Uniformed Services University

First Year

Before matriculating into the School of Medicine, students without any prior service experience must attend service-specific orientation programs. Orientation is conducted at the following locations:

• Army: U.S. Army Academy of the Health Sciences at Fort Sam Houston, San Antonio, Texas
• Navy: Officer Indoctrination School at the Naval Education and Training Center, Newport, Rhode Island
• Air Force: Commissioned Officer Training Course at Maxwell Air Force Base, Gunter Annex Montgomery, Alabama
• U.S. Public Health Service: Department of Health and Human Services Rockville, Maryland

Students report to the School of Medicine campus after completing their service-specific orientations. The University brigade orientation begins the second week of August. During this time, the administrative requirements for registering students with the university and local military are completed. Academic orientation begins the third week of August. During this time, students learn about the medical education program. Students undergo a 40 week program devoted to the basic biomedical sciences, the psychosocial aspects of health and disease, and an introduction to military medicine and patient care techniques, during their first year of study.

Each one-course credit involves approximately 22 hours of course contact.

Second Year

The second year involves 35 weeks of instruction in which courses continue to emphasize the basic sciences (pathology, pharmacology and microbiology) as well as the psychosocial aspects of disease, patient care techniques and military medicine.

During the second year, emphasis is also given to preparing for the third-year clerkships by integrating the basic sciences with diagnosis of clinical problems and their management. Students have a three-week period for review before taking step one of the U.S. Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE).

Third Year

Students engage in 48 weeks of required clinical clerkships in family practice, medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry and surgery.

Leave periods are provided in December and late June.

Fourth Year

Following one week of instruction in Military Preventive Medicine, students have 40 weeks of required clerkships and electives, including a required four weeks in both Military Contingency Medicine and Military Emergency Medicine.

Leave periods are scheduled for late December and April. Students graduate in May. Step two of the USMLE is taken in the fourth year.