Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Viewbook

THE HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY

INNOVATIVE, INTEGRATED CURRICULUM | FOCUS ON MEDICINE AND SOCIETY | NEIGHBORHOODHELP™ PROGRAM | FOCUS ON PROFESSIONALISM | EARLY CLINICAL ExPERIENCES AND CLINICAL PARTNERSHIP | LOCATION IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY ON THE CAMPUS OF A MAjOR UNIVERSITY | DEDICATED FACULTY AND STAFF | NUMEROUS RESEARCH OPPORTUNITIES INNOVATIVE, INTEGRATED CURRICULUM | FOCUS ON MEDICINE AND SOCIETY | NEIGHBORHOODHELP™ PROGRAM | FOCUS ON PROFESSIONALISM | EARLY CLINICAL ExPERIENCES AND CLINICAL PARTNERSHIP | LOCATION IN A DIVERSE COMMUNITY ON THE CAMPUS

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Dean’s WelcomeThe Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) was developed to train a diverse group of students and produce highly qualified physicians. The newly designed integrated curriculum using the latest in electronic support systems represents the most recent findings and recommendations for medical education in the 21st century. This, along with partnerships with the finest hospital systems in Miami, has resulted in a truly unique opportunity for students of medicine to learn and develop their skills and abilities. The incorporation of a Medicine and Society program in the curriculum provides the opportunity for our students to learn and better understand the real social issues involved in the delivery of medical care in the United States. Added to our unique curriculum and exceptional clinical opportunities, the College has an outstanding student support system for any academic, personal or financial issues that may occur.

Together, these areas of excellence represent the commitment of the College to train a new breed of doctors to provide quality medical care in a highly professional manner, while being sensitive to the social issues and changes impacting our communities.

I welcome you to the new Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. I urge you to visit us or to contact us for additional information.

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MIAMI

Miami was officially incorporated as a city on july 28, 1896. Since then, the population of the metropolitan Miami area (Miami-Dade County) has grown to more than 2.3 million people. This substantial population growth has occurred with an influx of a number of diverse cultural groups including Cubans, Haitians, and African-Americans, as well as others. Though these diverse cultures have blended over time, some parts of the Miami metropolitan area favor individual cultures such as Little Havana, Little Haiti, Overtown, and Liberty City.

Today, Miami is a major international financial and cultural center. Because of its proximity to Latin America, Miami serves as the headquarters for Latin American operations of many multinational corporations. The Miami International Airport and the Port of Miami serve as some of the nation’s busiest ports of entry. Tourism remains one of the largest industries in the Miami area.

Florida International University (FIU) is Miami-Dade County’s first and only public, four-year university. The University’s ongoing innovation and research continue to improve the quality of life in the South Florida community. FIU has an interesting history that dates back to 1965 when the Florida legislature passed a bill for the development of a state university in Miami. The new university was developed on the grounds of the abandoned Tamiami Airport and opened in September 1972 with 5,667 students, the largest opening day enrollment in U.S. collegiate history. Since then the university has grown to more than 41,000 students with over 1,000 full-time faculty and more than 135,000 alumni. The University offers more than 200 bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral programs in its colleges and schools.

FIU has two main campuses, the 344-acre Modesto A. Maidique campus in western Miami-Dade County on which the College of Medicine is located, and the 200-acre Biscayne Bay Campus in northeast Miami-Dade County. A major research and teaching facility, the 40-acre Engineering Center is located near the Modesto A. Maidique Campus. The University also has an academic site in Broward County, FIU Broward Pines Center in Pembroke Pines. The Downtown Center, located in downtown Miami, offers graduate level business courses for busy professionals.

FIU emphasizes research as a major component of its mission. The University is ranked as a Research University in the High Research Activity category of the Carnegie Foundation’s prestigious classification system.

The FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

2 | THE FIU HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

FIU is the youngest university to have been awarded a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, the nation’s oldest and most distinguished academic honor society. FIU ranked among the best values in public higher education in the country, according to Kiplinger’s Personal Finance magazine’s 2006 survey “100 Best Values in Public Colleges.” FIU ranked among the top 50 colleges nationally for in-state students and among the top 100 nationally for out-of-state and international students. FIU also ranked 3rd in granting bachelor’s degrees to minorities and 9th in granting master’s degrees to minorities (among the top 100 degree producing colleges and universities), according to Diverse Issues in Higher Education.

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ACADEMIC HEALTH CENTER COMPLEx 2025

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at

Florida International University obtained preliminary

accreditation by the Liaison Committee for Medical

Education (LCME) in 2008. The four-year program

leading to the Doctorate of Medicine degree, involves

in-depth exposure and training in all of the areas of

medical education recommended by the Association

of American Medical Colleges (AAMC), with a specific

focus on family and community medicine. Unique

to the College is the hands-on opportunity that

each student experiences in observing and caring

for families who have little or no access to medical

care and to the effect on the quality of life that basic

care provides to these families. Equally important

are the exposure and experiences students receive

which help them to select an area of medicine

for their future practices. Students will explore

all areas of medicine from family and community

medicine to specialty and subspecialty training. Key

in the medical training program is the focus on the

importance of the doctor-patient relationship in a

diverse patient population.

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine was born

from the need for a public medical school in South

Florida, home to some of the nation’s most medically

underserved populations. FIU’s medical school not only

provides needed doctors to an underserved community,

but it also addresses deeper issues relating to healthcare

with its innovative Medicine and Society program and

its real-life education program, Green Family Foundation

NeighborhoodHELP™.

FIU designed a curriculum that is infused with

opportunities to learn and help the truly needy populations

of South Florida. The Green Family Foundation

NeighborhoodHELP™, a unique program, brings greater

access to health services, personalized health education

and a distinctly personalized touch to South Florida’s most

vulnerable communities. The College sends interdisciplinary

teams of FIU students into underserved communities to

Health and Life Sciences at FIU – An Integrated Approach to Healthcare


$8.9 billion Total economic impact on South Florida by 2025

66,000 New jobs created by 2025

$1.8 million Public money saved for each graduate who practices in an underserved area

$62 million Tax revenue generated by the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine by 2025

$248 million Economic benefit of the commercialization of research done at the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

Health and Life Sciences at FIU – An Integrated Approach to Healthcaretrack and monitor the health of families throughout these

students’ 4-year medical education. Each team, working

with one or two households, includes a medical student

and his or her counterparts in social work, nursing, and

public health. Eventually, the teams will also include

students studying business and law. The Herbert Wertheim

College of Medicine will also conduct the most in-depth

studies of low-income areas in Miami-Dade County

that have ever been performed. This data will be the

benchmark used to determine the success of the Green

Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP™ and will collect

valuable demographic information as well.

The program will have a significant impact on health

costs and health outcomes in four targeted minority

neighborhoods. The success of the students’ work will not

only be seen in healthier communities, and the community

study will serve as an important baseline for long-term

health care reform.

Together with the Florida Department of Health, a new ambulatory care center, the Robert Stempel College of Public Health and Social Work, and the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine will become part of the Academic Health Center Complex at FIU. Not only will this collaboration provide much needed increased medical care to the residents of South Florida, it will also invigorate the region economically.

What makes the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine unique?

• Innovative, integrated curriculum

• Focus on Medicine and Society

• Green Family Foundation NeighborhoodHELP™ program

• Focus on professionalism

• Early clinical experiences and clinical partnerships

• Location in a diverse community on the campus of a major university

• Dedicated faculty and staff

• Numerous research opportunities

• Small class size

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Mission Statement

1. Leverage the existence of our medical school to

enhance the overall quality of and access to healthcare

in South Florida.

2. Graduate culturally competent medical students who

will be able to provide exemplary care to the diverse

populations in Florida and the nation.

3. Utilize the presence of medical students working in

interdisciplinary teams of healthcare professionals to

improve health awareness and healthcare indices in the

communities served.

4. Assist area hospitals in developing residency positions

to ameliorate South Florida’s current and anticipated

physician shortages.

