General Information

The academic year is divided into two semesters, fall and spring, each of which is divided into three blocks called phases.  A phase generally consists of about 6 weeks of classes, followed by a week of exams (no class meetings).  A typical phase exam is 2-4 hours long and should be approached like an undergraduate final exam.  Some of your phase exams, and some final exams, may be comprehensive.

You will be enrolled for about 21 credit hours each semester.  Except for phase week (exams), you will be in class or lab about 25-30 hours each week, with 12-1 off for lunch.  Each course has one or two course directors, who lecture, design exams and lecture schedules, and oversee the course.  Most courses have multiple professors, so you may see from five to more than ten lecturers per course.  Most of your courses will require that you purchase a syllabus from the bookstore in addition to your textbooks.  This is a bundle of lecture notes, study guides, and/or other information designed to help you follow along and identify important concepts.  The syllabi can be extremely helpful, but they come in varying stages of completeness and are not meant to be used as your sole study aid.

You are urged to keep up with course material, and to seek help at once if you find you don't understand a concept or you are falling behind.  Aside from the profs, most courses have teaching assistants (usually second- or fourth- year students) who are available during lab or for review sessions and tutoring.  You should include some tutoring fees in your budget along with books and supplies.

Beginning in 1998-99, the curriculum has been redesigned to coordinate topics between courses.  For example, you will be taking the Immunology segment of the Microbiology & Immunology course while you are covering the immune system in Biochemistry; and Gross Anatomy & Embryology has been aligned with Microscopic Anatomy so that you will usually be studying the microscopic structure of a particular system while it is being covered in Gross.  Also, you will begin the year with a month of clinical experience, and there will be a weekly session to integrate and apply what you're studying to clinical situations.

The following course information is intended to give you an idea of what to expect.  Please note that the curriculum has been going through extensive revisions in the past year, so some of this information may have been altered by the time you begin classes.  Also, please double-check textbook information.  Keep in mind that the volume of material and intensity of the first four weeks in CIC is much less than that of the basic science courses that begin in August.  Be ready to switch into high gear when the fail courses begin with your syllabus, course director, or the bookstore BEFORE you sink a lot of money into books.  Some of the requirements listed here may be changed or updated (e.g. new edition) during summer.

Here is a brief look at what the schedule for the year looks like (click on the course for more information):

1st Semester Course Information

Clinical Integration Course - 7.5 hours

Course Director:  Dr. W. Ross Lawler

Office:  610L

Phone:  567-4580

email:  [email protected]

Textbooks

The two textbooks are required and will be needed throughout medical school.  They are good references on how to treat patients and correct examination skills.

Course Description

This is the fourth year for this course, and some details may change for your class.  The CIC will extend throughout the entire first year.  The grade for the course at the end of the first year will include the results of written exams and skills exams as well as evaluations from each of the 5 tracks described below.  Although there will be one grade for the course at the end of the year, each student will be made of aware of his/her progress throughout the year.

You will begin with four weeks of instruction on taking patient histories and performing physical exams.  You will have a lecture with an overview of the exam procedure, followed by a meeting with your small-group instructor.  This person will be your first faculty contact in medical school, and most are excellent resources for advice throughout the year.  Each instructor has two groups of 10 to l2 students each.  The idea is that you take turns practicing your technique on one another, with your instructor to oversee and consult on questions and problems - not directly to teach you every step.  Be sure to prepare well for class. (Also, don't panic: advanced techniques such as pelvic exams are learned in second year, and these are practiced on "models" - real people, but not classmates!)

Because you're beginning your clinical experiences right away, you will need to purchase your diagnostic instruments (stethoscope, etc.) the first day of class.  Dr. Lawler will give you general guidelines and the bookstore will help you select and order.  You can expect to pay $500 to $600 for your instruments, so it is very important that you plan your budget and do your financial aid forms well in advance (i.e. right now!).  The financial aid process has several steps and can take weeks to complete.  If you need help getting started, contact the UTHSCSA Financial Aid Office.

