XUSOM MD Curriculum
Xavier University School of Medicine has adopted a modern, innovative and dynamic curriculum aimed at providing highly qualified physicians to US health care system and worldwide. The curriculum of XUSOM is prepared in alignment with its Mission, Vision and Educational Objectives.
The students learn Medicine via a well-organized system- based –curriculum, which closely correlates to the way the medicine is being practiced in the hospital. Innovative feature of XUSOM lies in its Curricular integration with well-organized Vertical (Collaboration between Basic and Clinical Sciences) and Horizontal integration (Collaboration between different disciplines of Basic Sciences). Vertically integrated Curriculum ensures that the students learn Basic Science from a clinical perspective from the first day of their medical school.
The total duration of the MD program is 4 years of which student spends first 2 years in the Aruba campus to learn the basic sciences and then proceeds to US for his clinical clerkships. During the Basic science program students are exposed to 9 organ systems. Each organ system is Integration of all the basic science subjects around the concepts of ICMPD (Integrated Clinical Medicine and Physical Diagnosis) and Objective structures Clinical Examination (OSCE) program. The curriculum ensures that, the students learn and theory and relevant clinical examination always in parallel to make learning complete and appropriate.
The students are also dealt with ethics of clinical practice, career counseling, Medical Humanities and professionalism for their holistic development. Teaching learning sessions like Clinical Case presentation, Team Based Learning and Problem Based learning help them to be an independent learner and imbibe the art of lifelong learning in them.
MD 1
- Fundamental Concepts – Introduces students to the basic terminologies required to understand various organ systems.
- Musculoskeletal System – Normal and abnormal aspects of muscles, skin, bones, and joints are addressed.
- Patient, Doctor, and Society I – This is the first course in a five-part series which includes Epidemiology, Biostatistics, Critical Appraisal of Scientific Literature (CASL), Introduction to the Study of Medicine, Medical Humanities, Early Clinical Exposure, as well as movie screening and classroom activities. Students visit local general practitioners for clinical exposure during the first and third semesters.
- Healthcare Quality Improvement I – This is the first course in a five-part series which includes the online Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) module and medical ethics.
MD 3
- Gastrointestinal System – Introduces students to the normal functioning, diseases, and therapeutics of the gastrointestinal system.
- Respiratory System – Students learn about the normal functioning, diseases, and therapeutics of the respiratory system.
- Patient, Doctor, and Society III – After a review of the skills developed in Patient, Doctor, and Society I & II, students will begin to delve deeper into the aforementioned components.
- Healthcare Quality Improvement III – This course will provide a comprehensive study of the legal and ethical issues involved in the practice of medicine, after a review of the skills developed in Healthcare Quality Improvement I & II.
MD 5
- Renal and Metabolic System – Students learn about normal functioning and diseases of the renal system. They also learn about metabolic abnormalities and drug use in renal disease.
- Endocrine and Reproductive System – Introduces students to the normal functioning, diseases, and therapeutics of the endocrine and reproductive system.
- Infection and Immunity – Students learn about infections, the body’s immune response to micro-organisms, and antimicrobial agents.
- Patient, Doctor, and Society V – After reviewing all the skills learned up to this point, students will focus on advanced appraisal of scientific literature, movie screening, and group activities.
- Healthcare Quality Improvement V – Students will move on to the most advanced, medically relevant, ethical questions, after reviewing all the skills learned up to this point.
MD 2
- Nervous System – Students learn about normal functioning, diseases, and therapeutics related to both the autonomic and the central nervous system.
- Nutrition and Metabolism – Introduces students to important aspects of nutrition and metabolism and the online Nutrition in Medicine (NIM) module is offered by the University of North Carolina.
- Patient, Doctor, and Society II – Using the foundation from the first part of this course, students move on to more advanced components. They gain a unique perspective on the patient-doctor relationship.
- Healthcare Quality Improvement II – More advanced issues in medical ethics will be discussed, using the foundation from the first part of this course.
MD 4
- Cardiovascular System – Students learn about the functioning of the cardiovascular system in health and disease and therapeutics and use of drugs to treat and manage disorders of this important system.
- Hematopoietic System – Introduces students to all aspects surrounding the functioning of the hematopoietic system (blood forming) in health and disease and therapeutics and use of drugs to treat and manage disorders of this important system.
- Patient, Doctor, and Society IV – After a quick review of the first three parts of this course, students will be moving into the more advanced components including a hospital observership.
- Healthcare Quality Improvement IV – Students will explore the advanced legal and ethical issues that arise in the practice of medicine, after a quick review of the first three parts of this course.
