M Delta Curriculum for M.D./Ph.D. Students

The M.D./Ph.D. program is a distinctive academic offering by the University of Connecticut School of Medicine and The Graduate School. M.D./Ph.D. students matriculate for the first and second years of medical school with standard M.D. students. At the end of their 2nd year, M.D./Ph.D. students leave the medical curriculum to pursue their Ph.D. studies with plans to re-integrate as 3rd year medical students upon their return. While they are working on their Ph.D. thesis, they are granted special matriculation in the Medical School giving them the ability to perform clinical activities. Thus, these students have the distinction of being dually enrolled in both the School of Medicine and the Graduate School throughout their entire matriculation at the University of Connecticut. M.D./Ph.D. students generally take 4 years to complete their Ph.D. degree. It has always been a concern that this time away from the clinical setting made their transition back into the standard M.D. curriculum less than ideal. The new M Delta curriculum, as it pertains to the M.D./Ph.D. program, focuses on creating more clinical education continuity, providing more clinical preparedness when returning to the medical curriculum, and providing options and choices to personalize the education of these students.

I. STAGE 1 (18 months)

In first stage of the M Delta curriculum, students in the M.D./Ph.D. program are fully integrated into the standard M.D. program courses. Because their academic trajectory differs from regular medical students and because they also have Graduate School obligations, some program requirements have been modified.

M.D./Ph.D. students will attend the following parts of the M Delta curriculum mirroring regular M.D. students:

  • Case Oriented Essentials (COrE)
  • Fabric of Anatomy & Biology Lab (FabLab)
  • Delivery of Clinical Care (DOCC)
  • Patient Advocacy in Communities, Teams, & Health Systems (PACTS)
  • Clinical Longitudinal Immersion in the Community (CLIC)
  • Individualized Learning Opportunities (ILOs)
  • Vertically Integrated Teams Aligned in Learning /Interprofessional Education (VITAL/IPE). M.D./Ph.D. students will need to finish their community based project by the end of STAGE 1.
  • Scholarship & Discovery. Students receive instruction in Responsible Conduct of Research. All students are required to write a short research proposal. The proposal written by M.D./Ph.D. students will be the basis for their required lab rotation in the summer following first year (see below). Hence, they will need to identify a research lab for the summer early in the first year.

In addition to the standard program, M.D./Ph.D. students are required by the graduate program to complete two laboratory rotations (8 weeks each) and two graduate school courses (each a semester long) during STAGE 1. To facilitate this, M.D./Ph.D. students will not be placed in medical student groups meeting on Monday afternoon in STAGE 1 so that they can participate in the required courses. The scheduling of these additional graduate program requirements is the responsibility of the M.D./Ph.D. Program Director in consultation with the Associate Dean of the Graduate School.

II. STAGE 2 (15 months)

The second stage of the M Delta Curriculum marks the cessation of certain STAGE 1 courses, specifically COrE, Fabric of Anatomy & Biology Lab, DOCC, PACTS, and ILOs. Other courses from STAGE 1 will continue into this next phase including CLIC, VITAL/IPE, and Scholarship & Discovery. For the purposes of logistics and scheduling, STAGE 2 for M.D./Ph.D. students is divided into 3 separate phases. STAGE 2 is interrupted by the transition of students into the Graduate Phase.

  • Phase 1 of STAGE 2: FLEX PERIOD

Graduate Phase (3-5 years; Special Matriculation in Medical School)

  • Phase 2 of STAGE 2: CLINICAL REINTEGRATION
  • Phase 3 of STAGE 2: CLINICAL PERIOD

Phase 1 of STAGE 2: FLEX PERIOD (4 months: March/April/May/June).

This period allows for protected flexible scheduling by both M.D. and M.D./Ph.D. students and can be used for study time in preparation for Boards part 1, as well as vacation, electives, or a clinical clerkship. This period includes special considerations for M.D./Ph.D. students in regards to certain courses while other course requirements remain the same as standard medical students.