5. Initiate and pursue international research and academic

collaboration that will contribute to the economic

development of the community, region, state, and

nation.

6. Engage the local community through mutually beneficial

outreach and partnership programs.

HWCOM GOals:

MEDICal KNOWlEDGE Students must demonstrate the application of knowledge about established and evolving biomedical, clinical, epidemiological and social behavioral sciences to the delivery of quality and safe patient care.

PaTIENT CaRE Students must demonstrate willingness and ability to provide health care to patients that is compassionate, appropriate, and elective for treating health problems and promoting health.

INTERPERsONal aND COMMUNICaTION sKIlls Students must demonstrate interpersonal and communication skills that result in elective information exchange and teaming with patients, patients’ families, and professional associates.

PROFEssIONalIsM Students must demonstrate a commitment to service, adherence to accepted ethical principles and norms, sensitivity to diverse patient populations and to professional colleagues.

sYsTEMs-BasED PRaCTICE Students must demonstrate an awareness of and responsiveness to the larger context and systems of health care and the ability to call on system resources to provide optimal care.

PRaCTICE-BasED lEaRNING aND IMPROVEMENT Students must be able to investigate and evaluate patient care practices, appraise and assimilate scientific evidence, and continually improve their practice of medicine.

sOCIal REsPONsIBIlITY Students must recognize and adapt best practices to accommodate the specific health care needs of their patients, families, and community.

General Competencies

THE MIssION OF THE FlORIDa INTERNaTIONal UNIVERsITY HERBERT WERTHEIM COllEGE OF MEDICINE is to

lead the next generation of medical education and continually improve the quality of healthcare available to the south

Florida community. The College of Medicine will accomplish its mission by:

• Training physicians to serve South Florida’s diverse population through a patient-centered curriculum instilling

cultural competence,

• Providing Florida students greater access to medical education, and

• Fostering research to discover and advance medically relevant knowledge.

Facilities & Library ServicesHWCOM FACILITIES

The College’s administrative and academic facilities

are located in two buildings on FIU’s Modesto A.

Maidique Campus. The primary building for the

HWCOM is the Academic Health Center 2 (AHC2)

building constructed in 2005. The Academic Health

Center 1 (AHC1) building, constructed in 2002,

houses research facilities.

The HWCOM facilities are comprised of a dedicated

classroom, small group teaching rooms, small group

study rooms, a group study lounge, and a medical

library. There is an anatomy lab and a 145-seat

lecture hall located on the first floor of AHC2, and wet

labs located on the second floor of AHC2. HWCOM

students also have access to the Gordon Center

for Research in Medical Education near jackson

Memorial Hospital for training in clinical skills, CPR,

and administering Objective Structured Clinical

Examinations (OSCEs).

Clinical Training occurs primarily at Baptist Health

South Florida, Broward Health, Cleveland Clinic

Florida, jackson Health System (Public Health Trust),

Memorial Health System and Miami Children’s Hospital

with additional training taking place at Mercy Hospital

and Mount Sinai Medical Center. Additional research

facilities are available at Miami Children’s Hospital.

LIBRARY SERVICES AT THE STEVEN AND DOROTHEA GREEN LIBRARY

The College maintains approximately 7,000 square feet of total space on the third floor of FIU’s Steven and Dorothea Green Library. The library offers ample individual and small group study spaces, and a wide variety of services such as workstations, interlibrary loans, scanning, copying, and printing.

More than 19,000 online full-text journals are available, including more than 4,000 in medicine and health science subject areas, as well as a broad collection of the latest medical texts, databases, images, and learning programs.

Access to online resources and virtual library services is available to students from any location in the world. Additionally, medical librarians provide assistance with research as well as instruction in how to use the growing array of medical knowledge databases. The library is an active member of the National Network of Libraries of Medicine.

MORE THAN 19,000 ONLINE FULL-TExT jOURNALS AVAILABLE, INCLUDING MORE THAN 4,000 IN MEDICINE AND SCIENCE SUBjECT AREAS...

