiaricen con los tipos de preguntas que aparecen en el examen. Los estudiantes también presentan el Examen Integral de Ciencias Básicas de la NBME al final del primer y segundo año de la carrera de medicina para familiarizarse con el formato y las condiciones del examen del USMLE Paso 1.