Case-based curriculum

All learning in our core medical curriculum is problem-based, involving students in small-group discussions of clinical cases and integrating the basic and preclerkship sciences. Called the CICBC (Contextually Integrated Case-Based Curriculum), our core medical curriculum fosters an understanding of the biological, social, public health, and ethical contexts of human health and disease.

Our small CICBC classes provide a flexible learning environment. Entering students will find an emphasis on group process in which working with peers to solve problems forms the basis of the learning experience.

The initial summer anatomy course combines more traditional lecture-based instruction with introduction of case-based learning, as well as laboratory work. Clinical Skills are taught by community-based physicians under the direction of the Program’s clinical coordinators, who are also faculty physicians. The Program uses the extensive facilities of Bay Area community hospitals and clinics.

The research curriculum, taught by the Master’s faculty, offers small-group-based training in research skills. Upon satisfactory completion of the three-year UC Berkeley phase of the program and awarding of the M.S. degree, and after passing Step 1 of the USMLE, students transition to the UCSF School of Medicine for the final two clerkship years.

Clinical Studies offers students a range of experiences and opportunities in the fields of medicine. The Clinical Studies curriculum consists of the third-year (JMP fourth year) required clerkships and the fourth-year (JMP fifth year) rotations, as well as the Areas of Concentration program. All of these place emphasis on connections across disciplines, thematic learning objectives, and student-directed discussion following clinical experiences.

For detailed information on the clerkship years, please visit UCSF's overview of Clinical Studies.