UCCOM’s curriculum follows the model established by the American Association of Medical Colleges (AAMC) Careers in Medicine program. This model reflects a four-step career planning process: 

• Understanding yourself
• Exploring options
• Choosing a specialty
• Preparing for residency

Biomedical, clinical, and psychosocial sciences are blended with clinical skills throughout the four-year curriculum. Early clinical experiences are integrated into the curriculum and followed by intensive clinical opportunities that reinforce the concepts learned in the classroom. The learning environment emphasizes peer learning, independent study, self-directed learning, and collaboration between students and faculty mentors.

The curriculum itself is broken up into four modules that span four years of study.

First and second-year students begin their studies with courses in emergency healthcare management. Thereafter, they are placed in Learning Communities, groups comprised of no more than 12 students. Every week, groups are presented with patient cases and asked to develop clinical problem-solving solutions under the guidance of a practicing faculty member. Following this, students begin clinical courses, giving them the chance to work with standardized patients.

In addition to shadowing clinicians in a variety of medical settings, students also complete coursework including fundamental courses in molecular and cellular medicine, brain, mind and behavioral medicine, and others. 

Third-year students rotate through seven core clerkships and complete additional elective courses in anesthesia, emergency medicine, cardiovascular ICU, clinical oncology, dermatology, and others.

Fourth-year students prepare for core clerkships and fulfill eight weeks of an acting internship position, in which they are given primary patient care responsibility. Additional coursework includes the Physician and Society course and 24 weeks of additional electives. 

In addition to the MD track, UCCOM offers the following dual-degree programs:

MD/PhD Program – Cincinnati Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP) is a multi-institutional MD/PhD program that prepares students for careers in research and pedagogy.

MD/MBA – this program prepares students for management careers in economics, finance, marketing, and health care. 

Founded in 1819, the University of Cincinnati College of Medicine (UCCOM) is known for contributing to major medical innovations including pioneering the first live attenuated polio vaccine, developing the antihistamine medication Benadryl, and creating the world’s first functional heart-lung machine. The institution is considered the oldest medical college west of the Allegheny Mountains and is the second oldest public college of medicine in the States.

In 2018, UCCOM received 4,358 applications, granted 568 interviews, and enrolled 179 students. The school has 708 full-time students (50.1 percent female / 49.9 percent  male), 1,834 full-time faculty on staff, and a faculty-student ratio of 2.6:1. In 2018, UCCOM garnered more than $300 million in funded research and was awarded 1,343 grants. The school maintains partnerships with seven hospitals and health care institutions including Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, Good Samaritan Hospital, and the Mayfield Clinic.

Students looking to enrich their education under the guidance of a faculty mentor have access to the UC Research Directory, which allows them to browse faculty members based on research specialty and interests. Additional resources like the annual Summer Opportunities event—which happens in November—provides first-year students the chance to identify research and service-learning opportunities. 

UCCOM also offers a four-year comprehensive career development program designed to support students through the process of searching for a residency. The program kicks off during orientation week and, thereafter, is integrated into the curriculum and extra-curricular activities. In addition to providing academic support, the college also offers a variety of student wellness options including free auricular (ear) acupuncture sessions, mindful moment and aromatherapy sessions, yoga classes, and mind-body workshops.

The curriculum at UCCOM is student-centered and designed to deliver a deep and broad understanding of human health and disease. To that end, patient care and clinical cases are introduced in pre-clerkship study. Lectures, too, are augmented with active and experiential learning activities. Before students even begin their first day of class, they complete a common reading focusing on a major health crisis. Then, in the first two weeks of school, students participate in a clinical immersion experience.

As a part of the Learning Communities program, which spans the first two years of study and places students in small groups, students participate in an intimate, cohesive learning experience centered around collaboration with peers and a Clinician-Facilitator. Thanks to the institution’s Body Donation Program, UCCOM students work directly with human cadavers, giving them an experience that is relevant, progressive, and hands-on.