MD Program Curriculum

Curriculum Goals

At Wake Forest School of Medicine (WFSM), the curriculum is organized to meet the 7 goals of the undergraduate medical education program.

• Proficiency in self-directed learning and lifelong learning skills
• Acquisition of appropriate core biomedical science knowledge
• Clinical skills
• Problem solving/clinical reasoning skills
• Interviewing and communication skills
• Information management skills
• Professional attitudes and behavior

Students study the basic and clinical sciences in an integrated fashion across the 4-year curriculum, utilizing a variety of educational methods, including small-group, problem-based learning. Community-based clinical experiences in the first year, as well as a focus on general population health, are hallmarks of the curriculum.

Humanistic and professionalism issues are addressed longitudinally across the curriculum in formats designed to provide students with a clear understanding of the role and responsibilities of physicians within society.

Information technology has been integrated into the curriculum, and each incoming student is provided with an IBM ThinkPad laptop computer. 

MD Program: Year 1

Year 1 serves as the foundation for the curriculum and consists of 8 courses.

• Human Structure and Development
• Cellular and Subcellular Processes
• Introduction to Systems Pathophysiology
• Foundations of Clinical Medicine I (FCM)
• Being a Physician
• Population Health and Epidemiology (Pop-Epi)
• Community Practice Experience (CPE)

MD Program: Year 2

Year 2 introduces clinical medicine with Systems Pathophysiology 2 and 3, covering 7 organ systems.

• Hematology/lymph
• Cardiovascular
• Pulmonary
• Renal
• Musculoskeletal
• Nutrition and digestive
• Reproductive systems

Year 2 also includes Being a Physician 2 and Foundations of Clinical Medicine 2.

MD Program: Year 3

Year 3 consists of 16-week blocks of clinical clerkship rotations in the major specialties.

• Internal medicine
• Surgery
• Women’s health
• Pediatrics
• Psychiatry
• Neurology/rehabilitation
• Family medicine
• Radiology
• Anesthesiology

MD Program: Year 4

Year 4 consists of 10 4-week blocks (4 required, 6 elective) and 4 weeks of vacation. Numerous elective opportunities are available intramurally and externally at approved institutions.

Students have the opportunity to participate in electives in foreign countries; the medical school maintains formal affiliation agreements with a number of medical schools including schools in Japan, India, China, and Norway.

The Senior Seminar is a capstone experience for students and includes small-group problem-based learning, journal clubs, and medical Spanish. Also included are basic and clinical science lectures, aimed at enhancing abilities and preparing the soon-to-graduate student for the challenges of residency and beyond.