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Student Portal > Curriculum > FAQ
Module 5 has 11 months of requirements which will help you to select a specialty and acquire the credentials needed to apply for residency.
What are the requirements of Module 5?
What is the timeline for Module 5?
If you are graduating in 2009, the best way to plan Module 5 is to make yourself worksheets with 16 months starting with January 2008 and ending with April 2009 (the last month in which you can do an elective). You will need to plot the requirements listed above and time to:
What is the residency application timeline?
The early match programs are: ophthalmology, neurosurgery, pediatric neurology and urology. Match for these programs occurs in late January with the applications due in late August to early September and interviews are in November and December. The Match for all the other specialties occurs March. Applications are submitted in September and October with interviews in November, December, and January.
Which specialties require a separate application process for the internship year?
What is a "sub I/externship" that is required?
A sub I/externship is a course which allows you to demonstrate your ability to manage patients. This requirement can be fulfilled by taking MED400 (Sub-internship in Medicine) or MED400D (Externship in Medicine) or PED300 (Sub-internship in Pediatrics).
A sub I in Medicine (MED400) or in Pediatrics (PED300) is an opportunity to serve as an intern and is offered at HUP/VAMC/Presby or CHOP. The Externship in Medicine (MED400D) is offered at Pennsylvania Hospital and is an opportunity to manage patients while being an addition to the team.
Do any specialties require a particular sub-I/externship?
Pediatrics requires PED300 and Medicine (3 year, categorical residency) requires MED400. Psychiatry and Radiation Oncology recommend a medicine sub-I.
When should I take MED400/MED400D/PED300?
There is no one right answer and it varies depending on the specialty you are interested in. If you think a career in medicine or pediatrics interests you, then you want to keep in mind that a Unit month is recommended/required and the sub I/externship is a pre-requisite. If you are interested in surgery or a surgical sub-specialty, you may want to do your surgery courses first, followed by your scholarly pursuit, and then your required externship or sub-I.
Another approach would be to do your sub-I at Pennsy (all months are generally available) or in March at HUP/VA/Presby and get it done early. By luck of the draw or by changing your mind on your career choice, you may end up withMED400/MED400D/PED300 and a Unit month next September and October. Even with this schedule, there will be enough time to obtain letters of recommendation and the grade/comments will be in your transcript and dean's letter.
When do I register for MED400D/MED400/PED300 and the electives?
MED400/MED400D/PED300 scheduling is done first with your lottery rankings due by Monday, October 29th 8:00am. Electives scheduling is done in four-month blocks, according to the following:
What are electives and when do I register for them?
You will need to 4 standard electives as listed in the on-line course catalogue. These are generally one month long courses offered in all specialty areas at HUP/VAMC/Presby/Pennsy/CHOP. There are also opportunities to develop clinical experiences with Penn faculty on an individualized basis either in an inpatient or outpatient setting. Electives include consult courses, Unit months, chances to explore dermatology, radiology, radiation oncology, and one-on-one preceptorships in surgery (their equivalent to an externship), etc
Where do I find the rotation dates?
The 2008 schedule is posted on the web at: http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/2008Module5ElectiveSchedule.html Please note: MED400 at HUP/VAMC/Presby runs from Sunday to Monday at 8am with orientation on Friday.
Are there any courses which are not offered all year-long?
A few courses (such as RAD300, some ortho preceptorships, etc) are not offered in July or August so you may want to request them for February-April with the fallback being May and June, which are part of the next registration cycle.
You can arrange to do electives for two weeks instead of four after the registration process has run.
Where do I go for advice?
There is a Guide to Course Selection and a Guide to Residency Selection on the student homepage http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/ under the “Student Affairs ” tab. You will be able to request career counselors in the areas that interest you in November of this year. Other good sources for advice are upper classmen, faculty, the Registrars Office and the Office of Student Affairs who can answer questions that you may have.
What is Scholarly Pursuit?
Scholarly pursuit can be fulfilled by:
Details can be found on the student homepage under “Mod 5” category at http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/scholarlystudy
What are Frontiers Courses?
Frontiers are one- and two-week courses offered in late October/November and February/early March. These courses focus on up-to-date trends in basic science and their relationship to clinical medicine. The schedule may change for next year but details about this year’s courses can be found on the student homepage under “Mod 5” category at http://www.med.upenn.edu/student/frontiers. You will register for these courses in July 2008.
Are USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge & Clinical Skills) required and when should I take them?
You must take these exams but a passing score is not required for graduation. Since they are required for licensure and are used by some residency programs for screening purposes, students:
You can register for Step 1 or Step 2 by going to http://www.usmle.org/ Step 1 and Step 2-Clinical Knowledge are administered on computers and can be taken year-round. You will register via the website and then call a Prometric Learning Center to schedule the day and time of your choice.
There will be a class meeting in October to discuss Step 1 studying tips. This meeting will include a panel of upper-classmen.
What is the Clinical Skills Inventory and when is it offered?
The Clinical Skills Inventory (CSI) is a Standardized Patient exam designed to assess your clinical skills following completion of your clerkship year, and to prepare you for the USMLE's Step 2 CS exam.
Like Step 2 CS, CSI lasts a full day, during which you will see 12 SPs, one-on-one, in a clinic setting. You will be required to interview and examine SPs, and write a patient note after each encounter.
CSI is a summative pass/fail exam. You need to take and pass this exam in order to graduate. The exam will be offered on the following dates from 8:30 a.m. – 4 p.m.:
Detailed information will be provided via email prior to your scheduled exam date. If you have questions prior to then, feel free to contact Denise LaMarra, Director of the SP Program, at lamarra@mail.med.upenn.edu, 215-898-3520.
http://www.med.upenn.edu/spprogram
When will I be taking ACLS?
ACLS is a pre-requisite for the medicine sub-internship so the course is offered on weekends from February to May. If you will be taking a clerkship during this time, we suggest that you not sign-up for ACLS. ACLS certification is good for two years.
If I want to do a rotation away, when would I do this and how do I apply?
Most students, who choose to do away rotations, do so in the summer and fall of the last year. The application process is driven by the other medical school and details can be found on the student homepage under the “Mod 5” category at http://www.aamc.org/students/medstudents/electives/start.htm
If I decide to take an extra year, when and how do I apply?
If you want to do a year-long program and are interested in applying for funding, start with the Office of Combined Degree and Physician Scholars Program's website, www.med.upenn.edu/mdresearchopps/research_descriptions.shtml.
Some of the applications are time consuming so you may want to allow extra time for Step 1 studying, if the due dates are in January or February. You will probably want to do some electives, your sub I/externship, and USMLE Steps 2 in 2008 before your “year out”. You will be considered as an active student during your extra year as long as you are spending half of your time on medically related educational activities. The maximum amount of tuition charged is four years which is 8 semesters. During an additional year, you will pay the general fee, technology fee, and other miscellaneous charges in order to maintain your status as a medical student.| © The Trustees of the University of Pennsylvania | << Return to Portal |