Areas of Concentration

Areas of Concentration Program is the key component of the new curriculum. It provides dedicated time designed to enrich the medical school experience by requiring each student to select an Area of Concentration in which to obtain in-depth knowledge, skills, and scholarly effort.

These efforts could occur in many areas of medicine including laboratory science, clinical practice, population research, health information technology and medical education.

During their first year of medical school, each student will be assigned to one of the AOC core faculty advisers with whom they will regularly meet through the course of the program.  

During their first 18 months, students will identify an AOC, attend various Core Activities in AOC communities and identify a faculty mentor for their independent Scholarly Project. 

In their third year students along with their SP Mentors will submit a project proposal that is peer reviewed by faculty members before students can embark on their projects in the Spring semester of the third year.

Starting from the 2nd semester of the 3rd year (after the Clinical Clerkships year), students will have 6 + months of dedicated time to focus on their individual Scholarly Project. After completion of the last scholarly work block, student are required to submit a Final Written Report and demonstrate completion of the Core Activities, upon which they will receive their AOC grade.

Aims of the AOC Program are to stimulate our students to:

• EXPLORE an area of interdisciplinary medical scholarship and to begin to develop in-depth expertise in it.
• CREATE and COMMUNICATE new medical knowledge
• Be INSPIRED to a lifelong appreciation of the vital importance of translational research, from bench-to-bedside and from bedside-to-bench, in order to provide the patients we serve with the best possible care.