Daily Life
Weekly Schedule for Fall, Winter and Spring Quarters
The Basis of the Curriculum
A description of courses and clerkships you will take during your four years at Pritzker
E-curriculum: Online resources for your classes
Biochemistry
Letter on Biochem Placement Exam"
Biochemistry is one of the few classes that you can test out of during your first year. If you have had an in-depth course in biochemistry before, you may want to consider testing out. This will free up your first quarter to take other classes and/or have more free time. Here are some of the options for people who test out biochemistry and student perspectives on these options.
Medical School Sponsored Class
"One option that you can take if you pass out of biochemistry is �The molecular basis of human disease.� Dr. Getz basically leads a discussion group covering some of the significant literature on the underlying biochemical mechanisms of
several different diseases. The class has the unique opportunity to vote at the beginning of the semester for the diseases that they would like to learn about, thus controlling the curriculum. A great deal of information is learned about the
individual diseases, as well as how to critically analyze and pick out the key information from the literature. The class meets once a week for about one and a half-hours, and requires a couple of hours a week of reading. It is a good introduction to some of the concepts that will be covered in pathology and CPP (clinical pathophysiology) in the second year."
Independent Electives
"I arranged an independent study course with a faculty mentor on topics
related to death & dying, and the physician's relationship with a dying
patient. This course met for approximately 2 hours per week, in
addition to readings and a final paper."
"I arranged a preceptorship with a rheumatologist to study a disease that I have a personal interest in. I was able to shadow the physician in clinic twice a week. In addition, he gave me related readings and we met outside of the clinic to discuss them. Also, I was able to get involved in a clinical research project. I was able to continue the preceptorship during the Winter and Spring quarters."