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The 4-year course of study leading to the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree at FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine (HWCOM) is based on development of general competencies in medical knowledge, patient-centered care, communication skills, professionalism, system-based medical practice, practice-based learning and quality improvement skills, and socially responsible practices. The educational program is broad and general, preparing students for postgraduate study in their chosen field of medical specialization, licensure, and medical practice.

The curriculum is built upon study in five major strands: Human Biology; Human Disease, Illness, and Injury; Clinical Medicine; Professional Development; and Medicine and Society. Educational program objectives guide curricular content within each strand. The curriculum is divided into four periods of study containing courses within each of the five strands. Basic medical science, clinical medical science and clinical skills are integrated throughout the four periods of study. Course work is multidisciplinary and features a case format in which basic science is learned in a clinical context. Clinical experiences in primary care and emergency settings begin in the first period of study as coordinated opportunities for practical application basic knowledge, skills and reasoning. Students are engaged with families, households, and communities in a longitudinal service-learning program in collaboration with FIU students from other health professions. Clinical training begins with basic medical conditions in outpatient settings and advances progressively with more complex cases and conditions in hospital settings, culminating in subinternship experiences. Independent scholarship and broad elective opportunities in the third and fourth periods encourage students to explore personal interests and build individualized competencies in preparation for advanced postgraduate study and practice in a specialty area.

Student learning is guided by objectives for every course, defined core clinical case experiences, competency standards in specific clinical skills, and standards of professional behavior. Students log all clinical experiences and monitored for progressive development of essential skills and general competencies.

The Innovative Medical CurriculumTHE CURRICULUM HAS FOUR SEQUENTIAL PERIODS OF STUDY

PERIOD 1 provides the foundations of medicine in core basic, clinical, and social sciences. Core basic medical sciences include medical genetics, cell biology, anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, microbiology and infections, and pathology. An introduction to clinical skills focuses on doctor–patient communication, general physical exam skills, foundations of evidence-based medicine and quantitative measurements, and medical research. Studies also include medical ethics, regional cultures in relation to medicine, self-reflection, and professionalism in doctor–patient relationships. At the beginning of the period, students become certified in basic life support (BLS) in preparation for half-day primary care clinics and weekend emergency department shifts throughout the period. Medical

ACADEMIC DEPARTMENTS

The College has 16 separate academic departments in which medical students receive their professional training.

BasIC sCIENCE DEPaRTMENTs

Cellular Biology and Pharmacology

Human and Molecular Genetics

Immunology

Molecular Microbiology and Infectious Diseases

Pathology

ClINICal sCIENCE DEPaRTMENTs

Humanities, Health, and Society

Internal Medicine

Neurology

Neurosurgery

Obstetrics and Gynecology

Ophthalmology

Orthopedics

Pediatrics

Psychiatry

Radiology

Surgery


simulations, standard patient experiences, and virtual case studies complement classroom study and prepare students for patient-centered clinical experience learning.

PERIOD 2 is organized around in-depth study of human biology, disease, illness, and injury in an organ-system approach. Pathology, physiology, anatomy, and pharmacology are emphasized in case-based study of the major systems: hematopoietic and lymphoreticular, endocrine, reproductive, musculoskeletal, skin, gastrointestinal, renal/urinary, cardiovascular, respiratory, and nervous. Students develop clinical skills in conducting physical exams, forming differential diagnoses, and understanding how to interpret and use laboratory medicine data and imaging technologies. Clinical skills are taught as integrated and coordinated components of the organ systems. Simultaneously, courses in the strands of Professional Development and Medicine and Society continue, with study of health care systems and policy, interprofessional health care, community health, medical jurisprudence, and end-of-life care. Students begin their service-learning study with households in the community and begin clerkship format learning in geriatrics. They continue monthly emergency room clinical experiences.

