Medicine, M.D.

Curriculum for The Doctor of Medicine Degree

The overarching goal of the School of Medicine is to provide the public with competent, ethical physicians, motivated toward and capable of providing health care of high quality to individuals and families, and of initiating and participating in effective programs in community health. It is expected that they will be compassionate toward their patients, primarily person oriented, secondarily disease oriented, and as physician-citizens, will work in their communities to improve the public good, including areas that do not pertain directly to health.

The program of instruction, student experience, and the example provided by faculty members in classrooms, laboratories, patient care clinics, and hospitals is intended to foster the attitudes and develop the competence necessary in a good physician. It is expected that many graduates will select a primary care field, but that those who elect other fields of practice will retain and enhance their concern for the patient as a person, the patient’s family, and the well being of the community.

It is realized that all students must learn the fundamentals of the sciences basic to medicine, but that from the beginning, application of these sciences to clinical medicine should be introduced. Basic sciences taught in isolation may become onerous and uninspiring. Early contact with patients is of great inspirational value. Abrupt transition from study of the basic sciences to the clinical responsibilities of the later years in School retards development of clinical acumen and professional skills.

The curriculum deliberately initiates studies relating humans to their environment, the history of the medical profession in relation to that of mankind, as well as the principles of comprehensive health care early, at the same time that students are acquiring foundational biomedical science knowledge. A balanced fund of knowledge in all of these areas provides students with the groundwork upon which they can maximize their learning experience in the clinical years of medical school and is vital to their ability to provide excellent care to their future patients.

Opportunities to participate in scientific research with basic science and clinical faculty members are provided to all students through the Medical Student Research Program, overseen by the Office of Academic Affairs. Students may select to participate in such endeavors as extracurricular electives throughout the course of their medical school education, and in the MSIV year, may choose one of the offered basic science or clinical research electives.

Each student is required to take the Step 1 of the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) within a period of time as specified by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs after satisfactorily completing the second year of medical school. If a student fails the first attempt at the Step 1, he/she may enroll in Special Topics or, in certain cases, may be granted a leave of absence, in order to prepare for a the MSII attempt. If a student fails the second attempt at Step 1, he/she must either enroll in Special Topics or may be granted take a leave of absence, in order to prepare for a third attempt at the USMLE Step 1 at a time to be specified by the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs. Students who are taking Step I of the USMLE for the third time may not enter or resume MSIII year courses until a passing score is reported. Students who have failed the USMLE Step 1 examination three times will be dismissed from the School of Medicine.

The curricula of the MSIII and MSIV years consist largely of supervised experience in patient care, with emphasis on the development of clinical skills. All departments emphasize application of the principles of comprehensive care. Forty-three percent of the MSIV year curriculum is elective, and opportunities are offered for extramural and intramural elective work in all clinical specialties,  basic sciences, and in research. Each student is required to take both parts of USMLE Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills) in his/her MSIV year, although successful completion is not required for graduation.

Goals and Objectives

Interpersonal Skills and Communication

Goal: The student must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and health professionals.

1. The student must demonstrate the ability to create and sustain a therapeutic and ethically sound relationship with patients.
2. The student must develop and refine interpersonal and communication skills that result in the effective exchange of information and collaboration with patients, their families, and the public, as appropriate, by displaying effective communication across a broad range of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.
3. The student must exhibit effective communication with physicians, other health professionals and health related agencies and demonstrate the ability to work as a productive member or leader of a health care team or other professional group.
4. The student must construct and maintain comprehensive, timely, and legible medical records.

Medical Knowledge

Goal: The student must demonstrate knowledge of the scientific basis of health and disease and be able to apply that knowledge to the practice of medicine.

1. The student must exhibit knowledge of established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological, and social/behavioral sciences as well as the application of this knowledge to patient care.
2. The student must demonstrate the ability to acquire and access new knowledge (i.e., stay- up-to-date with the current literature).
3. The student must demonstrate the ability to evaluate critically new knowledge and to determine its relevance to clinical problems.

Patient Care

Goal: The student must be able to provide patient care that is compassionate, appropriate, and effective for their level of training and for the treatment of health problems and the promotion of health.

1. The student must exhibit the ability to take both a focused and a comprehensive history.
2. The student must demonstrate the ability to perform a thorough physical examination.
3. The student must display the ability to verbally present clinical information relevant to patient care to clinical supervisors, peers, and other members of the health care team.
4. The student must be able to correctly perform routine clinical procedures and be knowledgeable about the indications, complications, and limitations of those procedures.
5. The student must demonstrate appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management strategies for patients with common issues arising for both acute and chronic care needs.

Practice-Based Learning and Improvement

Goal: The student must demonstrate the ability to investigate and evaluate their care of patients, to appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and to continuously improve patient care based on constant self-evaluation and life-long learning.

1. The student must engage in critical reflection to distinguish personal goals and identify opportunities for increased knowledge and development of new skills, behaviors, and perspectives and, as a result of this insight, integrate appropriate learning activities and formative evaluation feedback into daily practice with the goal of performance improvement.
2. The student must demonstrate the ability to locate, appraise, and assimilate evidence from scientific studies related to their patients’ health problems.
3. The student must demonstrate the ability to utilize information technology to optimize learning.
4. The student must participate in the education of patients, families, students, residents, and other health care professionals.

Professionalism

Goal: The student must demonstrate a commitment to carrying out professional responsibilities and an adherence to ethical principles.

1. The student must demonstrate compassion, integrity, and respect for others.
2. The student must exhibit responsiveness to the needs of patients and society that supersedes self-interest.
3. The student must show respect for patient privacy and autonomy.
4. The student must demonstrate accountability to patients, society, and the profession.
5. The student must display sensitivity and responsiveness to a diverse patient population, including but not limited to diversity in age, sex, culture, race, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion and disabilities.

System-Based Practice

Goal: The student must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and system of health care, as well as an understanding of the methods by which other resources in the system can be called upon to provide optimal health care.

1. The student must demonstrate an understanding of the way in which patient care is coordinated within the health care system and work effectively in various health care delivery settings and systems.
2. The student must demonstrate an understanding of the considerations of cost awareness and risk/benefit analysis in patient and/or population-based care as appropriate for level of training.
3. The student must work effectively in inter-professional teams and demonstrate efforts to enhance patient safety and improve the quality of patient care.
4. The student will demonstrate efforts to enhance patient safety and improve the quality of patient care.

LSUHSC-Shreveport values the unique and valuable bond that develops between medical students and the faculty members who teach and guide them as they develop into young physicians. The School of Medicine has adopted the AAMC compact between teachers and learners as a guiding principle for the relationship between students and teachers.

Schedule of Courses

• Schedule of Courses for the Doctor of Medicine Degree