Doctor of Medicine (MD) Curriculum

Program Objectives

The RMC Program Objectives are organized around six roles that a physician plays and the foundational role of medical knowledge that supports them: 

Diagram made up of six shapes labeled Advocate, Communicator, Leader, Practitioner, Professional and Scholar. These connect to form a circle around the words Medical Knowledge: Foundational knowledge for physicians to practice effective medicine

Advocate: Identify and address social, political and cultural factors that affect the health of patients and populations to improve health equity.

Communicator: Establish strong therapeutic relationships with patients and their families to cooperatively provide care that reflects their needs, values and preferences.

Leader: Contribute to the improvement of health care quality by participating in a culture of safety and coordinating care between the various elements of the health care system.

Practitioner: Collect, interpret and document information to make clinical decisions and carry out diagnostic and therapeutic interventions to provide high-quality patient care.

Professional: Demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and upholding the legal and ethical principles that support medical practice.

Scholar: Use evidence-based principles to continually enhance one’s own practice, inform care of your patients and develop the skills to contribute to the scientific knowledge of the field.

Medical Knowledge: Demonstrate knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical and social-behavioral sciences, and the application of this knowledge to patient care.

Shaping the Curriculum

You can participate on curriculum committees to help guide how the curriculum is designed, implemented and evaluated. You will work with faculty to have a direct impact on medical education at RUSH.

Committees include the following:

  • Committee on Curriculum and Evaluation: The overarching curriculum committee for RUSH Medical College. Members include faculty, administrators and students.
  • Student Curriculum Advisory Committee: An independently run, student-only committee that is the main student voice for influencing the curriculum.
  • There are also so many other committees to serve on that help to shape Rush Medical College!

 

Graduation Requirements

This four-year program includes core courses, electives, core clerkships and clinical sub internships.  Candidates for the MD degree must complete all of the required course work, pass USMLE Step 1 and USMLE Step 2 and receive approval from the promotions committee (COSEP) in order to graduate.

 

Course Curriculum

Preclerkship Phase

First-year required courses

  • RMD - 560 The Foundation of Medical Practice (Credits: 1)
  • RMD - 561 Host Defense and Response (Credits: 6)
  • RMD - 574 Vital Fluids (Credits: 9)
  • RMD - 575 Vital Gases (Credits: 4)
  • RMD - 563 Food to Fuel (Credits: 7)
  • RMD - 564 Movement and Mechanics (Credits: 5)
  • RMD - 565 Brain, Behavior and Cognition (Credits: 8)
  • IPE - 502 Interprofessional Patient Centered Teams (Credits: 0)

First-year electives

Elective courses may be taken in parallel with the required first-year curriculum. These courses do not count as elective weeks required for graduation.

  • RMD - 538A/B/C Basic Spanish for Medical Professionals I, II, III (Credits: 1)
  • RMD - 539A/B/C Intermediate Spanish for Medical Professionals I,II,III (Credits: 1)
  • RMD - 540A/B/C Humanities in Medicine I,II,III (Credits: 1)
  • RMD - 780A/B/C Basic Biomedical Research I,II,III (Credits: 1)
  • RMC - 5EI Basic Biomedical Research (Credits: 1)
    • Taken in M1 Summer term by those students who receive a Summer Research Fellowship.

Second-year required courses

  • RMD - 566 Sexuality and Reproduction (Credits: 6)
  • RMD - 567 Health Across the Life Span (Credits: 5)
  • RMD - 576 Introduction to Hematology (Credits: 5)
  • RMD - 577 Introduction to Oncology (Credits: 4)
  • RMD - 569 Complex Cases and Transition to Clerkship (Credits: 12) 
    • Includes 8 weeks dedicated Step 1 preparation time

 

USMLE Step 1 Preparation

Step 1 Preparation is integrated into the M1 and M2 curriculum in an escalating fashion.  In addition to M1 coursework, there are test-taking strategy sessions conducted by Clinician Educators.

You will take the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1 prior to the start of year three. There are 8 weeks of dedicated preparation programmed into RMD 569 (Complex Cases and Transition to Clerkship).  Students are expected to sit for the USMLE Step 1 examination prior to the start of M3 orientation (CRASH).   Any student not sitting for the USMLE Step 1 by this time will be promoted to M3 status but will be enrolled in the Step 1 Enhanced Preparation Course (RMD 600) instead of a core clerkship until they successfully sit for the examination.  