PERIOD 3 involves seven core clerkships: internal medicine, surgery, neurology, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, psychiatry, and family medicine. Study is predominantly preceptor-guided student–patient experiences with increasingly complex medical conditions in outpatient and hospital settings. Students are guided through progressively greater responsibility as they gain experience managing care of patients. Students learn how to apply skills learned in the laboratory and demonstrate competency in core procedural skills. Learning is enhanced by simulation and virtual cases. Elective opportunities in internal medicine and surgery clerkships allow students explore specialty areas. Community and household projects continue during Period 3, and weekly conferences provide opportunities for students to work together on comprehensive, in-depth study of major medical conditions. Students are expected to pass Step 1 of the USMLE medical licensure exam at the end of the period and to demonstrate general competency in clinical skills, diagnosis of disease, and case management.

PERIOD 4 is devoted to advanced medicine, including scholarship and exploration of specialty areas to

facilitate choice of postgraduate study. Students select individualized schedules that best serve their long-term career goals. Six of the twelve required 4-week rotations are targeted selectives: 1 subinternship, 2 surgical, 2 medical, and 1 hospital-based specialty. Two rotations are dedicated to research scholarship (individual research projects), two rotations are electives, and one rotation is community medicine. The final year concludes with a 4-week Capstones experience that includes the culmination of the Medicine and Society NeighborhoodHELP™ program, professional development workshops on career management, and a clinical medicine residency boot camp to hone clinical skills and attain certification in Advanced Cardiac Life support (ACLS).

For further curriculum information please visit us at:

http://medicine.fiu.edu

GRADuATIoN REquIREMENTS

Prior to graduation and the receipt of the Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree from HWCOM, students must demonstrate proficiency in each of the following five areas:

1. Courses: Students must complete the required courses and the appropriate number of elective and selective courses earning a minimum of 200 credits.

2. Licensing exams: Students must pass the USMLE Step I examination (required for promotion to Period 4) and complete the USMLE Step II Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills examinations.

3. Competency Assessments: Students must demonstrate competency in all of the seven general competencies and earn certification for Basic Life Support (BLS) and Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS).

4. Professional Performance: Students must demonstrate professionalism consistently in all aspects of the educational program.

5. Review and approval of academic and professional record by the Medical Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee (MSEPC) prior to graduation: Students must receive the MSEPC’s recommendation for graduation and receipt of the MD degree; this recommendation must be approved by the HWCOM Dean.

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About the FacultyAn enthusiastic, highly motivated, and experienced medical faculty has come to FIU from a variety of other medical institutions for this unique opportunity to design and provide a new, distinctive medical education for students who are similarly motivated and talented. Our teaching paradigm is based on progressive learning, integrating basic and clinical medicine, emphasizing active learning modes for students, and critical thinking in the application of knowledge and skills in managing medical problems. The curriculum is highly faculty-intensive, with department chairs for each of the 16 academic departments, strand leaders for each of the five strands within each of the four periods, directors for each course in each strand, and multiple faculty teaching in each course. Integration is facilitated through the use of technology; the curriculum has been designed from an outcomes perspective based on expectations for competencies of graduates in knowledge, skills, values, and behaviors that are essential for progression into any area of medical residency training.

ResearchMedical research is an important part of the curriculum at FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. The purpose of HWCOM research is to create new knowledge through the study of normal and abnormal human cell function or study of organ or structure activity. There will be opportunities for research in the laboratories of HWCOM faculty during the summer between the first and second years and again as electives in periods 3 and 4. The College has dedicated research lab space on campus and at Miami Children’s Hospital. Students are encouraged to become a part of new or existing projects to further expand their knowledge and experience during their medical education. Targets/topics of new and existing research projects being accomplished by faculty members are disseminated to medical students along with those projects in need of support by students.

Admission InformationThe Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is dedicated to providing the opportunity for an exceptional medical education. The primary objective is to produce and qualify humanistic, ethical and culturally sensitive physicians responsive to the medical needs and health care challenges faced by the State of Florida. The mission of the Office of Student Affairs is to recruit, enroll, and graduate a diverse student body capable of pursuing a full range of opportunities available to physicians through medical practice, service, education, and research.


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Academic RequirementsThe bachelor’s (baccalaureate) degree is required for all students attending the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. All coursework must be completed in a satisfactory manner at an educational institution located in the United States, approved by a regional accrediting body, and listed in the current Education Directory of the U.S. Office of Education.