After the first four weeks, there will be an exam covering the history and physical examination skills you have learned.  Then you will begin your other fall semester courses (see below) and enter the second portion of CIC.  For the rest of the year of CIC, you will be divided into five sections of 40 students each.  There will be five "tracks" with each section on a different track each week for five weeks. (i.e. At the end of the first five weeks, every section has been through every track once.) You will rotate through the set of five tracks six times in the year.  The tracks are designed to give you experience with situations which are important in caring for patients.  You will be asked to submit an evaluation of each week's activity.

Geriatric Track - each student will be paired with another student, and that pair will be assigned to an elder person in the community.  The elder is not your "patient" but someone from whom you can learn what the elderly face when interacting with the health care system.  Each phase, you will have an hour lecture on geriatric medicine.  Then, you will have the rest of the afternoon to meet with your elder and complete a specific task related to the discussion.  For example, during one phase, you will meet with your elder and complete a paper describing your elder's life history and any medical experiences they might have had.

Community Physician Track - each student is paired with a community physician.  You will be shadowing them to observe different aspects of the doctor's job and relationships with patients, staff, and other health care professionals.  On this day, expect to spend anywhere from 1 to 5 hours at their offices.

MS3 Track - you will be paired with a third year student who is on rotations in the wards.  The purpose of this track is to introduce you to the intended uses of your early clinical training so that you'll have some idea of what to expect when you hit third year yourself.

SP Track - "standardized (or simulated) patients" are trained people who have a particular complaint and you will take a history and perform physical examination skills on them.  You will be evaluated on you knowledge pertaining to their complaint.  This is an exciting part of the CIC course.

Clinical Thinking Track - clinical correlations show you real cases involving knowledge or skills you have just developed in your other courses.  They teach you how to integrate what you've learned sitting in class and practicing in CIC by showing you how they apply to "real" patients.

Each track has its own director.  The best way to contact most small group instructors, track directors, or the course director for CIC will be through email.  The school issues you an email account, and CIC will offer about 6 hours of instruction in computer skills to ensure that everyone is comfortable with this aspect of the course.

Helpful Resources

Because this is a now course and it's your first exposure to medical school, there are bound to be questions.  Your small group instructor is probably best for specific questions about the material.  The library also has a good selection of examination videos and heart sound cassettes that will be of great benefit to you.

Most of us face anxiety about asking delicate questions or performing exams, and in some cases it can help to talk to your group leader or a more senior student, such as your third year student mentor or a willing second-year.  If you need clarification of where you're supposed to be, etc., see your section director or Dr. Lawler.  Finally, try to get the most of your CIC experience!

FALL COURSES (begin in August)

Biochemistry - 8.5 hours

Course Director:  Dr. Richard Luduena

Office:  436D

Phone:  567-3731

email:  [email protected]

Textbooks

Check your syllabus for the latest information.  The following textbooks are recommended, but not required:

Some students used Lipponcott as an excellent resource to provide an overview about the fundamentals of the course last year.

Course Description

Biochemistry is covered during the three phases of the fall semester.  There are about 8 hours of lecture per week, usually 9-11 a.m. with a single multiple-choice exam each phase.  Warning:  Biochemistry will cover a lot of material in a very short period of time, so prepare to spend time studying for it!  We found that on exams, most of the questions will be asked on material presented in the syllabus.  However, you are responsible for any material presented during the lectures, especially the clinical correlations, which are not included in the syllabus (usually 1 or 2 questions will come from each clinical correlation lecture).

During the first phase, you will be assigned an extra credit library project worth four points added to your final grade.  Partners are assigned by Dr. Luduena.  You are advised to start on your project early so you will have time to ask for advice before the hectic end of the semester.

Exemption Exam

An optional, comprehensive medical biochemistry exam is given during orientation.  Anyone who passes the exam (75%) receives credit for the course, but your grade on the exam (good or bad) does not affect your GPA.  If you have a background in biochemistry, you might want to consider this option since exempting from biochemistry would allow you more valuable time to work on your other courses.  And even if you don't have a background in biochemistry, taking the exam gives you a good preview of what's expected of you in the course.

