Medical School Information for Residency Program Directors
Tulane University School of Medicine
New Orleans, Louisiana
Special Programmatic emphases, strengths, mission/goal(s) of the Medical School:
The mission of the Tulane University School of Medicine is to create, communicate and apply knowledge aimed at promoting health and preventing and treating disease. This is accomplished through programs of academic excellence in education, research and practice conducted by a diverse body of faculty, staff and students working in the basic and clinical sciences.
Tulane has arguably one of the most diverse medical student bodies. The diversity of students, combined with an open and cooperative faculty, has led to the development of a true academic community, a community in which students learn in a non-hostile environment, with the help of friends and colleagues.
Special characteristics of the medical school’s educational program:
Students are required to complete at least 20 hours of service learning during each of the first two years of medical school. Students may elect to take elective courses in our School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine or Freeman School of Business during their first two years of medical school. The third and fourth years are separated into 12 months of required coursework followed by a fourth year that is 8 months in length and includes up to five months of electives. Approximately one-fourth of each class obtains an MD/MPH degree in four years, and ten students complete an MBA in four or five years. Students may also complete PhD, MS, or JD degrees in combined programs with the MD.
Average length of enrollment at the medical school: 4 years
Description of the evaluation system used at the medical school:
During the first two years of medical school students are graded on a pass (P)/fail (F) basis. Conditional pass (C/P) is reserved for a small number of students required to repeat the final examination in a pre-clinical course. During the clinical clerkships in the third and fourth years, an honors (H), high pass (HP), pass (P), condition (C), fail (F), system is used. Conditioned courses must be made up and are converted to either condition/pass (C/P) or fail (F). Failed courses must be repeated.
Repeated failures result in dismissal from medical school. No official class rank is calculated.
Medical School requirements for successful completion of USMLE Step 1,2:
USMLE Step 1: USMLE Step 2CK/CS:
Required Required
Medical school requirements for successful completion of Objective/Observed Structured Clinical Evaluation (OSCE) at medical school. OSCEs are used for:
Completion of second year
Graduation
The narrative comments contained in the attached MSPE can best be described as: Edited for length or grammar, but not for content.
This medical school is: In compliance with the Guidelines’ recommendations.
Description of the process by which the MSPE is composed at the medical school:
Composed by the Associate Dean for Admissions and Student Affairs based on review of academic record, personal interview, and peer assessment.
Students are permitted to review the MSPE prior to its transmission: Yes