Applicants with baccalaureate degrees from non-U.S. institutions may be considered provided the granting institution has accreditation by a recognized accrediting authority or documented equivalent. Applicants with baccalaureate degrees from non-U.S. institutions, as well as applicants with degrees higher than a baccalaureate degree, will be considered on a per-case basis. To provide reasonable grade compatibility with their peers, these applicants must, at a minimum, have taken all

• Overall minimum GPA of 3.0 for Regular Admissions; 3.7 for Early Decision

• Minimum MCAT of 25 for Regular Admissions; 32 for Early Decision

• Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Math (BCPM) GPA minimum of 3.0 for both Regular Admissions and Early Decision

• General Biology with laboratory: 2 semesters

• General Inorganic Chemistry with laboratory: 2 semesters

• Organic Chemistry with laboratory: 2 semesters

• Physics with laboratory: 2 semesters

• Mathematics : Calculus or Statistics: 2 semesters

• English and English Composition: 2 semesters

• Demonstrated proficiency in spoken and written English

required courses for admission to the HWCOM, regardless of prior foreign academic history, at an educational institution located in the United States, approved by a regional accrediting body, and listed in the current Education Directory of the U.S. Office of Education.

College Level Examination Program (CLEP) credits may not be used to fulfill any of the premedical course requirements. Online courses for prerequisites may be accepted on a case by case basis. Advanced Placement (AP) credits or International Baccalaureate (IB) credits for English, Biology, Math, Physics, and Inorganic Chemistry are acceptable so long as they appear on college transcripts and are verified by the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Advanced courses in these areas are highly recommended.

We have identified additional courses which are recommended but not required for admission to medical school. These recommended courses are listed to provide additional guidance to the potential applicant.

• Recommended Science Coursework could

include the following:

Biochemistry, Cell Biology, Genetics, Immunology, Microbiology, Physiology

• Additional Recommended Coursework: Foreign Language, Humanities, Social Sciences

The Application ProcessPHasE I - THE aMCas aPPlICaTION

(PRIMaRY aPPlICaTION)

FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

participates in the American Medical College

Application Service (AMCAS) application process.

PHasE II - THE FIU HERBERT WERTHEIM COllEGE

OF MEDICINE (sECONDaRY aPPlICaTION)

Following receipt and verification of the AMCAS

application, the applicant is sent a Secondary

Application for completion. A $30 non-refundable

application fee is required with submission of the

Secondary Application. AMCAS Fee Assistance

Program (FAP) waivers are accepted.

This Secondary Application requires directed essays that

provide additional insight into the applicant, focusing

on issues such as the applicant’s desire to become a

physician, interest in medicine, commitment to Florida,

and interest in Florida International University.

All letters of recommendation must be sent directly

to AMCAS and not viewed or forwarded by the

applicant. If a college has a Health Professions

Advisory Committee, it is expected that the student

has letters by that committee. If not, letters should

include two from science faculty, one from non-

science faculty, and up to two additional letters. These

may be from physicians, researchers, mentors, or

other professionals with knowledge of the applicant’s

abilities, character, or activities.

As part of the Secondary Application, each applicant

is provided with a link to (a) the Standards of Conduct,

(b) the Honor Code, and (c) the Technical Standards

for Medical School Admissions and Graduation. All

applicants are required to read these documents and

to indicate that they understand the documents and

can and will comply if accepted into the FIU Herbert

Wertheim College of Medicine. They must also agree

to the background screening and drug testing required

prior to matriculation. The HWCOM’s Admissions Office

determines which applicants will be invited for interviews

based on baseline requirements established by the

College’s deans and faculty.

PHasE III- THE INTERVIEW

Selection for interview is based on:

• GPA and MCAT scores

• AMCAS and Secondary Applications showing

strong interest in medicine and personal

experiences including:

• patientmedicalcareexposure

• evidenceofaltruism

• researchexposure

• leadershipandteamwork

• An AMCAS application indicating no felonies

Students invited for an interview experience a formal

interview, tour the campus and facilities, and have an

opportunity to meet students and faculty.