 

Clerkship Phase

Third year 

The third year begins with the orientation called Clinical Resources and Skills for the Hospital (CRASH) followed by a year-long course series (RMD 749) and 42 clinical weeks in the required core clerkships: internal medicine, neurology, obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, primary care, and surgery.  Students rotate through the core clerkships based on a schedule determined by a lottery that is conducted in January or February of the M2 year.   

  • RMD - 749 Rush Integrated Clinical Experiences (Credits: 1) 
    Taken three times, once in each term of the M3 year
  • MED - 703 Core Clerkship: Internal Medicine (Credits: 8)
  • NEU - 701 Core Clerkship: Neurology (Credits: 4)
  • OBG - 703 Core Clerkship: Obstetrics-Gynecology (Credits: 6)
  • PED - 701 Core Clerkship: (Credits: 8)
  • PSY - 701 Core Clerkship: (Credits: 4)
  • RMD - 701 Core Clerkship: (Credits: 4)
  • SUR - 701 Core Clerkship: (Credits: 8)

There are 6 weeks of elective time during the M3 year, and if eligible, students may elect to take two to four weeks of elective courses during this time. These electives do not count towards requirement for graduation.

Fourth year 

The fourth-year schedule is less structured than the third-year schedule to allow for the individual needs of final year students.  The USMLE Step 2 examination is taken during the M4 year.  Fourth year students typically choose to take the exam between May and August and they have the flexibility to schedule preparation time for the examination depending on the clinical electives/cores that they have scheduled.

  • RMD - 750 Transitions to Residency (Credits: 4) Taken three times, once in each term of M4 year.
  • EMD - 703 Core Clerkship: Emergency Medicine (Credits: 4)
  • RMD - 722 Clinical Bridge (Credits: 4) - always taken in March of the M4 year.

Choose one of the following Subinternship courses:

  • FAM - 710 Subinternship: Family Medicine (Credits: 4)
  • MED - 710 Subinternship: Internal Medicine (Credits: 4)
  • OBG - 711 Subinternship: Obstetrics and Gynecology (Credits: 4)
  • PED - 710 Subinternship: Pediatrics (Credits: 4)
  • SUR - 710 Subinternship: General Surgery (Credits: 4)

Students must complete 24 credits of elective course work to satisfy graduation requirements.  

  • There are over 80 patient care electives to choose from.  Students may elect to use 4 credits for a non-patient care elective, of which we have numerous options that include research, education and other education experiences.
  • In addition, there is the opportunity to design an individualized elective for a specific clinical experience that is not covered by a formal elective and students may opt to go on away rotation electives during their M4 year depending on their career needs.

 

Longitudinal Specialty Programs

We offer two four-year longitudinal programs: family medicine and health equity and social justice. Additional information is provided to you before fall matriculation.

Family Medicine Leadership Program

The Family Medicine Leadership Program, or FMLP, gives students the opportunity to engage in enhanced primary care clinical training and experiences. Students in the FMLP will participate in a curriculum specifically geared toward the tenets of a career in family medicine, emphasizing the impacts of family and community on health, the role of interdisciplinary care, and the development of skills in leadership and scholarly pursuit.  Students may opt in or out on a yearly basis depending on their career development needs.

Students register for FAM 705 for every term in which they are enrolled in the FMLP.

  • FAM - 705 Family Medicine Leadership Program (FMLP) (Credits: 1)

Health Equity and Social Justice Leadership Program

The Health Equity & Social Justice Leadership Program gives students the opportunity to engage enhanced clinical training and experiences focused on themes of global and local health equity/social justice. Students in the program will participate in a curriculum specifically geared toward a career focused on vulnerable populations, health equity and global health.  Students may opt out on a yearly basis depending on their interests and career development needs.

Students register for RMD 705 for every term in which they are enrolled in the Health Equity program.

  • RMD - 705 Health Equity Program: Global and Local Perspective (Credits: 1)

View the current course catalog

Refer to the course catalog for our most up-to-date curriculum information.