Curriculum
As the nation's first medical school and home to the first teaching hospital, the Perelman School of Medicine (PSOM) enjoys a long tradition of academic excellence and scientific discovery. Our curriculum — designed to help students gain the knowledge and skills essential for creating and delivering the exceptional patient-centered medicine of tomorrow — is underpinned by four foundational pillars that constitute our medical education program objectives.
IMPaCT Defined
PSOM's IMPaCT (IM: Integrating Medicine • PaC: Patient Care • T: Transitions) is a four-year multidisciplinary curriculum comprising three cores organized around three themes:
- The science of medicine
- The technology and practice of medicine
- Professionalism and humanism
Advantages of IMPaCT
Integrated
The IMPaCT curriculum provides integration of basic, translational, social, clinical, and health systems sciences throughout the continuum of medical education, led by outstanding faculty committed to the privilege of teaching tomorrow’s health care leaders.
Innovative
The IMPaCT curriculum provides training designed to enable students to learn and work in teams throughout medical school. Our massive university campus provides unparalleled proximity and access to opportunities for educational enrichment at any of our leading graduate schools, innovative research centers, and renowned clinical facilities.
Individualized
The IMPaCT curriculum provides numerous, diverse opportunities for customization of the medical education journey and the pursuit of unique professional experiences so that all specific interests and career goals can be attained.
The curriculum emphasizes self-directed lifelong learning and small-group instruction. The Henry A. Jordan Medical Education Center itself plays a prominent role in the training of future physicians and scientists; it is among the first medical education spaces in the nation physically integrated into active clinical and research facilities.
PSOM students can choose from approximately 150 electives and have one and a half years to explore the possibilities. PSOM also offers extensive MD+ options, including eight master's degrees and 11 areas of concentration available through its various schools. Penn’s 12 schools share a single contiguous campus, providing exceptional opportunities for students to engage interprofessionally.
The Perelman School of Medicine curriculum is designed to meet educational requirements that will lead to full licensure of a medical doctor in the United States of America. More information can be found on the UPenn Licensure Disclosure | Tableau Public.