Phase 1 (Year 1 and Year 2) Curriculum
Phase 1 at the University of Illinois College of Medicine is a 20-month pre-clerkship curriculum that provides students with a strong foundation in the basic sciences and clinical skills needed to become a physician. During Phase 1, students gain foundational knowledge about the body in health and illness, then learn in integrated organ-system based Block courses. They move from the skin and musculoskeletal system, to the cardiopulmonary, renal and gastrointestinal systems, and they end with the neurological, psychiatric, endocrine and reproductive systems.
Throughout phase 1, students build skills and knowledge in the Doctoring and Clinical Skills (DoCS) course, which addresses organ systems in the same order as Block courses. DoCS provides opportunities for hands-on experience through clinical simulations and patient interactions. Two additional courses, Synthesis and Medical Colloquia, allow for reflection and deeper inquiry into topics essential to modern medicine. All courses have content from our Professional Development, Health, Illness and Society and Health Care Systems themes, which recognize interactions between science and society.
In addition to coursework, students in Phase 1 may also participate in research or volunteer activities related to healthcare. Phase 1 culminates with the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) Step 1, a comprehensive standardized exam that assesses the knowledge a student will need for the clinical phase of their medical education.
View Phase 1 Curriculum
Who do I ask? Heading link
| Course Name | Course Director | Course Coordinator |
|---|---|---|
| BLOCK 1: BODY SYSTEMS & HOMEOSTASIS I | Dr. Hugh Clements-Jewery hughcj14@uic.edu | Gretchen Strasser gstrasse@uic.edu A219 |
| BLOCK 2: PATHOGENESIS | Dr. Paul Chastain pdchast7@uic.edu | Gretchen Strasser gstrasse@uic.edu A219 |
| BLOCK 3: SKIN, MUSCLE & MOVEMENT | Dr. Sam Pope spope42@uic.edu | Gretchen Strasser gstrasse@uic.edu A219 |
| BLOCK 4: CIRCULATION & RESPIRATION | Dr. Hugh Clements-Jewery hughcj14@uic.edu | Gretchen Strasser gstrasse@uic.edu A219 |
| BLOCK 5: DIGESTION & HOMEOSTASIS II | Dr. Yovia Xu yuexu5@uic.edu | Susan Ping pings@uic.edu A207 |
| BLOCK 6: BRAIN & BEHAVIOR | Dr. Tony Rosella rosella2@uic.edu | Susan Ping pings@uic.edu A207 |
| BLOCK 7: REGULATION & REPRODUCTION | Dr. Robert Hillwig rhillwig@uic.edu | Susan Ping pings@uic.edu A207 |
| BLOCK 8: SYNTHESIS | Dr. Linda Chang lchang@uic.edu | Susan Ping pings@uic.edu A207 |
| MEDICAL COLLOQUIA | Dr. Mitchell King msking@uic.edu | Susan Ping pings@uic.edu A207 |
| DOCTORING & CLINICAL SKILLS | Dr. TJ Webb tjwebb@uic.edu | Tori Allen tallen19@uic.edu A245 |
| SIMULATION | Dr. Paul Chastain pdchast7@uic.edu | Katy Dabbs kdabb01s@uic.edu A218 |