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Prerequisites
General Requirements
- All applicants must have completed a minimum of 90 semester hours of course work, at the time of application, in an accredited in a U.S. or Canadian or United Kingdom college or university.
- Applicants who are not U.S. citizens or permanent residents of the U.S. are eligible to apply provided they have completed at least 90 semester hours of coursework, at the time of application, in a U.S. or Canadian college or university.
- We strongly prefer a bachelor’s degree from those that have attended college in the U.S.
Admissions Policies and Procedures (PDF)
Course Recommendations
The University of Virginia School of Medicine no longer has required pre-requisite courses
We have no science or humanities requirements. However, it is recommended that students consider courses in Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Human Behavior and Statistics as students find these courses to be helpful during medical school.
MCAT Requirements
The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is required of all applicants. We will accept the current version of the MCAT and the future version of the MCAT. We will not give preference to either. All applicants must present scores from tests taken no later than September 30th of the year prior to matriculation, and no earlier than April 1st of the three years prior to matriculation.
Information regarding the MCAT and registration materials are available from premedical advisors or from MCAT Registration, phone: (202) 828-0690, http://www.aamc.org/.
AP Credit
The University of Virginia will accept AP credit, provided your undergraduate institution awarded you credit towards graduation (not just exemptions) and those credits appear on your official transcript.
Technical Standards
All matriculants and current students (“Candidates”) must possess the physical, cognitive, emotional and interpersonal capabilities necessary to complete the medical education program and to provide highly effective patient care within the medical education program. These capabilities are called Technical Standards, the essential functions that all medical students must demonstrate to meet the requirements of a general medical education. Candidates whether for admission, academic promotion, or graduation must meet these Technical Standards, with or without reasonable accommodation. See for details of these capabilities.
These technical standards are predicated on the school’s learning objectives that are considered essential for completion of the M.D. degree. They have been approved by the Curriculum Committee and the Dean of the School of Medicine.
Criminal Background Check Requirement
If legal or criminal proceedings are filed against you prior to matriculation, or if you are the recipient of any institutional disciplinary action, it is your responsibility to inform the Admissions Office immediately. Additionally, all students must undergo a mandatory criminal background check as a condition of acceptance to the School of Medicine. See the full Criminal Background Check Policy here.
Requirements Doctor of Medicine
The “Next Generation” Curriculum
The Practice and Science of Medicine
Throughout the four years, the “Next Generation” Curriculum combines the practice and science of medicine. Patient contact begins on the first day of the first year and increases throughout the four years. At the center of the curriculum is the patient, the science of medicine, and the physician’s role in improving the health of individuals and communities. The curriculum is a thoughtful balance of team-based learning, problem and case-based learning, small-group activities, hands-on laboratories, lectures, and hospital and community-based clinical experiences.
Integrated Clinical Sciences
The pre-clerkship period of the curriculum is referred to as ICS or Integrated Clinical Sciences. This period constitutes the first 3 terms of the MD requirements. ICS begins with an innovative three-day session entitled “Cells to Society” which is designed to present first year students with an integrative approach to clinical medicine. Cells to Society is structured around one disease process and demonstrates to students how the care of the patient raises questions in multiple domains in addition to clinical medicine. First years investigate the disease’s cellular and societal dimensions and focus on and connect the patient to all other aspects of the ICS curriculum. Cells to Society is followed by Foundations of Medicine and Cells, Tissues and Mechanisms of Diseases. These courses include foundational elements of human behavior, the doctor/patient relationship, decision sciences, principles of biochemistry, genetics, histology, physiology, anatomy, immunology, general pathology, general pharmacology, and epidemiology and is completed by winter of the first year. Foundations of Medicine is followed by the Integrated Organ Systems: Microbes and the Immune System, Musculoskeletal-Integument; Mind, Brain and Behavior; Gastrointestinal; Cardiovascular; Pulmonary; Renal; Endocrine/Reproductive, and Hematology. Each system integrates core science (e.g., anatomy, histology, physiology, pharmacology, and pathology) with clinical skills ranging from physical examination to addressing cultural and social issues, including public health policy. Clinical Performance Development (CPD) provides frequent and developmental opportunities for learning clinical skills. During the ICS period, CPD is integrated with each course and system and focuses on the acquisition and regular practice of basic clinical skills. CPD also spans the clerkships and advanced clinical training phases of the curriculum. Finally, the required service-learning course Social Issues in Medicine involves medical students in a broad range of social service, educational, medical, and non-medical programs throughout the community.
