Progression Requirements – Year 2 to Year 3
To progress from Year 2 (Basic Sciences) to Year 3 (Clinical Studies) of the MD Program, students must meet the following administrative and academic requirements:
Administrative Requirements
Students must:
- Be in financial good standing
- Have approved health insurance
- Have their SGUSOM health forms cleared by the Office of Student Health Records
- Complete a criminal background check
- Background checks with findings are referred to the Office of Student Affairs for review.
- Affirm to reading the Clinical Training Manual
- Complete all required certification courses and documentation
Academic Requirements
Students must complete:
- All Basic Sciences requirements in accordance with the standards for academic progress
- All pre-clerkship web-based courses
- Cultural Competency Course
- Communication Skills Part A Course
- Emergency Medicine Course
- Infection Control Course
- COVID Infection Control Course
Progression Requirements – Year 3 to Year 4
To progress from Year 3 to Year 4, students must be in good academic standing and have met the following requirements:
- Complete all Basic Sciences requirements in accordance with the standards for academic progress
- Complete 42 weeks in the 5 core clinical clerkships in accordance with the standards for academic progress
- Pass all core clerkship NBME Clinical Subject Examinations
- Make progress toward completing the MD program within the 6-year maximum timeline.
Timeline Requirements
Students must:
- Complete the MD program within 6 years of matriculation.
- Complete all Basic Sciences requirements within 3 years of matriculation.
- Students who use the 3-year maximum to complete the Basic Sciences must begin their first core clerkship within 6 months of completing the Basic Sciences (3.5 years from matriculation). This 6-month period is time borrowed from the 3-year maximum allowed to complete the 80 weeks of Clinical Studies.
- Students who take more than 3 years to finish the Basic Sciences must begin core clerkships immediately after completing Term 5. Students planning to take USMLE Step 1 must therefore do so after completing the core clerkships. Currently, this schedule is available only in the UK and in US states where USMLE Step 1 is not required.
- Students granted special permission by the CAPPS to exceed the maximum timeline must start their first clerkship immediately after completing the Basic Sciences.
- Students must allow no less than 2 years to complete the 80 weeks of clinical training.
Failure to meet these timeline requirements may result in a recommendation for dismissal due to timeline.
Requirements for Graduation
The Academic Promotion Review Committee (APRC), comprised of School of Medicine faculty, reviews and approves those students for graduation upon successful completion of the curriculum and all program requirements. To be eligible for graduation, students must satisfactorily complete 77 weeks of Basic Sciences followed by 80 weeks of clinical training.
Based on assessments conducted throughout the Four-Year MD Program, SGUSOM graduates those students who have successfully met the School's standards for progress, promotion, and graduation, thereby demonstrating achievement of the MD Program Objectives and the competencies required for the practice of medicine.
To qualify for graduation from the MD Program, all candidates must achieve the following:
- Satisfactorily complete all Basic Sciences requirements of the MD Program and all requirements to enter the first year of Clinical Studies.
- Successfully complete 80 weeks of Clinical Studies:
- 42 weeks of core clerkship requirements: 12 weeks of Internal Medicine, 12 weeks of Surgery and 6 weeks each of Pediatrics, Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Psychiatry
- 6 weeks of Family Medicine
- 32 weeks of elective rotations: 4 weeks of a sub-internship in any core specialty, 4 weeks of an Internal Medicine elective, and 24 weeks of electives of student choice
- Successfully complete any required remediation of a course, or for any failed component of a clinical rotation (including retaking and passing the NBME Clinical Subject Examination of a failed clerkship knowledge component).
- Pass all 6 required NBME Clinical Subject Examinations.
- Successfully complete the Pain Management Module.
- Successfully complete the Communication Skills Modules.
- Maintain acceptable professional behavior and standards.
- Be discharged of all indebtedness to the University.
- Comply with the requirements for admission.
- Be approved for graduation by the APRC.
Note: Students who started Clinical Studies before August 1, 2024, may complete 4–6 weeks of Family Medicine and 32–34 weeks of elective rotations, depending on the number of Family Medicine weeks completed.
Graduation Ceremony
Students who have completed all degree requirements and qualify for graduation are eligible to participate in the SGUSOM graduation ceremony.
Students expected to complete all degree requirements by June 30 are eligible to participate in the SGUSOM graduation ceremony. Students expected to complete all degree requirements by August 31 may also be permitted to participate with approval of the Office of the University Registrar. Students seeking approval must apply for an exception to participate. Students eligible to apply for this exception will receive an email with instructions in the Spring.
Honors Designations
Students who achieve exceptional academic performance during their medical education are recognized at graduation with the following Latin honors:
- Summa Cum Laude (with Highest Honors) – Cumulative WMPG of 95.00% or higher
- Magna Cum Laude (with High Honors) – Cumulative WMPG of 92.00%–94.99%
- Cum Laude (with Honors) – Cumulative WMPG of 90.00%–91.99%
WMPGs are not rounded, and no exceptions are made.