University of Virginia School of Medicine

Principles of Medicine Committee

Minutes 01.14.04

  1. Funds from Dean’s office for handouts.Don Innes requested that all course directors be sure to use the correct PTAO numbers at the copy centers for copying medical student handouts and to promptly deliver the paperwork to Debra Reed (in Dr. Innes’ office) at the end of each semester so that the accounts can be reconciled.

  2. All members of the Principles of Medicine Committee are encouraged to participate in the Curriculum Retreat on Thursday, February 5, 2004, from Noon to 5:00 PM in Jordan Conference Center Rooms 2A, 2B, 2C.   There will be two separate curriculum retreats: one on January 31st focusing on the Clerkships, Selectives and Electives and this one on February 5th focusing on the first two years of the curriculum (Foundations of Medicine and Core Systems).

  3. Cells to Society: On behalf of the Cells to Society curriculum development team, Christine Peterson gave a Powerpoint presentation on the new Cells to Society proposal.  This is a thematic 3 day program to be given right after orientation and before the beginning of the regular 1st year medical curriculum.  It is constructed around diabetes and spans all aspects of the disease from basic science to clinical treatment to psychosocial to societal issues.  The Principles of Medicine committee expressed enthusiasm for this proposal.  A lively discussed ensued.  Cells to Society involves a component where student teams research various issues using the library and the internet.  The issue was raised as to whether the students needed some training in library use and information management skills at this time and whether this would conflict with or duplicate the regular program of library tours and information management training conducted by library personnel at a later time in the Fall.  It was also discussed that it would be useful for basic science courses throughout the first year to refer back to the themes of Cells and Societies whenever possible.

  4. Schedule proposal for Years 1 and 2:  On behalf of the Foundations of Medicine and Core Systems Design Team, Bob Bloodgood presented one possible new schedule for the first two years of the medical curriculum.  The premises for this schedule proposal were:

a. End the 2nd year two months earlier than is currently the case in order to accommodate proposed changes in the Clerkships, Selectives and Electives.

b.  Accommodate the new Cells to society component.

c.  Accommodate the proposed 8-9 week truncation of the 2nd year through a mixture of reductions in vacation time and reductions in material in the curriculum.

d.  Curricular cuts will be taken primarily from the current 1st year material.

e.  The first year will be extended in length.

f.   The summer between the 1st and 2nd years will be shortened.

g.  A block of 2nd year material will be moved to the first year.

Decisions to be made include:

a.  What material should be moved from Year 2 to Year 1?

b.  How to make cuts in curricular material in Year 1 (selectively or across the board or a combination of both)

       An extended discussion of this proposal brought up the following issues:

a.  Do we really need a two week vacation block in the Spring of Year 1? [part of the new proposal]

b.  Is there a need for the current 2 week exam period at the end of Year 2 because of the cumulative nature of the exams.  The new proposal suggested reducing this exam period to one week. There was feedback both pro and con.

c.  An issue was raised about using additional afternoon time in the curriculum.  However, with the addition of one afternoon per week in Semesters 2 and 3 for the new Exploratory program (if it is indeed implemented), then there will be two afternoons a week scheduled for virtually all of the first two years (remember that Gross Anatomy uses one afternoon in semester 1 and PoM 1 and 2 use an afternoon in Semesters 1‑4).  Taken together, this means that two afternoons a week would already been used for scheduled instructional activities.

d.  It was suggested that we do a survey of the faculty about whether they would approve of starting the year earlier or ending the year later than is currently the case (and if they liked neither, then which one was less objectionable).

e. The issue was brought up about whether to start the 1st semester of medical school earlier [thusfar the Team has primarily discussed starting Year 1 later and/or starting Year 2 earlier than is currently the case] and the impact this might have on Admissions. Bob Bloodgood will broach this idea with medical admissions.

f. The suggestion was made to move epidemiology into Year 1 and/or to give it at an unusual time (afternoon?).

g. A number of possibilities were discussed for moving Year 2 material into Year 1.  A concern was raised about moving Immunology from Fall of Year 2 into the Spring of Year 1 because the same faculty may end up teaching in a graduate immunology course at the same time.

The next meeting of the Principles of Medicine Committee will be held on Wednesday, January 28, 2004, at 2:00 PM in Room 1-17.  This will be the last meeting before the curriculum retreat.