  • Board Study Prep. M.D./Ph.D. students must take the USMLE Step 1 before the end of this 4 month period. They should plan for sufficient self-study time in preparation.
  • Vacation. M.D./Ph.D. students can schedule up to 2 weeks of vacation during this 4 month period.
  • Clinical Rotations. M.D./Ph.D. students may take one clinical rotation during this period. If they choose to do so, they must first complete LAUNCH.
  • LAUNCH. M.D./Ph.D. students are excused from taking this 2 week clinical introduction course if they are not participating in clinical rotations during this period.
  • CLIC. M.D./Ph.D. students will continue this program mirroring regular M.D. students.
  • Electives. M.D./Ph.D. students are not required to participate in any electives during this period. If students do participate in electives, the time will be credited towards their elective requirement for graduation.
  • VITAL/IPE. M.D./Ph.D. will continue to attend this program mirroring regular M.D. students.
  • Scholarship & Discovery. M.D./Ph.D. students are excused during this time.

GRADUATE PHASE (typically 4 years)

This time is devoted to the completion of a Ph.D. Special permission is required from the graduate program if this period is to exceed 5 years. The M Delta curriculum takes into account the need for continued clinical exposure during this period and has therefore modified the CLIC course to continue during this period in order for M.D./Ph.D. students to maintain and enhance their clinical skills.

  • CLIC. Students will continue attending a community longitudinal clinic modified to occur one half day session per month. All efforts will be made to continue students in their original clinical site from STAGE 1.

Phase 2 of STAGE 2: CLINICAL REINTEGRATION (4 months: March/April/May/June).

The reintegration phase will occur as students are finishing up their graduate phase/special matriculation to help them transition back into the M Delta curriculum. This phase will occur simultaneously with the FLEX period at the beginning of STAGE 2 for regular medical students. As with the prior FLEX period, special considerations are made for M.D./Ph.D. students in regard to certain courses while other course requirements remain the same as regular medical students.

  • LAUNCH. If not taken previously in STAGE2-FLEX period, M.D./Ph.D. students are required to take this 2 week clinical rotation introduction course at the beginning of March.
  • Clinical Skills Refresher. During this phase, M.D./Ph.D. students will participate in a special 4-month (March to June) clinical skills refresher course meeting one day per month. This course is designed to help strengthen their skills in preparation for clinically intensive rotations.
  • Clinical Rotations. M.D./Ph.D. students can choose to start clinical rotations at any time after completing LAUNCH, but they are advised to avoid clinically intensive rotations until their clinical skills refresher is complete. Most M.D./Ph.D. students will start their clinical rotations in July or later–this entry time is flexible depending upon credit from previous clinical rotations and electives. Entry time must take into consideration timely completion of all graduation requirements.

Phase 3 of STAGE 2: CLINICAL PERIOD (11 months)

  • CLIC. If the number of weekly CLIC experiences during STAGE 1 plus the monthly CLIC experiences during the graduate phase/special matriculation phase equals or exceeds 98 sessions, the requirements for the CLIC course are considered completed. However, M.D./Ph.D. students can choose to continue their CLIC with weekly half day sessions starting after return to clinical rotations. Alternatively, students may elect to have a modified longitudinal experience at a site aligned with their goals as future physician-scientists. These new sites will need approval from the CLIC program. Participating in either of these longitudinal experiences or having a significant monthly clinical experience for an extended special matriculation phase would qualify the student for elective credit as approved by the CLIC leadership and the Director of Electives.
  • VITAL/IPE. M.D./Ph.D. students will continue this program mirroring regular M.D. students.
  • SCHOLARSHIP & DISCOVERY. M.D./Ph.D. students are exempt from further requirements.
  • Electives. M.D./Ph.D. students will have the same total elective requirements (20 weeks) as regular medical students.M.D./Ph.D. students may choose to participate in a special research elective involving manuscript completion or dissertation preparation. A maximum of 4 weeks of elective time will be granted.
  • Clinical Rotations. M.D./Ph.D. students will have the same expectations as regular medical students.
STAGE 3 (11 months)

This is the final stage of the M Delta curriculum and focuses on advanced clinical experiences and transition to residency. The expectations and requirements are the same as those for regular M.D. students with a few exceptions.

  • VITAL/IPE. M.D./Ph.D. will continue this program mirroring regular M.D. students.
  • SCHOLARSHIP & DISCOVERY. M.D./Ph.D. students are exempt from further requirements including the capstone project. They will receive 8 weeks credit for this portion of the course.
  • Electives. M.D./Ph.D. students will have the same total elective requirements as regular medical students.
  • Clinical Rotations. M.D./Ph.D. students will have the same expectations as regular medical students.