Interviewers of COM candidates are part of an

appointed Interview Panel and are charged with the

task of assessing applicant motivation, understanding

of the challenges of being a physician, communication

skills, and personality. FIU HWCOM uses a blinded

interview process. None of the interviewers have

access to the applicant’s file prior to the interview

and submission of their report. Interviewers make

their assessment based on the applicant’s individual

responses to questions and discussions during the

interview process. Applicants are interviewed jointly

by two interviewers who each submit an evaluation.

The interviewer ratings and comments then complete

the applicant’s file to be forwarded to the Admissions

Committee for final assessment of each candidate.

PHasE IV- THE aDMIssIONs COMMITTEE

REVIEW aND sElECTION PROCEss

Interviewed applicants are then scheduled for

committee review. Evaluation criteria include the

science grade point average; non-science grade point

average; overall grade point average; MCAT scores;

activities summary; the interview reports; letters

of recommendation and essays. Each application

is carefully reviewed by a Sub-Committee prior to

presentation to the full Admissions Committee.


TECHNICAL STANDARDS FoR ADMISSIoNS AND GRADuATIoN

Academically successful students are expected to:

• Communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, health professionals, teachers, staff, and peers in settings where communication is typically oral, or written, or when the time span available for communication is limited.

• Accurately observe a patient from a distance and at close range, obtain a medical history directly from the patient, and directly observe a patient’s medical condition.

• Acquire, assimilate, interpret, integrate, and apply information from direct observation and oral communication, written messages, films, slides, microscope, imaging services, ECG readouts, and other media.

• Perform diagnostic and emergency maneuvers and procedures, such as palpation, percussion, and auscultation, airway management, cardio-pulmonary resuscitation, and suturing, as well as assisting in surgery.

• Perform problem solving tasks quickly and efficiently in an environment that may change rapidly, without warning, and/or in unpredictable ways.

• Comprehend three-dimensional and spatial relationships.

• Carry out procedures involved in learning the sciences fundamental to medicine. This includes the ability to participate fully in activities dealing with curriculum requirements in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical setting.

All applicants to FIU’s Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine are provided with a copy of these expectations of academically successful medical students and asked to advise the Admissions Office in the Office of Student Affairs if they are unable to meet them. FIU will make reasonable accommodations, in accordance with law, for any student who, due to a disability, is unable to meet the expectations or requirements necessary to be admitted as a medical student and to successfully obtain the Doctorate of Medicine degree. The final decision, as with all decisions on acceptance of medical student applications, is the responsibility of the Admissions Committee.

The Admissions Committee then moves to formally (a) accept the applicant, (b) place the applicant in the final pool, or (c) reject the applicant. Applicants who are placed in the final pool are reconsidered after all applications have been received and reviewed. At the final pool review, the remaining applicants are either (a) formally accepted, (b) placed on a wait list, or (c) rejected. The Admissions Committee decision is final and is not subject to override or change by other Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine, FIU, or state officials.

For additional information on the admissions process,

please see http://medicine.fiu.edu

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OFFICE OF STUDENT AFFAIRS The FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Office of Student Affairs is dedicated to the following activities:

(1) admission of medical students;

(2) counseling of students regarding professional, personal, and financial issues;

(3) maintaining official documents and records on each student;

(4) providing medical student requested information to organizations for application and licensing purposes;

(5) completion of designated entries into the Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS) program and

(6) serving as a medical student advocate in all actions and activities within the College.

COUNSELING AND WELLNESS SERVICES The Medical Student Counseling and Wellness Center is part of the Office of Student Affairs and offers confidential individual counseling on medical, personal, psychological, health promotion, and academic issues. Personal counseling is provided by a licensed psychologist with experience in diagnosis and treatment of a variety of mental health conditions and learning disorders. Academic counseling and tutoring are provided.

