The first phase of your medical journey is known as Foundations of Medical Knowledge (FMK), and it provides just that: a solid, broad foundation of knowledge and skills for the medical environment. From team-based learning to standardized patients to gross anatomy dissection, this year fully prepares you to jump into full-time clinical clerkships in your M2 year.
Foundational Science Courses
All your following years of training will deliberately build upon the M1 foundation, so your first-year courses focus on conceptual understanding, rather than rote memorization. In your M1 year, you will take six foundational science courses, arranged sequentially, each ranging from 6-12 weeks and followed by an end-of-block exam:
- Human Blueprint & Architecture
- Microbes & Immunity
- Homeostasis
- Renal & Digestion
- Reproduction & Endocrine
- Brain, Behavior, & Movement
Foundations of Physician Responsibility
Foundations of Physician Responsibility is a longitudinal course that spans all four years of the MD curriculum. A “doctoring” course, FPR encompasses four core responsibilities necessary for physicians:
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Self - In Self Development, also known as Learning Communities, you’ll find a supportive space to grow both personally and professionally. Through these communities, you’ll begin to shape your professional identity, gain insight into the medical field, and build the skills needed to thrive in the healthcare environment.
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Patient - Patient Care is your first step into clinical medicine, where you’ll learn how to take a medical history, perform physical exams, and begin developing clinical reasoning skills. The course aligns with your foundational science studies and features expert guest lecturers who present key concepts based on each body system.
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Team - Interprofessional Education (IPE) prepares you to work collaboratively with other healthcare professionals, breaking away from the traditional siloed approach to training. By learning with, from, and about other disciplines, you’ll be better equipped to deliver safe, effective, and patient-centered care as part of a cohesive healthcare team.
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Systems - Explore the American Medical Association’s Health Systems Science model, which emphasizes how different healthcare structures work together to serve patients. This training helps you think systemically about care delivery, preparing you to navigate and improve the complex health care landscape of the 21st century.
Student Research
During the first part of our four-year research path, Clinical Applications of Scientific Evidence (CASE), you’ll learn to critically and systematically evaluate scientific literature so you can apply evidence-based medicine to the cases you’re seeing in clinic. In this first-year course, you’ll also connect with a diverse group of physician-scientists and learn how research can play into your future career.
A Week in M1
Though your week schedule includes lectures, labs, and time for individual study, the heart of the M1 curriculum lies in case-based learning:
- Gather with a small group of students each Monday, Wednesday, and Friday morning
- Review a clinical case relating to your current block
- Discuss with your faculty facilitator potential differential diagnoses and treatment for the case
- Research on your own to collect relevant information and piece the symptom clues together
- Discover the actual condition causing these symptoms and make a final differential diagnosis
| Monday | Tueday | Wednesday | Thursday | Friday | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 AM - Noon | Case-based Small Group | Large/Medium Group or Lab | Case-based Small Group | Large/Medium Group or Lab | Case-based Small Group |
| Large/Medium Group or Lab | Large/Medium Group or Lab | Learning Communities | |||
| 1 PM - 5 PM | Clinic | Physical Diagnosis | Self-Directed Learning | Self-Directed Learning | Large/Medium Group or Lab |
| Self-Directed Learning | Physical Diagnosis |
Your Growth in Year 1
How can you measure success during your M1 year? Here are just a few of the ways you’ll track your own growth during this foundational stage:
- Pass/fail standardized block exams at the end of each of the six course blocks
- Self-assessment and peer assessment from case-based learning
- Narrative feedback from your course directors and small group facilitators
Your portfolio coach will guide you in processing all this feedback data so that you can name your own strengths, areas for growth, and goals moving forward.
Want to learn more about M1 assessment? Check out our unique approach to student growth.