Phase 1
Medical Education Foundations
Case-Based Medical School Curriculum & Clinical Experiences
A focus on case-based learning for students to think like a physician from the first phase of medical school.
Phase 1 of the medical school curriculum emphasizes case-based learning and early clinical exposure, allowing students to begin thinking like physicians from day one. This phase forms the cornerstone of the medical education journey.
Base Camp (Phase 1)
Pre-matriculation activity to prepare first-year medical students for the pre-clerkship curricular components (i.e. Early Authentic Clinical Experience / Scientific Foundations of Medicine / Foundations of Practice).
Components of the base camp include but are not limited to: Social Determinants of Health, Ethics/Professionalism, Basic/Introductory Clinical skills, and Essential Basic Science concepts.
Base Camp Course Director: Natasha Wheaton, MD
Foundations of Medical Sciences
In Phase 1 of the HEALS curriculum, Foundations of Medical Sciences (FoMS) introduces the fundamental knowledge, skills, attitudes, and experiences essential for developing into an outstanding, compassionate, and evidence-based physician. The comprehensive FoMS course includes three major components: Scientific Foundations of Medicine, Foundations of Practice, and FoMS Clinical Experience, which provides initial opportunities for participation in patient care.
Scientific Foundations of Medicine (Phase 1)
Understand the physiologic and pathophysiologic basis of disease through in-depth and active learning of the medical sciences with emphasis on the clinical application of concepts, processes, and discoveries. Scientific Foundations of Medicine is taught in Phase 1 as well as during Intersession in Phase 2.
Components of the foundation of science include: Anatomy, Physiology, Biochemistry, Pharmacology, Genetics, Microbiology, Immunology, Molecular & Cellular Biology, and many more new and emerging areas such as mental health, prevention & nutrition, and more.
Scientific Foundations of Medicine Course Director: Esteban Dell’Angelica, PhD
Foundations of Practice (Phase 1)
Acquire the requisite knowledge, skills and attitudes (KSA) to provide exemplary clinical care to diverse patient populations.
Components of the foundation of practice include: Interpersonal communication skills, medical interviews, clinical examination skills, clinical reasoning and many more new and emerging areas such as: social & structural determinants, population health, quantitative medicine, inter-professional teamwork, bioethics & decision making.
Foundations of Practice Course Directors:
FoMS Clinical Experience (Phase 1)
Expose Phase 1 medical students to immersive, real-life clinical experiences that will provide context and application opportunities to the KSA acquired in Foundations of Practice, and begin to form their professional identity.
Students will have an opportunity to play roles such as: health coach, patient navigator, intake (“MA-like”), etc…in a variety of different health settings such as in: student-run free clinics, “Hot spotting (In-Home visiting program)” and in community-based clinics/FQHC’s.
FoMS Clinical Experience Director: Adriana Izquierdo, MD, MSc