Course and Clerkship Structure

The Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine has the great advantage of having the ability to make intentional choices – both in the content we choose to teach as well as the methods and structure we choose to deliver that content.

Phase 1 (pre-clerkship) of the curriculum encompasses the first sixteen months and includes the basic science foundational content in conjunction with Human Dimension, Clinical Skills, and Health Systems. The innovative curriculum will integrate content from the Biomedical, Behavioral, Social, and Health System Sciences, with each week of Phase 1 framed by a patient presentation. As such, all material that a student learns will be placed in its clinical context, showing the student both why they are learning the material as well as how different concepts and ideas are interrelated.

Phase 2 of the curriculum will run 20 months and includes the clerkship and advanced clinical rotations portion as well as the of Human Dimension. The final phase of our program, Phase 3 provides students with an opportunity to select an area of further study that interests them. Possible options include but are not limited to dual degrees, certificate programs, research intensive concentrations, community-based projects, global health electives and entry into residency.