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The final year of medical school is designed to strengthen areas of weakness, explore possible specialty choices, enhance clinical insight and develop skills that will make the student a better physician.

Students will apply knowledge from the basic and clinical sciences that they have gained during the past three years.  The senior year is designed to promote professional diversity and personal growth; its flexibility enables students to use this time to explore areas of interest, above all, to pursue active experiences in-patient care sufficient to provide the basic skills necessary for doctor/patient interaction.

The overall goal for the senior year is to encourage and facilitate the acquisition of perspective in the student’s chosen area of future practice, as well as medicine in general, to provide an opportunity for exposure in specific areas of clinical interest, to improve readiness for residency by strengthening areas of weakness by providing advanced learning experience with increased responsibilities, and to encourage further development of basic science and research interest.

• 4 weeks of Emergency Medicine (EM406.6) (at BSOM ONLY)
• 4 weeks of an Acting Internship. This list ends in ".8"  (Away or BSOM)
• 4 weeks of an Intensive Care Unit. This list ends in ".2" (at BSOM ONLY)
• 4 weeks of Primary Care.  This list ends in ".1" (Away or BSOM)
• 2 weeks of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (RE408.5) (at BSOM ONLY)
• 14 weeks may be electives. This list ends in ".4" (Away or BSOM)
• 2 weeks of Transition to Residency (automatically scheduled in March)

USMLE Requirement

• All medical students are required to pass Step 2CK as a requirement for graduation. All medical students must take USMLE Step 2CK for the first time by September 30th of the academic year in which they begin the fourth year of the medical curriculum (enrollment in M-4 Selectives).  Students will be permitted a maximum of three attempts to pass Step 2CK.
• All medical students are required to pass Step 2CS as a requirement for graduation.  All medical students must take USMLE Step 2CS for the first time by December 30th of the academic year in which they begin the fourth year of the medical curriculum (enrollment in M4 Selectives). Students will be permitted a maximum of three attempts to pass Step 2CS.

The Course Director at the conclusion of each course must evaluate a student's performance.  The evaluation is a part of the student's permanent academic record and is available for review by the student.  There is a policy for appeal of an evaluation, should the need arise (see "Grade Appeal Process"). 

All entries of "H", "A", "B", "C", "F", "I" are a permanent transcript notation which describe a student's program.  Each designation of "F" or "I" will require an additional course entry on the transcript.

• February 28th - Class Meeting to go over 4th year
• March 25^th - Scheduling Worksheet are due in the Office of Student Affairs, Brody 2S20
• April 22^nd  - Tentative schedules will be distributed to students
• May 9^th  - Open drop/add begins
• May 23 - Rosters and Schedules are sent to departments

Vacation

• Up to 6 weeks of vacation may be used for interviewing, personal use, travel to and from away electives, and Step 2 study time. Vacation may be scheduled in 2 or 4 week increments.  Vacation course codes are: VA992 – 2 weeks, VA994 – 4 weeks.
• Two weeks of vacation may be paired with a two week elective.(i.e. PM414/VA992)
• Vacation may not be taken during Block 10 (April), without special permission from the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.

Note: The number of vacation weeks available for scheduling will be reduced by the number of weeks required to remediate or make up third year course work.

Absences

Students may receive an excused absence, approved by an Assistant Dean for Student Affairs, for one day off from a two-week rotation and no more than three days off from a four-week rotation. 

• Excused absences are for illness, personal need or interviews.  Approval by the course director may be required when planning personal need or interview time.
• Students should contact the course director as far in advance as possible when planning time off for personal need or interviews.
• Student should complete an Excused Absence Form prior to or upon return from an illness.  In the case of illness it is the student's responsibility to inform all appropriate clinical personnel and the Office of Student Affairs of their intent to be absent.
• Students are required to make up time missed due to excused absences.
• Taking more than the allowed number of absences will result in a grade of incomplete until course requirements have been fulfilled.  Students could also receive an "F" if the course director feels the objectives of the course have not been met or absences have been excessive.   The grade of "F" is permanent on the academic transcript.

Holidays

Senior students are expected to assume in many respects the role of a physician, and in so doing, to recognize the needs of patients through clinic service coverage, regardless of weekends and holidays.  Mandatory Holidays for senior medical students are Thanksgiving and the Winter/New Year's Holiday Break.  Seniors also receive Match Day off.  If a medical student does not obtain a position in the NRMP Match, he/she also receives off the three days (Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday) before Match Day, which is referred to as the Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program. Senior medical students may be allowed to observe other holidays at the discretion of the course director or designated resident on the service. 

• Thanksgiving - begins at 6:00p.m. on Wednesday, November 23 and ends at 6:00a.m. on Monday, November 28, 2011
• Winter Break - begins at 6:00p.m. on Friday, December 16, 2011 and ends at 6:00a.m. on Tuesday, January 3, 2012
• Match Day - March 16, 2012

ARRANGING AWAY ROTATIONS AT OTHER LCME ACCREDITED MEDICAL SCHOOLS

• Students should check for an online catalog at the site of interest in order to review elective availability, course descriptions, dates, calendar information, and visiting student application requirements specifically outlined by that medical school.  Using this link http://services.aamc.org/eec/students/ will allow students to search for elective opportunities.
• Students should check to see if the medical school with the desired elective uses the Visiting Student Application Service (VSAS), to receive visiting medical student applications. Using the Visiting Student Application Services (VSAS), students can search and apply to more than 90 schools and programs. Access the VSAS system for a complete list of participating schools or for more information on how to apply.
• If your application is accepted by that school, you will receive confirmation from that school either in the form of a letter, email, or on their standard acceptance form.  A copy of that acceptance must be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs prior to beginning the rotation.  The confirmation must include the course title, course description, and the dates you will be enrolled.
• Some electives at other institutions may start and end at times different from BSOM, vacation time or a flexible elective may be used to assist in scheduling.

