Physicians for the Future
The University of Alabama School of Medicine (UASOM) has three clinical campuses – Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville. Students who matriculate at UASOM must complete the first two years of basic sciences on the Birmingham campus. As part of the admission process, students rank the three clinical campuses as the site for their “base” during the third and fourth years of the medical school curriculum. At the Tuscaloosa campus, the clinical education environment is oriented to primary care while also providing exposure to other specialties and subspecialties. In addition, students have the opportunity to address the effect of health issues on rural communities in Alabama during the rural
medicine clerkship.
Academic Program
The UASOM curriculum is designed to educate the undifferentiated physician, one who has basic competence in all the traditional clinical disciplines (and whose education is enriched by an orientation toward primary care and community medicine). The third year of medical school consists of the following clerkships: family medicine/rural medicine, internal medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry/neurology, and surgery. These
clerkships provide the opportunity to apply the basic sciences, to improve problem-solving and critical reasoning skills, to continue the development of skills in interviewing and examining patients, and to allow increasing levels of responsibility for patient care in both hospital and ambulatory settings.
Links to third year clerkships
Internal Medicine
Surgery
Pediatrics
Family Medicine
Community & Rural Medicine
Psychiatry
Neurology
OB/GYN
During the senior year, students must complete 16 weeks of required Acting Internships (AI’s) which include four weeks each of a Medicine AI, Surgery AI, Inpatient AI, and an Ambulatory AI. The Medicine AI must be completed on the student’s “base” campus while the others must be completed within the UASOM system (Tuscaloosa, Birmingham, and Huntsville).
The student must also complete 16 weeks of electives, which may be taken within the tri-campus system or at other approved sites, including international locations. Two Scholars Week courses must also be complete as part of the graduation requirements. These are one-week courses offered to enhance a student’s medical knowledge in a particular area or just for enjoyment of a medically related area.
UASOM Clinic Course Catalog:
http://main.uab.edu/uasom/2/show.asp?durki=3405
UASOM Academic Calendars:
http://main.uab.edu/uasom/2/show.asp?durki=48177
Faculty
The Tuscaloosa clinical campus has 41 full-time and part time faculty members augmented by affiliate volunteer faculty of over 230 area physicians and health professionals. In addition, a staff of 36 resident physicians in family medicine participates in the medical school program. This results in a high level of personal interaction among students, resident physicians, and faculty, with a faculty to student ratio ranging from 1:1 to 1:6 in various educational setting.
Student Individual Services
The Tuscaloosa Program class size is approximately 35 students, which allows attention not only in the teaching programs but also in the student services provided. The Office of Medical Student Affairs is the students’ link to administrators, faculty, and hospitals. In assisting students with their educational goals, the office is involved in counseling and advising students with regard to career goals, academic matters, and personal problems;
monitoring students’ performance; and administering National Board Examinations.
Among other things, the Office of Medical Student Affairs handles student matriculation, schedules core clerkships for the third year and Acting Internships and electives for the fourth year, assists with arrangements for off-campus electives, and assists students with ERAS and the National Resident Matching Program.
Community Life
Known as the Druid City (because of the many giant oak trees that grace its streets and lawns), Tuscaloosa began as a small Choctaw village in 1540. It was not until 1816 when the first white settlers came to the area. Tuscaloosa is now well past its sesquicentennial celebration with an urban population estimated at 81,000.
www.tuscaloosachamber.com/
Acres of rolling land populated by a bounty of forests, beautiful lakes, and the Black Warrior River surround Tuscaloosa. Home of The University of Alabama, the city also offers interested spectators the opportunity to view major university sports. The finest in art, music, dance, and theater is brought to Tuscaloosa by the University and by community organizations. A mild climate, excellent restaurants, good schools, attractive housing, easily accessible shopping center, many churches, and friendly people add to the list of Tuscaloosa’s advantages.
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