Helpful Resources

If you need help with a specific topic, the professor who gave the lecture is your best resource.  Dr. Luduena gives an optional weekly overview session, usually Monday morning at 8 a.m., to preview coming material and address questions.  The teaching assistants for Biochemistry are graduate students, and they offer a free tutoring session once a week.  Listen for details during the first few days of class.

Gross Anatomy and Embryology - 7.5 hours

Course Director:  Dr. Linda Y. Johnson

Office:  2.029V

Phone:  567-3836

Textbooks

There are many good anatomy books available.  The following is a list of those which students have found helpful.

Course Description

The course lasts four phases, all three in fall and the first in spring.  There will be about 4-6 hours of lecture each week, usually around 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Material will be coordinated mainly with Microscopic Anatomy.

During the first phase, lab will meet 3 afternoons each week; for the next three phases, there will be two labs per week.  Lab groups have four students each and are assigned alphabetically, and attendance is required.  The lab will usually be open to students about 20 hours a day. (Bring your ID to get in!)

Clinical correlations every few weeks involve a guest physician discussing their specialty and its relation to the current topics in class.  Clinical reinforcement can be helpful for understanding as well as for bonus questions on exams!

Exams have three sections: lab practical (50%), multiple choice (25%), and short-answer (25%).  There is usually a practice lab practical before the first phase exam.

Helpful Resources

Learning anatomy is like learning a new language: not only are there lots of new terms to learn, but you also need to be able to put them into context with one another.  Each person finds certain parts of the subject more challenging than others.  A few of these may include envisioning the 3-D aspects of the embryo folding or of your cadaver; understanding the "big picture" of systems like nerves and vessels, and applying information to reading x-rays and other diagnostic tests.  The key is to zero in on the parts which are more challenging to you as an individual.  You can go to:

Profs - always a good resource for questions and clarifications.  There is usually a weekly lunchtime review session, which is a good opportunity to clear up trouble spots or just be sure you're on track.

Tutoring - the teaching assistants for Gross lab are fourth-year students on rotation for about a month at a time.  They are available for private tutoring (1-4 students) most of the semester.  Most students take advantage of this option as a great way to prepare for the lab portion of the exams.  Tutoring is usually done with your lab partners and is usually $5/hour/person (prices may vary).  Remember to budget for this, and to sign up early, in the phase.

On your own - besides the skeletons, models and prosection (model dissection done by the TA's) in the Gross lab, you will have a bone box in the MD labs, study questions printed at the end of each lab exercise, and objectives given at the beginning of many lecture sections in the syllabus.  There are some excellent programs for embryology and cross-sections (using the visible human project) available on the computers in the library.  X-rays, CT scans, and bony features will all be on the lab practical.

Microscopic Anatomy (a.k.a. Histology) - 4.5 hours

Course Director:  Dr. Thomas S. King

Office:  231D

Phone:  567-3899

Textbooks

Some books and atlases that have helped past students are:

Course Description

You will spend about 4 hours each week in lecture, and another 4 hours in lab.  Course material is roughly aligned with Gross Anatomy & Embryology, Biochemistry, and the Immunology division of Microbiology.  An important component of lecture is 2x2 slides (as in, photographic slides which are pictures of microscope specimen slides).  Lab is required.  This is also your best chance to get to know the professors, and to get help.  Many of us are not familiar with using a microscope or identifying different structures on that level, and it is important to get extra help early if you need to.

During lab, your instructor - a professor or a second-year medical student TA - will show you 2x2 slides of examples of the tissues you are studying, then you will look at your own microscope slides.  You should try to find a good atlas (photos or drawings of structures), and there is also a course CD-ROM atlas which comes with the required course syllabus.  It is important to look at all the examples of a given cell or tissue that you can find, since they vary enormously -- and the ones you see in lab will not be identical to the ones on the exam!

There are three written phase exams. Each phase exam will consist of a written exam comprised of USMLE-format multiple choice questions including black/white and color images. In years past, the phase exams in this course have included a "projected slides" exam but this will be eliminated in favor of using images printed onto the written exam for each phase.