STUDENT HOUSING Medical students have options for on-campus housing accommodations during their academic tenure at FIU, including fully furnished apartments and suites available for rent through the FIU Department of Housing and Residential Life (DHRL). DHRL additionally maintains a list of off-campus housing options in the FIU geographical area.

For additional information, please visit

http://www.housing.fiu.edu


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PANTHER COMMUNITIES Students enrolled in the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine are assigned to one of four Panther Communities. Each community will eventually consist of 25% each Period One students, Period Two students, Period Three students, and Period Four students. Once assigned to a Panther Community, the student will remain in that community throughout his/her medical school career. Each Panther Community is directed by a clinical faculty member. The students in each community are led by an elected mayor and staff of other officers.

The objectives of the Panther Communities include the following:

1) To encourage medical student members to participate in community service activities

2) To complement a medical educational experience of the Green Family Foundation

NeighborhoodHELP™ Program in the local South Florida community

3) To provide an opportunity for leadership and an environment for group study, academic counseling, and professional development

4) To provide a social network for students, including student organizations and FIU activities and programs

FINANCIAL INFORMATION The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is quite sensitive to the issue of the cost of a medical education. All attempts have been made to keep the tuition and fees to the lowest possible cost while continuing to provide an extremely high quality medical education. To support medical students in their educational goals, a number of full tuition scholarships have been established through generous donations. These scholarships are targeted to help those students with the greatest financial need with the highest academic records. The Director of Financial Aid in the Office of Student Affairs may be contacted regarding all available scholarships and all available federal, state, and private low interest loans.

For the most current tuition and fee schedule,

please visit the HWCOM website at http://medicine.

fiu.edu

COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES In addition to the Medicine and Society program, students are encouraged to become involved in one or more community service projects along with other students in their Panther Communities. The students participate in a variety of community service projects, such as community health fairs, ambulatory clinics, and soup kitchens. Community service opportunities are key components in the development of culturally competent physicians.

TUTORING AND MENTORING The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine is committed to helpings students achieve their academic and personal goals through quality academic advising. Using a holistic approach to the students’ development, advising services provide students with information, guidance, and access to a network of resources to obtain maximum benefits from their educational experience.

The Development OfficeDONATING TO FIU’S HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF MEDICINE

The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine at FIU is committed to training the most ethical, culturally sensitive and highly qualified physicians for our community. When you give to the Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine you invest in the future of health care and quality of life for South Florida’s residents by supporting a curriculum like no other in the country. Our students are uniquely trained to meet the health care needs of South Florida’s underserved communities. From their first year in medical school, they work in the community to provide much needed care to households in Miami Dade County. FIU’s doctors will transform healthcare in South Florida and create a healthier future for all.

There are many ways in which to make a difference. The Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine offers a Founders Program that provides an opportunity for South Florida’s leading individuals, families, corporations and foundations to provide significant financial operational support for the College. Another option is to support one of our deserving students with a scholarship commitment.

Foradditionalinformationabouthowyoucansupport theHerbertWertheimCollegeofMedicinepleasecontact:

Office of advancement and alumni affairs

FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine

11200 sW 8th street, aHC2 693

Miami, Fl 33199

T 305-348-1463

F 305-348-0123

http://medicine.fiu.edu/giving.php


FIu HERBERT WERTHEIM CoLLEGE oF MEDICINE FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Modesto A. Maidique Campus 11200 SW 8th Street, AHC2 693 Miami, Florida 33199

Office of the Dean AHC2 693 T 305.348.0570 F 305.348.0123

Office of student affairs AHC2 660 W2 T 305.348.0644 F 305.358.0650

Office of Clinical affairs AHC2 660 W1 T 305.348.0648 F 305.348.0652

Office of academic affairs AHC2 660 W1 T 305.348.0646 F 305.348.0651

Development Office AHC2 693 T 305.348.1463 F 305.348.0123

admissions Office AHC2 660 W2 T 305.348.0644 F 305.348.0650 E [email protected] http://medicine.fiu.edu

FIU Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine 11200 SW 8th Street, AHC2 693

Miami, Florida 33199

http://medicine.fiu.edu

Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine Viewbook

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