1. Are there opportunities for students to design, conduct, and publish their own research?

2. Is there a note-taking service? If so, is it University-run or student-run?

3. Is there flexibility in the coursework (the number of electives) and the timing of the courses (accelerating, decelerating, and time off) during the preclinical years?

4. How do students from this medical school perform on the National Board Examinations? How does the school assist students who do not pass?

5. How are students evaluated academically? How are clinical evaluations performed?

6. Is there a formal mechanism in place for students to evaluate their professors and attending physicians? What changes have been made recently as a result of this feedback?

7. How diverse is the student body? Are there support services for ethnic minorities and women?

8. Are there computer facilities available to students? Are they integrated into the curriculum/learning?

9. What type of clinical sites -- ambulatory, private preceptors, private hospitals, rural settings -- are available or required for clerkships? Does this school allow students to do rotations at other institutions or internationally?

10. What medical school committees (e.g., curriculum committee) have student representatives?

11. How active is the Student Council/Government? Are students involved in (required or voluntary) community service? Are there other student organizations?

12. Does this school provide, or does the student pay for, vaccinations against Hepatitis B or Prophylactic AZT treatment in case of a needle-stick or accident?

Answers

1. Are there opportunities for students to design, conduct, and publish their own research?

Washington University is world renowned for its research faculty, facilities and opportunities. As a Washington University medical student, it is easy to gain research experience. There are abundant research opportunities during the summers before the first year, between first and second year, after the third year and during the fourth year. In addition for students who desire longer research experiences, there are one to two year research opportunities, some of which lead to a master's degree (the MA/MD program). For the MA/MD program, financial support is available from several sources. Students may also spend time at NIH doing research.

Funding for medical students to do research during the summers is generally available due to money from NIH and from departments at the School of Medicine. Lining up a summer research grant is largely a matter of finding a lab mentor with whom you would like to work.

2. Is there a note-taking service? If so, is it University-run or student-run?

Yes, there is a note-taking service that is run by the students. It is supported by class funds. The class chooses the head coordinator and course coordinators. Note takers for each class are appointed. All individuals receive remuneration for their participation. Most of the lectures are recorded and then transcribed by the note taker. Due to widespread class participation, each note-taker only has to do a few lectures. The transcript is checked by the lecturer for accuracy of transcription and then copies are reproduced, placed in the student's mailboxes and posted on the web.

3. Is there flexibility in the coursework (the number of electives) and the timing of the courses (accelerating, decelerating, and time off) during the preclinical years?

There is considerable flexibility in the coursework. The required electives in the first year may be taken anytime during the first year. There is some opportunity for accelerating the program. It is possible to test out of courses through any of the coursemasters. Deceleration or time off is also possible.

4. How do students from this medical school perform on the National Board Examinations? How does the school assist students who do not pass?

With a 99% passing rate on part I and close to that on Part II, Washington University medical students perform about 20 points above the national. Students, who desire help with the boards, can obtain it from many sources.

5. How are students evaluated academically? How are clinical evaluations performed?

The entire first year at WUMS is graded on the Pass/Fail system. Thereafter performance is graded with Honors, High Pass, Pass, and Fail. In addition, during clinical courses in the third and fourth years the overall grade is divided into subjective and objective components. The subjective component consists of a clinical performance evaluation by the faculty and the objective component is based on performance on a nationally standardized exam. Mid-rotation evaluations are provided so that there will be sufficient time to improve the performance level if a student is having difficulty.

6. Is there a formal mechanism in place for students to evaluate their professors and attending physicians? What changes have been made recently as a result of this feedback?

The faculty and administration at Washington University School of Medicine keep an open door policy, meaning that they are always willing to talk to students about their concerns. Day to day informal access to coursemasters provides a means for students to evaluate the quality and quantity of lectures and handouts. There is also a formal curriculum evaluation process in which the coursemasters and several students acting as a committee consider potential changes for their individual courses or the curriculum as a whole. Input made by students is taken seriously by the faculty and administration, and often changes are made. Based on this process, course content and delivery are refined annually or as needed. Examples of changes that have resulted include the following:

• Coursemasters are responsible for written responses to criticisms made by the students.
• The Introduction to Clinical Medicine Course in the second year used to require each student to write a paper, until the Class of 1994 argued persuasively through their evaluations of the course that the paper was an insufficient way to evaluate clinical competence. As a result, the paper was replaced by having faculty observe individual student's clinical skills and problem solving ability.
• The entire first year is graded pass/fail as a result of a student plebiscite and petition to the faculty. Supported by a majority of first year students, their proposal for Pass / Fail grading during the first year became School policy.
• Based on student input, the teaching of biostatistics was overhauled to emphasize clinical applications of biostatistics and the use of biostatistics in the critical appraisal of new information.
  

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7. How diverse is the student body? Are there support services for ethnic minorities and women?