Helpful Resources

Professors and the TAs are available each week in lab to address questions.  The course director is available throughout the week (appointments work best though "drop-ins" are OK too) to answer specific questions or go over material a student finds difficult or confusing.  Most TAs also tutor on request, and there is usually a practice projected exam before phase sponsored by AMSA.  Slide carousels are available in the library.  Also, the CD-ROM provided with with syllabus is excellent.

2nd Semester Course Information

You will begin medical school with the four courses listed above.  Here is just a brief glance at what will lie ahead during the rest of your first year.  Please note:  Gross Anatomy will continue into the 2nd semester and a cumulative final will be given in February during the fourth phase.

Microbiology - 5.5 hours

Course Director:  Virginia Thomas

Office:  429C

Phone:  567-3916

Textbooks

The required textbooks are excellent sources for this course.  Always check the syllabus for the latest required text.  The following books were used in the course last year:

Course Description

The Immunology section of the course will be during the second and third phases of Fall, with the remainder of the course (Virology and Bacteriology) covered over three phases in spring.  Exams are modeled after USMLE exams (question format, number, and time limit).  Immunology and virology are taught with 3-5 hours per week of traditional lectures, while the remainder of the course is presented mostly through small-group conferences and case histories.  Lab is mandatory and meets 1-4 hours per week.  The TAs are graduate students in microbiology.

An exemption exam, which is a National Board exam, is offered at the beginning of the year.  Listen during orientation or the first days of Immunology for details.

Physiology - 7.5 hours

Course Director:  Dr. Roger McCarter

Office:  3.035V

Phone:  567-4329

email:  [email protected]

Textbooks

There are usually four hours of lecture each week, a 2-hour quiz session Thursday morning, and several hours blocked out for students to work independently or see profs in office hours.  The course covers three phases in spring with multiple-choice exams.

Thursday morning quizzes have two parts: a 30-minute miniquiz which each student works individually, and a group quiz.  The second part is group effort with some new questions plus questions from the individual miniquiz.  Groups of 6 are assigned by the course director.

An exemption exam is offered during the first two weeks of the spring semester.

Neuroscience - 5.0 hours

Course Director:  Dr. Mary K. Vaughan

Office:  2.004V

Phone:  567-3835

Textbook

Also called Neuroanatomy, the course covers three phases in spring.  Lectures meet 5-8 hours per week, with lab from 0-3 hours per week.  As with Gross Anatomy, Neuroscience can seem like a different language at first, so it is important to preview material and get extra help as you go along.  The TAs are second-year or senior medical students, and most are available for tutoring.  There are excellent CD-ROM materials available in the library and a review slide CD is purchased with the syllabus and a lab manual.  The exam consists of a multiple choice portion covering three questions from each lecture hour and a lab practical.  The lab practicals count as 30% of overall grade.

PHASE WEEK

Usually, there are five weeks of lecture and laboratory followed by one intense week of testing (called a Phase).  The week of tests is called Phase Week.  Consider each test during phase week a final examination and prepare during the preceding five weeks accordingly.

THE SYLLABUS

Each course has a packet of lecture notes called a syllabus, which includes outlines for each lecture.  Some are more complete than others.  You are required to buy a syllabus for each of your courses when you purchase textbooks.

OLD TESTS & OLD SCRIBES

Sometime during the first few weeks of class, there will be old tests and last year's scribe notes for sale.  Some people find these resources helpful when studying for phase exams.

BOOKS AND SUPPLIES

If you need to save money, discuss with your Physical Diagnosis partners about sharing equipment.  Everyone should, however, buy a stethoscope.  Medical books are expensive; you cannot do anything about it.  Some people can do without them; some people buy selectively and rely more heavily on the library and friends; some buy almost everything.  The average cost of one book is about $50.  If your budget is limited, shop carefully.  In the first semester, you can expect to spend about $200-$300.  The second semester's books run about the same amount.  You will also have to purchase diagnostic instruments second semester which cost around $500.  Tutoring in medical school is a whole new experience.  Even if you have never used a tutor in the past, you will most likely hire one during your first year.  Tutors are available for the following classes: Gross Anatomy, Microanatomy & Neuroscience.  Prices for tutoring depend on the amount of time used & the number of people tutored.  Typically an hour of tutoring costs around $20 for a group.   Do not forget to account for the cost of tutoring sessions in your budget.