After the successful completion of the below requirement, students must pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step One in order to progress to the clerkship portion of their medical education.
The preclerkship courses which must be successfully completed in order to progress to the clerkships are as follows:
Fall of Year One:
Spring of Year One:
Fall of Year Two:
Clerkships
The clerkship year (which begins in the early spring of the second year) is devoted to clinical training. Students take clerkships in medicine, surgery, pediatrics, family medicine, psychiatry, obstetrics and gynecology, neurology, perioperative , and surgery subspecialties. There is extensive direct contact with patients, and students work with a well-balanced patient population, which includes primary, secondary, and tertiary care. Teaching is related to the patient on rounds and in small tutorial seminars, lectures and group discussions. Emphasis is given to the principles of prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and the continuing integration of clinical medicine with medical sciences and the psychological factors that influence health. Students work in small groups and rotate among many clinical services, gaining practical experience under supervision in the wards and outpatient clinics of the University of Virginia hospitals, the Veterans Administration Medical Center in Salem, the Western State Hospital, INOVA Fairfax Hospital in Northern Virginia, and Bon Secours Health System in Richmond. The teaching programs at the affiliated hospitals allow students to observe the practice of medicine in multiple settings and gain exposure to a somewhat different spectrum of illnesses than that seen at the University of Virginia. During their clerkships, all students spend an average of 10-12 weeks away from Charlottesville in affiliated clerkship locations.
Students must pass each of the following clerkships to procede to the Advanced Clinical Traning portion of their education:
Advanced Clinical Training
Following the clerkships, students complete electives tailored to their needs and pursue their own interests in the electives. Elective programs include a wide variety of programs at UVA and in other domestic and foreign settings. Under the guidance of a faculty advisor, students choose clinical rotations, basic science and humanities courses and research activities. Medical students are required to complete at least one Advanced Clinical Elective after the clerkships. There is a continuum of the science, clinical skills, and professionalism throughout the four-year curriculum. The student is presented within and across each period with multiple examples of knowledge, skills, professionalism, and decision-making. In addition to this Electives Program (completed over the final 2 terms) students will complete a clerkship in Geriatrics and DXRX Healthcare policy.
Required courses for the final 2 terms include:
Additional Requirements
Professionalism
Professional attitudes and behaviors are components of the 12 Competencies Required of the Contemporary Physician that enable the independent performance of the responsibilities of a physician and therefore are a requirement for the successful award of the degree of Doctor of Medicine.1-4 The School of Medicine’s Professionalism Objectives (http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/education/medical-students/UMEd/elements/Professionalism%20objectives%20clerkships3.pdf/view) establish general standards applicable to all students in the School of Medicine. However, it is the responsibility of the faculty and the ASAC, as appropriate, to interpret and apply the general Professionalism Objectives to specific situations in which concerns are raised about student performance or behaviors.
Evaluation of professional attitudes and behaviors is an integral part of a student’s assessment and generally is accomplished through observation and narrative recording.Praise/Concern Cards and written narratives are assessment tools used to describe behaviors in areas of altruism; honesty and integrity; caring, compassion and communication; respect for others; respect for differences; responsibility and accountability; excellence and scholarship; leadership and knowledge and other skills related to professionalism.These professional attitudes and behaviors are monitored and recorded throughout undergraduate medical education.