No credit will be allowed for rotations taken without the approval and documentation indicated above. 

ARRANGING MILITARY ROTATIONS

• Military rotations are treated in the same manner as "away rotations" and students are expected to follow the guidelines listed above. 

ARRANGING Individually Designed EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCES (IDS)

If there is an educational experience/rotation not offered as a course by BSOM or another medical school, the student may choose to design his/her own rotation (i.e. research or private practice).

The student will be required to complete the following: 

• Meet with the appropriate preceptor to design a course description that includes educational goals and objectives.
• Complete an "Individually Designed Selective" form including signatures.
• Submit the completed IDS form to the Office of Student Affairs for review.  The IDS form must be received at least 2 months prior to the start of the rotation.

The purpose of the review is to determine if the IDS is equivalent to a rotation already offered at BSOM and if it is an acceptable senior experience that will meet graduation requirements. No credit will be allowed for an IDS taken without the approval and documentation indicated above. The Office of Student Affairs will assist students in choosing an appropriate course number.

NOTE ON 2 WEEK ELECTIVES

• Students may list the same 2 week elective twice in the same month which will make it a four week elective.  (e.g. PM414/PM414 = 1 month). 

INTERNATIONAL ELECTIVES

The following information and/or forms must be completed and submitted to the Office of Student Affairs 3 months prior to the start of an International Elective in order to receive credit for that experience.

Items needed:

• Short description (1 paragraph) of the purpose and educational objectives of the trip
• IDS paperwork (includes various signatures and 2-3 educational objectives)
• Hold harmless/liability waiver form (ECU version)
• Proof of health insurance
• Proof of emergency evacuation insurance
• Proof of travel clinic visit
• International certificate of vaccination form
• Copy of Passport and/or (country specific) VISA
• Request for reimbursement of international trip related expenses
• Other forms required by various funding groups (e.g., scholarship fund forms)
• ECU or BSOM "Student Discipline Pledge" form
• Health Form or some version close to it (may be provided by travel clinic)
• Contact information form
• Statement of participant responsibilities 

1. Print Scheduling Worksheet (pdf)
2. Review M4 Catalog/Course Descriptions
3. List required BSOM courses (Emergency Medicine, ICU, & PM&R).
4. List required courses that can be completed away (Primary Care & AI).
5. List away rotations (even if they have not yet been approved or confirmed). (i.e.AWAY.MS – Orthopedics at Penn State).
6. List vacation time(s). Vacation time is automatically approved during the block listed. (With the exception of April).
7. List any IDS electives.
8. Students will automatically be enrolled in Transition to Residency for March 2012.

Beginning April 1st, 2010, all requests for AHEC student housing must be made through our statewide MyAHEC website ( http://my.ncahec.net/ ). This new site will instruct you to create an online account and you may select the AHEC region(s) where you need housing.

The new online application process requires that you apply for your own housing; a school/course coordinator will not be able to apply on your behalf. Each of the nine regional AHEC websites may still provide housing descriptions and rules & agreements, but beginning April 1st you will only be able to apply for housing through the MyAHEC site listed above.

To request housing, please visit MyAHEC.

Students needing housing must go to: www.myahec.net and fill out an online housing application  45 days before the beginning of their rotation. Students will need to have their preceptor information and preceptor site information when completing this application. Students will receive an email confirmation of housing approximately one month before the beginning of their rotation.

For Detailed calendar click HERE (pdf)

Requirements

• 4 weeks of Emergency Medicine (EM406.6) (at BSOM ONLY)
• 4 weeks of an Acting Internship. This list ends in ".8"  (Away or BSOM)
• 4 weeks of an Intensive Care Unit. This list ends in ".2" (at BSOM ONLY)
• 4 weeks of Primary Care.  This list ends in ".1" (Away or BSOM)
• 2 weeks of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation (RE408.5) (at BSOM ONLY)
• 14 weeks may be electives. This list ends in ".4" (Away or BSOM)
• 2 weeks of Transition to Residency (automatically scheduled in March)
• Passing USMLE Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS

Limitations

• No elective may be taken more than once at the same site.
• No student will be allowed to take more than 12 weeks in any one specialty unless given special permission. Please refer to the Special Permission section.
• The maximum number of away rotations will be 12 weeks.
• Students who are deficient academically will not be  able to take any away electives until the deficiency has been removed from the student's record.  Students may also be denied approval for away rotations due to issues related to the Code of Conduct. 

Note: Policy on Double Credit - Students are not permitted to participate concurrently in two full-time electives.  There are electives designed as part-time in this catalog, these electives allow students to earn partial credit and be registered full-time.

Vacation

• Up to 6 weeks of vacation can be used for interviewing, personal use, travel to and from away electives, and Step 2 study time. 
• Vacation can be listed in 2 or 4 week increments.  Vacation course codes are: VA992 - 2 weeks, VA994 - 4 weeks.
• Two weeks of vacation can be paired with a two week elective (i.e. PM414/VA992)
• Vacation CANNOT be taken during Bock 10 (April), without special permission from the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.

Note: The number of vacation weeks available for scheduling will be reduced by the number of weeks required to remediate or make up third year course work.

Special Permission

• For permission to do more than 12 weeks away, students must meet with the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs before finalizing their schedule.
• Some electives require course director’s approval (i.e. Sports Medicine). Students must obtain the course director’s signature on the Special Permission Form prior to listing the course on their schedule.