Case Based Curriculum:

Overview
New substantive changes in the medical curriculum were begun in Fall 2002.  The first class has just graduated from this curriculum. The curriculum is called the Contextually Integrated Case-Based Curriculum (CICBC).  The innovations include the full use of case-based problem oriented learning in the core curriculum that contextualizes and fully integrates the basic, clinical and social sciences.  The point of this new curriculum is to develop ways of learning that will support the new knowledge, skills and attitudes needed by effective physicians and medical leaders, for the 21st century.  Scheduling changes have been made that facilitate the teaching of research skills, with focused blocks of time for Masters thesis work.

Since CICBC began, we have moved from a traditional discipline-oriented set of courses to a case-centered, small group tutorial model. . The new curriculum emphasizes collaborative learning around illustrative cases, under the supervision of expert tutors who guide and monitor the process.

Our case-based instruction includes nearly all the course content that was covered by the separate JMP courses. Stand alone courses are anatomy given in the summer and an ongoing three year "Clinical Skills" course.

Key Components
(1) Case-based learning: JMP core course content is contained within 80 clinical cases that run in blocks of 7 weeks, with one case per week. These blocks of time or "units"  are scheduled in parallel with the UC Berkeley Academic calendar so that there are 2 units per semester or 4 units per year.  Working in small groups of 6-8 along side faculty, JMP students use these clinical cases, (in conjunction with lab and clinical skills experiences) to master the knowledge and skills required for their matriculation to UCSF at the end of their 3rd year. JMP Cases are modified on an ongoing basis, with clinical, basic science and public health faculty.  For a more complete description of this process, click here.

(2) Clinical Skills curriculum: The current ‘Patient Encounter I–V’ course has been expanded to encompass the learning of interviewing skills, the doctor-patient relationship, physical diagnosis skill building and more specific components of patient care including geriatrics, psychiatry, human growth and development, maternal and child health. Clinical preceptorships begin in the fall of the first year and continue throughout the 3 years. A core feature of the curriculum is an ongoing relationship with individuals in a Skilled Nursing Facility.

(3) Masters Thesis Curriculum: Changes in the core curriculum have changed the time allotment for focused Master’s thesis work and elective course work. Special emphasis on bioethics, the humanities and the social and behavioral sciences as they relate to medicine continues.

(4) Focused Mini blocks: Minimal additional course material has been integrated around the core case-based learning (e.g., Human Anatomy Course, thematic seminar series, Board preparation review sessions).

Timing
First year starts in late June, with the start of Summer Session C, and lasts 8 weeks.  For UC Berkeley's Summer Session schedule, please see http://summer.berkeley.edu.

Second year summer: continue to be available for a combination of vacation and thesis work.  The Third year summer is generally used for final field work and/or writing on thesis.

Third year ends in April, to allow study for Part 1 of the National Medical Board Examination.   Graduation date from the JMP is also in April of the third year.

Clinical rotations: JMP students will begin UCSF rotations at the same time as USCF students transitioning to the clinical years