The MD program is designed for students to complete in 4 or 4.5 years depending on matriculation, with 2 years spent studying the Basic Sciences phase (Year 1 and Year 2) and 2 years spent completing the Clinical Studies phase (Year 3 and Year 4). Students may take additional time to remediate courses, prepare for Step exams (bridge time), or take Leave of Absence for a variety of reasons. However, students may not take more than 6 years from the date of matriculation to complete the MD program.
Students intending to start the Clinical Science phase in the US will typically use time between the Basic Sciences phase and Clinical Science phase to prepare for and take the USMLE Step 1. Students who complete the Basic Science phase in 2 years have up to 1 year to start the Clinical Phase and those who have taken 2.5 years have up to 6 months; however most students progress to clinicals within 3-5 months to ensure their timelines fit with ideal clerkship start dates, USMLE Step 2 schedules, and the ERAS/NRMP timing and are discouraged from taking an excessive amount of time between the phases unless content remediation for the NBME and for Step 1 warrants additional preparation time. Those students who have taken the maximum 3 years to complete the Basic Sciences must start their clinical studies in the US or the UK within 6 months of completing the Basic Sciences. In rare cases, students may have been granted an exception by the CAPPS to take additional time to complete the Basic Sciences. In such cases, students must progress from the Basic Sciences directly to the Clinical Science phase at the next available clerkship start date.
Regardless of when the clinical phase begins (the first clerkship), students must remain on track to complete the MD program within 6 years of matriculation. Due to the expectations and timeline for completing the clinical phase, any student with less than 2 years remaining timeline, who has not yet started the clerkship phase, or any student who delays progress during the clinical phase such that a 6-year completion is impossible, will be reviewed by the APRC and may be recommended for dismissal. Any student recommended for dismissal may appeal to the CAPPS.
OPTIMAL TIMELINE FOR AUGUST MATRICULANTS
Students who matriculate in the August term complete their MD program in four years, assuming no extension to their timeline.
- Basic Sciences: Students complete these courses in May of the second year following their matriculation.
- Start of the clerkship year: Students who wish to start clinical training in the United States take the USMLE Step 1 in July and start their first clinical term in August or September. Students who wish to start clinical training in the United Kingdom do not have to take the USMLE Step 1 and can start in the United Kingdom at the next available start data after clearance.
- End of the advanced clinical year: Students complete the clinical curriculum (80 weeks) by May or June in the second year following the commencement of clinical training (e.g., if clinical training begins in July, August, or September 2020, then graduation is in June 2022). This is four years or less after matriculation. Students interested in a US residency should seek to finish by the end of April to allow for adequate processing of diploma and credentials. if possible, to ensure ECFMG paperwork and state licensing paperwork prior to the start of residency orientation.
Terms 6 through 10 represent an intensive educational period. Students who start in September have less than 90 calendar weeks to the first June diploma date and must plan time off accordingly to complete all 80 required academic weeks. During this time, students interested in a US residency also study for and take the USMLE Step 2 CK at the completion of the core clerkships and apply for residencies.
OPTIMAL TIMELINE FOR JANUARY/APRIL MATRICULANTS
Students who matriculate in the January/April term generally complete their MD program in four and a half years (4.5), assuming no extension to their timeline.
- Basic Sciences: Students complete these courses in December of the second year following their matriculation.
- Start of the clerkship year: Students who wish to start clinical training in the United States take the USMLE Step 1 in March and start their first clinical term in May or June. Students who wish to start clinical training in the United Kingdom do not have to take the USMLE Step 1 and can start in the United Kingdom in January or April.
- End of the advanced clinical year: While students can graduate in December in the second year after starting clinical training, most students opt to graduate in May, approximately two years after starting clinical training. Terms 6 through 10 represent an intensive educational period. Students who start in May have approximately 100 weeks to complete an 80-week curriculum and graduate in June. During this time, students interested in a US residency also study for and take the USMLE Step 2 (CK)) and apply for residencies.