Your big brother/big sister might be willing to lend you some books for the semester for free!  Many students have purchased their books online at a much cheaper price than the bookstore.  This usually occurs after becoming a member of an organization such as AMSA, which provides coupons to http://www.medsite.com with membership dues.

The UTHSCSA bookstore is the only deal in town for new medical books and supplies.  If you are eligible for military privileges, stop by the bookstore on the first floor of the Academy of Health Sciences at Ft. Sam Houston (no tax!).  All of the required texts are on reserve in the library, but that does not mean that they will always be there.  Half Price Books has a Medical Section with some great bargains on textbooks.  Quantities vary and are limited.  New and used college textbooks will not have many medical books, but they will special order used medical textbooks for you.  Also, remember if you have any textbooks from college that you think might be helpful, bring them!  Sometimes it helps to have a familiar resource when you need a less detailed overview or a quick reminder of how something works.

SCRIBE SERVICE

One of the first things you will want to organize as a class is the student scribe service.  It is a voluntary system whereby members share the responsibility of taping, transcribing and proofing the transcriptions (scribe notes) of lectures in all of the classes for the fall semester and all of the classes for the spring semester.  Since the scribe service is not an official organization sponsored by any UTHSCSA administration, a scribe service for your class is not already set up for you.  It is imperative that some of you take the initiative to get the scribe service going for your class either before or during orientation week.  Your first lectures start the first week of class and must be scribed.  It takes several people to oversee the scheduling, maintain a scribe service checking account, maintain the web site, and formulate some sort of roster with all of the enrolled members, phone numbers, and scribe and proof dates.  Also, there needs to be a person in charge and several assistants that will be responsible for having all of the lectures taped and dubbed.  All of these volunteers from your class are essential for running your scribe service effectively.

Each member pays a fee (as determined by your scribe committee) for being in the scribe service.  Being a member entitles him/her to receive copies of the scribe notes as they are prepared (usually all of the notes for the lectures of the previous week are posted on the web site by Monday).  In addition, each member is responsible for scribing and proofing a specified number of lectures for the semester.  It is strongly recommended that you become familiar with using a computer or a word processing program this summer.

Although the scribe service is a voluntary system, it is highly recommended that you consider it as a study resource.  Lectures are often presented extremely fast and there is often not enough time for you to take comprehensive, accurate notes on the information presented.  Scribe notes are just another example of the efficient use of study time, because the material presented in lecture accounts for most of the material which will appear on phase exams.  Members of the class of 2004 will gladly assist with advice regarding how to set up and run your own scribe service.  However, it is up to your class to start and run your own scribe service immediately.

LIAISONS

UTHSCSA, like many medical schools, has developed a liaison system to facilitate communication-between students and faculty.  Liaisons are members of your class whose responsibility is to present students' opinions and concerns to the professors and relay professors comments and instructions to the class.  Liaisons are busiest immediately following tests since it is their job to challenge disputed questions.  Diplomacy is of utmost importance in a liaison, so choose them carefully.  Diplomacy is of utmost importance in a liaison, so choose them carefully. If you become a liaison, remember that you represent your classmates and the job you do influences them.

STUDY SKILLS WORKSHOPS

The Counseling Service office sponsors workshops to help you find the best method to study effectively and manage your time.  The workshops are offered on request and at scheduled times.  Look for posted schedules.  Individual consultation for study skills is also provided by appointment.  For locations and more information about the workshops please stop by room 358L or call 567-2648

Helpful Hints

Some of these helpful hints were taken from The Successful Medical Student by John Thornborough and Hilary Schmidt (1993).

We also recommend the following books as resources for the beginning medical student: