Phase 3
Discovery & Career Preparation
DGSOM Discovery & Advanced Electives
Dedicated space for a deep creative and scholarly experience, as well as specialty-specific competency development and internship preparation.
This phase of the doctor of medicine program provides students with a rich academic and clinical environment designed to foster advanced learning, professional growth, and specialty-specific development. This final phase builds on earlier foundations in medical education, helping students transition from medical school to residency with confidence.
Phase 3 begins with a dedicated study period for exams, followed by a concurrent Discovery block. Students then move on to advanced elective blocks, participate in residency interviews, and complete a capstone course. This phase offers opportunities for advanced electives, career advising, and special projects. It includes many individualized opportunities and electives that emphasize clinical sciences and HEALS Curriculum Threads.
Core Components of Phase 3 in the Doctor of Medicine Program
Discovery: Scholarly Exploration
DGSOM Discovery is a mandatory part of the M.D. curriculum, offering Phase 3 medical students dedicated time for an in-depth and meaningful creative and scholarly experience in their chosen field. The program fosters attitudes and skills for self-directed, lifelong learning and scholarship.
The DGSOM Discovery Area of Concentration (AoC) Program is a faculty-mentored scholarly experience, featuring 9 distinct AoCs. These areas cover a wide range of disciplines to match student interests and better prepare them to shape the future of healthcare.
Alert
Are You a Faculty Interested in Submitting a Discovery Project Proposal? We invite you to submit via the Discovery Project Proposal Form!
Successful proposals will offer a substantive experience (30-35 hours per week on average), with a robust mentorship plan to support student skill development.
Discovery Catalog
Discovery AoC Project CatalogDiscovery AoC Catalog of Projects
Explore the projects available to students by clicking the Discovery Areas of Concentration Catalog button. Learn how to log-in to BruinLearn here.
Discovery Scholarship Day
The work of students who engage in Discovery is showcased at the annual Discovery Scholarship Day. The event features podium and oral presentations by students who conducted research under mentorship of DGSOM faculty mentors.
Learn More About Discovery Scholarship Day
Basic, Clinical, and Translational Research
Students work with faculty to design and implement a project from multiple areas to frame clinically relevant questions, develop strategies for answering the questions, analyze their findings, and present their results.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Ivan Lopez, PhD- IALopez@mednet.ucla.edu & Marmar Vaseghi, MD- MVaseghi@mednet.ucla.edu
Global Health
Gives students an understanding of the spectrum of challenges— from political, to sociological, to biomedical—that limit the provision of health care to the world’s people. Provides students with the skill-set to function effectively in any global healthcare setting, often within resource-limited environments.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Kathryn Dovel, PhD- KDovel@mednet.ucla.edu
Healthcare Improvement and Health Equity Research
Combines didactic, seminar, clinical, and research components with the goal of providing students with skills to function more effectively in any healthcare setting. This quality improvement work involves not only individual patients but also health systems and institutions.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): John Mafi, MD, MPH- JMafi@mednet.ucla.edu
Health Justice and Advocacy
Empowers student physicians to be advocates for justice through instruction in human rights and social determinants of health, mentorship opportunities, and applied advocacy and research experiences.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Natasha Thomas, MD, MPH- NaThomas@mednet.ucla.edu
Informatics and Data Science
Provides insights into big data, information management, computational methods of structuring and analyzing biomedical data, and the opportunity to conduct large-scale data analysis along the entire biomedical research pipeline.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Jennifer Fang, MD- jfang@dhs.lacounty.gov
Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Learn entrepreneurship approaches and how to move a health innovation idea from concept to reality. Design meaningful solutions to the current pressing needs in health care.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Jennifer McCaney, PhD- JMcCaney@mednet.ucla.edu
Medical Education Leadership and Scholarship
Prepares students for engagement and leadership in the field of medical education through training in learning theory, curricular design and delivery, evaluation and assessment, teaching and education, and implementation of novel tools and techniques.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Elena M. Stark, MD, PhD- estark@mednet.ucla.edu
Social Science and Medical Humanities
Using cross-disciplinary methods such as those from philosophy, social science, film, literature, art, and law, students examine the meaning and implications of medicine and medical research. Explores the moral, social, and humanistic dimensions of medicine and biomedical science.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Anya Bershad, MD, PhD- ABershad@mednet.ucla.edu
PRIME-LA Discovery
Area of concentration for PRIME students aligning with PRIME-LA mission, to train future physicians to become leaders in medicine who will address policy, care and research in healthcare for California communities.
Area of Concentration Lead(s): Gerardo Moreno, MD, MSHS - gemoreno@mednet.ucla.edu
AY 2023-24 Scholarly Products
90% of DGSOM students participated in the Discovery Area of Concentration program in AY2023-24. Per student, the mean number of scholarly products were:
- Peer-Reviewed Manuscripts: 2
- Research Abstract Presentations: 2
- Digital Scholarship: 1
- Teaching Sessions: 5
AY 2023-24 Percentage of Students in Each Area of Concentration
Students are grouped into Discovery Areas of Concentration to foster a community of practice and provide specialized workshops.
- Research (Basic Science/Translational/Clinical): 35%
- Medical Education Leadership and Scholarship: 14%
- Global Health: 12%
- Health Justice and Advocacy: 12% (includes a Family Medicine-specific program)
- Healthcare Improvement and Health Equity Research: 11%
- PRIME: 7%
- Informatics and Data Science: 2%
- Social Sciences and Medical Humanities: 1%
- Innovation and Entrepreneurship: 1%
Discovery Curriculum Contact: discovery@mednet.ucla.edu
Longitudinal Clinical Experience
During the concurrent Discovery block, students will engage in a longitudinal clinical experience to enhance their development and entrustability as future clinicians, while also exploring their specialty options.
Course Director
Tahlia Spector, MD, FACEP
tspector@ucla.edu
Advanced Electives: Specialization and Professional Development
Students are encouraged to follow their passion for research and scientific inquiry alongside their clinical coursework requirements.
Requirements: Students must complete 34 weeks of electives, with 28 weeks dedicated to clinical work. For the remaining 6 weeks, many students will engage in a research activity, either as part of Discovery or as dedicated research time for another project.
Alert
Are You a Faculty Interested in Submitting an Advanced Elective Proposal? We invite you to submit via the Elective Proposal Form!
Elective Proposals
New elective proposals will be sent to the Director of Phase 3 Medical Education for review and approval. These proposals are then reviewed and approved by the Medical Education Committee (MEC) semiannually. We recommend submitting all new elective proposals by the October 1 deadline to ensure the approved electives are listed and scheduled for the following academic year's Course Catalog. Courses approved in April will be announced to students via email as late additions.
For example, if an elective proposal is submitted on October 1, 2024, and approved, it will be included in the 2025-2026 Course Catalog, allowing students to select the course in December 2024 before the lottery. If an elective proposal is submitted on April 1, 2025, and approved, it will be announced to the current MS4s.
| Submission Deadline | Review Month | Approved Course Added |
|---|---|---|
| April 1 | April MEC Meeting | Current Academic Year |
| October 1 | October MEC Meeting | Following Academic Year |
Capstone: Preparing for Residency
The capstone course for graduating medical students is designed to ensure they are well-prepared for clinical practice as interns. It offers final educational insights on key topics that will be prevalent in early clinical practice and fosters deeper discussions on subjects of interest.
