Drexel University College of Medicine – School Profile and Medical Student Interviews

Student Interviews

Jonathan Acosta, MS2

Profile:

Drexel University College of Medicine is located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and is one of the largest private medical schools in the nation. The College of Medicine receives the second most applications out of all medical schools in the United States each year. The school has just over 1,000 MD. Classes entering in the 2014 and 2015 years each comprised of students from over 25 different states. Affiliated hospitals include Abington Hospital-Jefferson Health, Allegheny General Hospital, and West Penn Hospital, amongst others. The College of Medicine offers MD/PhD, MD/MPH, and MD/MBA tracts for interested students.

Curriculum: The Foundation and Frontiers curriculum emphasizes ‘teamwork and communication, problem solving, and the use of information technology’. To develop the curriculum, the program built on feedback from students, faculty, and medical education experts. The idea was to incorporate early and frequent clinical exposure, during which time basic science concepts could be integrated with the basics of clinical care. The innovative new curriculum also focuses on cultural competence, civic engagement, and technology.

Curriculum Highlights:

—Case Base Learning: Throughout the Phase 1 curriculum, students work in groups to learn the basic signs, symptoms, and interpretation of a give clinical presentation. These sessions help integrate the basic science education students are receiving in the pre-clinical years with clinical exposure they may receive early in their career.

—Longitudinal Community Care Practicum: the practicum includes opportunities to develop inter-professional skills while working with patients in non-clinical settings. Students explore the social determinants of health and disparities unique to the surrounding community. Students are given an opportunity to reflect on these experiences in group sessions

—Global Health Education: Students have the opportunity to travel to Bangladesh, Cameroon, Egypt, Guatemala, Honduras, Uganda, and many other countries to work with patients in resource-limited settings. Students not only learn about the health issues unique to a particular region, but also learn how healthcare providers can overcome the challenges of caring for patients in resource limited settings.

Location: Both the Queen Lane Campus and Center City Hahnemann Campus are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is a growing hub of technological innovation that has attracted a number of leading biotech and pharmaceutical companies. The innovative atmosphere is bolstered by the third highest concentration of research institutions in the country and over 90 higher-education institutions. Philadelphia also has a lively food and music culture, contributing to its recent naming as the the first ever World Heritage City.

Match List: https://drexel.edu/medicine/academics/md-program/residency-match/