Any breach of professionalism resulting in a recorded observation, e.g., Professionalism Concern Card, letter, written report, etc., must be addressed with the student by his/her college dean and documentation of the discussion must be recorded. If a student receives three or more written observations of concern or is cited for a single egregious breach of professionalism, notice will be sent to ASAC for review.A student identified as having a pattern of unprofessional behavior may be directed to further counseling and /or to supportive remediation and/or placed on academic warning or academic probation (as defined below), or if the professional violations are severe, a student may be dismissed from school even if he/she has passing grades in all courses. ASAC will assess the severity of the problem, the management and the consequences, including possibly reporting the behaviors in the student’s Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).Egregious behaviors, such as but not limited to assault on or threat to a patient, patient’s family member, student, GME trainee or faculty member, conduct that may constitute a felony, etc., regardless of whether criminal prosecutions are initiated or pursued, will be referred immediately to ASAC, irrespective of whether previous observations of concern exist, with the recommendation for dismissal from school.
Technical Standards
Graduation:In order receive the recommendation from ASAC for graduation and conferral of the MD degree, a student must satisfy all academic and professionalism graduation requirements with no outstanding deficiencies.In addition, passing scores on the CPX, USMLE Step 1, USMLE Step 2 clinical knowledge and the USMLE Step 2 clinical skills are required for graduation.
Steps 1 and 2 of United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE)
In order to advance to the clerkships, a student must successfully complete the pre-clerkship curriculum and must have taken USMLE Step 1 at least 10 days before the Transition course.A student may begin the clerkships pending notification of his/her Step 1 score.If notification of a failing score on Step 1 is received after a student has begun a clerkship, he/she generally will be allowed to complete that clerkship.The student then will discontinue clerkships in order to concentrate on retaking and passing Step 1.The Step 1 examination may be taken no more than three times.Three failures of Step 1 will result in the student’s dismissal from the School of Medicine, without recourse to the appeals process.A college dean may judge, based on a student’s academic performance, that the student is at risk of failing USMLE Step 1 and may recommend that the student delay sitting for the examination in order to have more time for preparation.In this circumstance, the student should complete the Transitions Courseso the student can return to the third-year clerkships upon satisfactory completion of USMLE Step 1. After successful completion of the core clerkships, the student must take both parts of Step 2 of the USMLE (2 CK and 2 CS).Passing both Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS is required for graduation. Students are allowed a total of three attempts to pass each of the two Step 2 examinations; failure to pass either Step 2 examination for a third time will result in dismissal from medical school, without recourse to the appeals process.Students must pass all required clerkships and take USMLE Step 2 CS and 2 CK no later than November 1 of their last academic year in medical school to ensure an opportunity for remediation prior to residency match and graduation, should a failure occur.Students may register for but not sit for USMLE Step 2 components prior to completion of clerkships.
Clinical Practice Examination
Students are required to take and pass the Clinical Practice Examination (CPX) after the completion of the clerkships.This is a requirement for graduation.Students failing the CPX are referred to ASAC and should review their performance and address their deficiencies prior to retaking the examination.Failure of the CPX will be reported on the MSPE.
Time Limit for Completion of the M.D. Degree
Students must complete the requirements for the M.D. degree within six years of matriculation in the School of Medicine. Special time arrangements are available to those in the dual M.D. /Ph.D. program.
Dual Degree Programs
Admission
Students must be admitted to each program/plans within the two careers (Medicine, GSAS/MPH). Admission is to the M.D. program and then to the M.P.H.
Enrollment, Tuition, and Financial Aid
Any student enrolled in the M.D./M.P.H. degree program has access to 8 semesters of medical school financial aid, will pay 8 semesters of medical school tuition, and will remain enrolled in the School of Medicine for the first three years, then GSAS for the fall and spring semesters (year 4), and then return to the School of Medicine for the summer session and for the remaining fall and spring semesters (year 5).
During year 4, the student will pay graduate tuition through the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences and is eligible for appropriate graduate financial aid.
Any student enrolled in the School of Medicine is required to meet the independent degree requirements of that program.
Awarding of Degrees
Both the M.D. and M.P.H. degrees, providing requirements have been met for both career plans, can be awarded at the May graduation.
Dual Degree Programs Overview
M.D./J.D.
The School of Medicine and the School of Law offers at dual degree program in which as student may obtain an M.D and a J.D in six years. The student is obligated to secure separate admission to both schools; the school of Law requires the LSAT. Students may apply to the School of Law in their first, second or third years of medical school. For more information, please see http://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/handbook/policy/secondDegree.cfm.
