Pre-Clerkship

Your first two years at Rowan-Virtua SOM

Your first two years are overseen by a Phase Director, paired with either a basic scientist or a physician, to ensure you receive current and critical instruction in the basic sciences, as well as relevant clinical application of the material.

Our curriculum features a variety of components that are integrated within established courses and clinical experiences. The four core components are: System Blocks, Intersessions, Osteopathic Clinical Skills (OCS) and Longitudinal Project-Based Courses. Intersessions and Longitudinal Project-Based Projects offer you the opportunity to focus on topics that are considered cornerstones of osteopathy. Highlights of the curriculum include:

• Single-pass integrated systems, combining basic sciences with clinical medicine
• Expanded training on leadership and teamwork
• Emphasis on prevention and health equity
• Increased procedural training, including point-of-care ultrasound
• Formative assessments through BRIDGE Weeks across four years
• Amplified Medical Scholarship curriculum
• Twelve elective Areas of Distinction for increased study special interest
• Students in the Problem Based Learning (PBL) track will continue in the double-pass systems based model and incorporate the new courses and features included in the Synergistic Guided Learning (SGL) track. These courses, such as Osteopathic Clinical Skills (OCS), are synchronized with the systems model of PBL.

Our Two Curricular Tracks

Explore the options between SGL and PBL or take an in-depth look at each track below.

 

Four Components of the Pre-Clerkship Curriculum

---

BRIDGE Weeks

Both Pre-Clerkship and Clerkship years include BRIDGE weeks. These weeks occur a total of four times over the course of your medical school education: twice in the first year, once in the second year, and once in the third year. These weeks are designed to give formative feedback on knowledge skills and attitudes, accumulated by set points based on benchmarks determined by faculty and the assessment department.

BRIDGE week assessment activities include combinations of several core elements:

• Building skills: Osteopathic Integrated Exam Review (OIER) and formative Standardized Patient/OSCEs with feedback
• Reflecting: Self-reflection, Peer-to-Peer Evaluation
• Integrating: Integrated Foundational Science Individual and Group Assessments
• Developing: Formative Biomedical COMAT Exams
• Goal setting: Academic review with Coaching
• Evaluating: Summative Biomedical COMAT Exams, Summative Standardized Patient/OSCEs

Where Will I Practice DO Skills?

Rowan-Virtua SOM students practice their skills in state-of-the-art facilities, where they receive instant feedback on their studies and practice case-based diagnostic skills. All of our students benefit from dedicated faculty who lead the sessions and a student-centered atmosphere that encourages learning and teamwork.