Weill Medical College of Cornell University (WMCCU) Introduction and Academics

Introduction

The Weill Medical College of Cornell University was established in 1898 and is situated on the upper east side of New York City. Although the university is located in Ithaca, New York, the medical school was established in New York City to provide students with clinical experience and laboratory-oriented instruction. An academic medical center was established in 1962 that affiliated Cornell Medical School with New York Hospital. With the relocation, both these components became part of a common campus – the New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. The school name was changed in 1998 to the Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University.

Academics

4-year modern. The curriculum integrates the basic sciences, the clinical sciences, and clinical practice by offering interdisciplinary basic science courses, early exposure to clinical concepts, and clinical experiences. The curriculum emphasizes problem-solving skills and aims to develop the students’ ability and motivation for continued self-study. In keeping with developments in the health care delivery system, it has expanded clinical education in the ambulatory setting by offering officebased preceptorships in years 1 and 2 and a primary care clerkship in year 3. Upon completion of the second year of medical school, students take 3 introductory clinical courses: Clinical Pharmacology, Anesthesia, and the Introductory Clerkship. The third and fourth years have a combined clinical curriculum with required clinical clerkships, a subinternship, Medicine, Patients and Society III, Health Care Systems, and elective courses. This educational continuum ends with 8 weeks of required credits in advanced basic sciences.

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Unique Programs

Minority admissions: The school makes a nationwide effort to enroll qualified members of groups underrepresented in medicine. It conducts a research fellowship program for college premedical students who have completed their junior year and have a major interest in the medical problems of the underserved. Other degree programs: The school offers a fully funded combined MD-PhD program, which is coordinated with the Rockefeller University, Memorial SloanKettering Cancer Center, and the Cornell University Graduate School of Medical Sciences. An MD-MBA program is offered in conjunction with the Johnson School of Management of Cornell University.

Admissions

A solid background in science is important. Required courses include the basic premedical science courses and 1 year of English. Transfer and advanced standing: When vacancies occur, students are considered for admission to the third year. Candidates must furnish evidence of satisfactorily completed work and must present a letter of current good standing from their U.S.-accredited school.

Students

Performance is graded by an Honors/Pass/Fail system, in the first 2 years and Honors/High Pass/Pass/Fail in the last 2. Teaching: Most of the instruction for the first 2 years takes place at the Weill Educational Center, a multipurpose teaching complex. It consists of an auditorium and 21 modular teaching laboratories. Designed for maximum flexibility, it accommodates teaching formats and methodology. The medical school campus enbraces one of the most advanced centers in the world for biomedical sciences, including Rockefeller University, Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center, New York Presbyterian Medical Center and Hospital for Special Surgery, and other affiliated institutions.

Weill Medical College of Cornell University