Mercer University School of Medicine

Mercer University School of Medicine Academics

4-year problem-based. A 4-program educational scheme is used to train physicians for service in rural and/or medically underserved areas of Georgia. Program 1 (Biomedical Problems): During this 74-week program groups of 6 to 7 students work with faculty in a tutorial setting to study the basic medical and behavioral science concepts that underlie medical problems. The array and the sequence of problems are chosen to ensure that students acquire the basic medical and behavioral science knowledge requisite to medical practice. Program 2 (Clinical Skills and Community Office Practice): This occurs throughout the first 2 years during which students learn the skills basic for interaction with patients. Students interview and examine actual and standardized patients and have opportunities to practice their skills in the offices of supervising community physicians. Program 3 (Community Science): This program spans 4 years. Initially, students attend seminars and group discussions on biostatistics, epidemiology, and public health. Each student is assigned to a rural community and makes site visits to learn about medical practice and the health care needs of the area. In the fourth year this culminates in a 4-week community-based primary care clerkship during which the student lives in the community and participates in the practice of the supervising physician. Program 4 (Clerkships-Electives): The third year contains rotations in internal medicine, surgery, ambulatory family medicine, pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, and psychiatry. During year 4, critical care, substance abuse, and surgery rotations, in addition to 20 weeks of electives, are required.