M.D./M.B.A.
The School of Medicine and the Darden School of Business offers a dual degree program in which a student may obtain both the M.D. and the M.B.A. degrees in 5 years. The student is obligated to secure separate admission to both schools. Once admitted to the School of Medicine, the student may apply to the Darden School of Business for admission. Students in the dual degree program begin their M.B.A. curriculum after completing the first three years of the medical curriculum. The total duration is 5 years. For more information, see http://www.healthsystem.virginia.edu/internet/phs/mph/jointmdmph.cfm and http://www.darden.virginia.edu/html/standard.aspx?menu_id=72&styleid=2&id=816#MBA/MD.
M.D./M.S.D.S
The School of Medicine and the Data Science Institute offer a dual degree program in which a student may obtain both the M.D. and the Master of Science in Data science degrees in 4.5 years. The program is designed to accommodate the interests of students who desire to pursue careers in data-driven and digital technology focused healthcare. The students in this degree will combine their medical education with computer programming, data wrangling, analytics and data science skills to creatively address difficult issues that use an increasing amounts of clinical, research, financial claims and cost, and behavior data, among others. Students will complete 3 years of medical education, followed by a summer, fall, and spring term in the Data Science Institute. When they return to School of Medicine they will be able to satisfy graduation requirements with one term of additional medical coursework.
M.D./M.P.H. (Public Health)
The dual M.D./M.P.H. is designed to provide graduate professional training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies, translational and community-based research, and community engagement strategies to improve the health of individuals and populations. The program focuses on the competencies professionals need to address population health and health care delivery issues and includes a range of interdisciplinary courses on social behavioral health, health policy, program planning and evaluation, and environmental health, as well as epidemiology and biostatistics. Medical Students who decide to pursue the M.P.H. should expect to begin their M.P.H. courses after completing the core clinical clerkships and to extend their education by one year. The dual degree program must be completed within 6 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine. For more information, see http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/phs/degree_programs/mph/dualmdmph-page.
M.D./M.S. in Clinical Research
The dual M.D./M.S. in Clinical Research (M.S.-C.R.) is designed to provide graduate professional training in quantitative and qualitative research methodologies and translational and community-based research strategies. Medical Students who pursue the M.S./C.R. should expect to begin their M.S./C.R. courses after completing the core clinical clerkships and to extend their education by one year. The dual degree program must be completed within 6 years of matriculation in the School of Medicine. For more information, see http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/clinical/departments/phs/degree_programs/ms/mdms-page.
M.D./Ph.D. (NIH Medical Scientist Training)
The goal of our M.D./Ph.D. Program is to train individuals who will be both outstanding physicians and scientists, and who will pioneer major advances in medical practice through research. M.D./Ph.D. students take an integrated curriculum combining basic science and research training with our highly innovative medical education “Next Generation” Curriculum. Ph.D. training may be done in one of our seven Biomedical Sciences (BIMS) Interdisciplinary Graduate Programs including: Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genetics; Molecular Cell and Developmental Biology; Biomedical Engineering; Microbiology, Immunology, and Infectious Disease; Molecular Medicine; Structural and Computational Biology, and Biophysics; and Neuroscience (see http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/education/phd/bims/).
We also offer a wide variety of NIH Funded Specialized Training Programs in the areas of Immunology, Cardiovascular Science and Medicine, Cancer, Biodefense, Neuroscience, Neurobiology and Behavioral Development, Cell and Molecular Biology, Biotechnology, Molecular Biophysics, Pharmacologic Sciences, and Infectious Diseases. A major emphasis of the program is to train physician-scientists who will lead the biomedical research community in efforts to discover the fundamental basis of human disease and to develop innovative new therapies for their treatment. Students in the dual M.D./Ph.D., degree program must complete the requirements for both degrees. The program typically takes 7-8 years to complete. For more information see: http://www.medicine.virginia.edu/education/phd/medical-scientist-training-program.
Additional Information
For more information, contact Katherine Yates, Registrar, School of Medicine, 200 Jeanette Lancaster Way; 434-924-5200; kam5vd@virginia.edu; https://www.med-ed.virginia.edu/index.cfm
