Prospective Students

Choosing the right school for your medical education may be one of the most important decisions of your medical career. The mission at McGovern Medical School is to educate a diverse body of future physicians and biomedical scientists for a career dedicated to the highest ideals of their profession; to provide outstanding patient-centered care; and to conduct innovative research that benefits the health and well-being of the population of Texas and beyond.  You will find that we offer an inclusive learning community that supports the health and well-being of our students, faculty and staff, and promotes strong inter-professional collaboration, not only with schools of the UTHealth Houston, but also with the other institutions here in the Texas Medical Center. It is our hope that one day you will join the more than 7,000 physician graduates who call McGovern Medical School home.

Students Who Thrive at McGovern Medical School Embody Eight Attributes

  • Intellectual capacity
  • Ethical standards
  • Integrity
  • Motivation
  • Interpersonal and communication skills
  • Technical standards
  • Breadth and depth of premedical educational experience
  • Passion for service to individuals and communities in Texas

Curriculum Overview

Integrated Medical Science:
Offered during the first semester, Doctoring 1 focuses on History and Physical Examination Skills. In the second and third semesters, students work alongside a longitudinal preceptor to acquire substantial clinical experience before their required clerkship rotations.

The Foundations of Medicine modules have two themes. The first is the review of cellular mechanisms that are necessary for understanding disease processes. The second is the review of structure and function necessary to perform and interpret the physical exam. The principles learned during the Foundations of Medicine modules are then applied to diseases of specific organ systems.

System modules include:

  • Hematology and Intro to Pathology
  • Cardiovascular
  • Pulmonary
  • Nervous System & Behavior
  • Musculoskeletal and Dermatology
  • Endocrine
  • Gastrointestinal
  • Reproductive Systems
  • Renal

Required Clerkships:
The major clinical training experiences occur during the third year of medical school, where students complete the following core clerkships:

  • Internal Medicine (8 weeks)
  • Surgery (8 weeks)
  • Pediatrics (8 weeks)
  • Psychiatry (6 weeks)
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology (6 weeks)
  • Family Medicine (4 weeks)
  • Neurology (4 weeks)
  • Elective (3 weeks)
  • Geriatrics (1 week)
  • Vacation (4 weeks)

Career Focus Tracks:
The fourth year curriculum concentrates on enhancing preparation to enter residency through participation in Career Focus Tracks. Each track highlights a specialty-specific area of medicine. Students have the opportunity to develop their career interests through a number of electives. Students can choose one of four Career Focus Tracks:

  • Acute Care
  • Primary Care
  • Applied Anatomy
  • Academic

View the full program curriculum.

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