The Leadership of Washington University and the Medical School are strongly committed to enhancing the diversity of all programs in the institution. The student body is quite diverse in academic background, geographic origin, ethnicity and personal interests and life histories. For example, the class that entered in 2003 came from 63 different schools, 33 different states and 8 foreign countries. There were 21 different majors within the class. 46% of the class was female and 10% were from underrepresented minority groups.
Support services are available for all medical students with some groups that focus on peer groups and others that bring together diverse groups in a spirit of multiculturalism. For women, there is the Women in Science and Medicine Program, a social and professional organization that responds to the interests and needs of all the women in the Medical Center. The Office of Diversity Programs supports activities of all underrepresented minority students and focuses on recruitment of minority groups. The Student National Medical Association has many activities carried out by the group for African-American students. The Asian-Pacific American Medical Students Association supports the interests and activities of students of Asian-Pacific backgrounds and other students.

8. Are there computer facilities available to students? Are they Integrated into the curriculum/learning?

The Medical Library houses extensive computer facilities for our students. Olin Residence Hall has computer facilities, and computer terminals in individual dorm rooms. Students located off-campus are able to hook up to the central computing facilities of the Medical School and access course materials by modem or over the Internet. Large files that contain graphic images are stored on CDs that are available for student's use at home. Computers are available in the Student Support Office (Admissions and Student Affairs) that allow students to update their addresses, change schedules as well as check on their academic record. In the Gross Anatomy lab computers contain radiology instructional programs based on computerized axial tomography (CAT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) images of the body. This allows students to learn, test themselves and keep track of their progress.
Virtually all course materials are available to our medical students online. These include syllabi, lecture transcripts, lecturer's slides and pathology images. More programs and uses are constantly being developed for the students.

9. What type of clinical sites -- ambulatory, private preceptors, private hospitals, rural settings -- are available or required for clerkships? Does this school allow students to do rotations at other institutions or internationally?

There are numerous clinical sites available to our students. Within the immediate medical center Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Children's Hospital have a total capacity of about 1,620 beds. Both of these hospitals are heavily involved in care of the medically indigent in the St. Louis community. A new major ambulatory care center has been constructed and provides outpatient care for more than 100,000 people annually. Students also rotate through hospitals in the community including Christian Hospitals Northeast and Northwest, Metropolitan St. Louis Psychiatric Center, Missouri Baptist Medical Center, Veterans Administration Medical Center and Shriners Hospital for Children. There are also numerous smaller hospitals that are part of the BJC Healthcare System that stretches from central Illinois through St. Louis and into southwest Missouri. These sites are being incorporated into the elective rotation sites. Other clinical settings include rural Missouri and Iowa with primary care preceptors. A large percentage of our students do rotations at other institutions both inside and outside the United States.

10. What medical school committees (e.g., curriculum committee) have student representatives?

There are student representatives to the Curriculum and during accreditation to the LCME committee. The class elects these representatives and there is constant feedback to the class concerning the curriculum. The following committees also have student representation: Primary Care, Advising, and the Learning and Teaching Center. Medical students also meet with applicants and serve as hosts and hostesses; they play a major role in the Admissions Committee's annual process of mapping and planning.

11. How active is the Student Council/Government? Are students involved in (required or voluntary) community service? Are there other student organizations?

Medical students at Washington are active in the medical center and in the community. The student government class officers meet with the Deans regularly to be kept up to date on things that are going on within the School of Medicine. The student government plays an important role in curriculum development. Students are very heavily involved in community service, particularly during their first and second year. There are several programs that provide opportunities to work with elementary and secondary school pupils throughout the city and county. The STATS (Students Teaching Aids to Students) program targets seventh graders in junior high. The Drug Education Project is aimed at students in 5th and 6th grade. The SAFE Program (Students Against Female Abuse) deals with women who have been physically and sexually abused. In the Perinatal Project students pair up with a single, expectant mother and provide support through her pregnancy, delivery and post-partum time. Another program that begins in the first year puts students to work as patients' health advocates. The Pediatric Outreach program matches children who are suffering from chronic illnesses and the siblings of these children with medical student big brothers and big sisters to provide support for families. The Neighborhood Clinic provides free medical care to needy people in the St. Louis community. Our students are also involved in local shelters, soup kitchens and Habitat for Humanity. Musical groups include the Histones, an a capella singing group; the Hot Docs, a 20-25 piece band; the Code Blue Jazz Band; plus ad hoc string ensembles and Rock and Roll groups. Other groups include religious organizations, intramural teams in all IM sports (including co-ed basketball) and the Film Society. There are also several student publications including the Dis-Orientation guide, Hippocrene and Auscultations.

12. Does this school provide, or does the student pay for, vaccinations against Hepatitis B or Prophylactic AZT treatment in case of a needle-stick or accident?

The school provides vaccination against Hepatitis B. There are standard procedures to administer preventive treatments in case of occurrences such as needle-stick accidents.

For more information or to inquire about admission to the School of Medicine, please send a message to wumscoa@wustl.edu.