Academics

Fourth Year Courses

Fourth year students are required to complete 1350 credit units, including a Sub-internship (inpatient selective), a month-long Emergency Medicine senior rotation, a selective in the Scientific Basis of Medical Practice, and additional elective experiences.

During sub-internships, students assume the role of a houseofficer, which includes direct patient and on-call responsibilities for a minimum of four consecutive weeks at the University of Chicago Medicine or an affiliated hospital.

The Emergency Medicine senior rotation gives students the opportunity to be the first to evaluate patients as part of the Emergency Medicine team, either at the University of Chicago ER or at the NorthShore ER. In addition, all students in the Emergency Medicine rotations have practical experience in NorthShore’s state-of-the art Simulation Center, and also have the option of participating in UCAN (helicopter evacuation) and EMS (ambulance) services.

Scientific Basis of Medical Practice Selectives are designed to challenge students to refresh their understanding of basic science principles after their third year clerkships.

Descriptions of all courses can be found in the Pritzker Course Catalog.

Registration

Fourth year students participate in a lottery during the spring of their third year to select course choices for the upcoming academic year. Other courses are available through the online registration system. Follow the links below for additional information.

Students can bid on remaining Sub-Is during Phase 2 of the Senior Lottery.

The Lottery will schedule only one Sub-I rotation. Students can add a second rotation after the Lottery closes through my.uchicago.edu.

No. The Sub-I must be four contiguous weeks.

No. Third year clerkships are required rotations and students should not schedule any other activities during this block.

Students can enroll in additional classes through my.uchicago.edu or by sending course information to Maureen Okonski mokonski@bsd.uchicago.edu.

No.

You will receive periodic emails with information about signing up to be a peer educator for various courses.

Course directors send this information to Lori Orr or Maureen Okonski. No forms are necessary.

Many schools use the AAMC’s VSAS site; however, students should visit individual schools’ website to review its process and requirements. For more information please visit Away Rotations. 

You must fill out an away rotation form before the rotation begins and return it to Jill Kelly. Make sure to include your supporting documentation. Away Rotation Application Form.

Emergency Medicine is a four week clerkship where students are assigned 16 shifts. You may not schedule another rotation during the month of Emergency Medicine.

With careful planning, students could schedule a few interviews during this rotation. However the clerkship takes priority so students should not miss scheduled days.

Students should try to enroll in as many courses as possible through the Lottery. However, pay attention to the rotations that cannot be dropped.

Students should try to enroll in as many classes as possible, but minimally for their Sub-I, Emergency Medicine and Basic Science Selective rotations.

Yes, provided there is not a scheduling conflict.

General Medicine Sub-Is and most of the Basic Science selectives rotations.

Interview season is time-intensive. For this reason, our career advising team recommends that students applying in the larger specialties keep late November, early December or January open, if at all possible for interviews.

If you are applying in Dermatology, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, or Emergency Medicine, plan to keep December, January, and February flexible.

If applying in the military match, you will need to keep September-November flexible.

Most students take their Step 2 exams in October/November, which is just at the start of the residency application season. Our students have traditionally done very well on Step 2 and have not had a conflict with the interview season.

Interview season is time-intensive. For this reason, our career advising team recommends that students applying in the larger specialties keep late November, early December or January open, if at all possible for interviews.

If you are applying in Dermatology, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, or Emergency Medicine, plan to keep December, January, and February flexible.

If applying in the military match, you will need to keep September-November flexible.

 Also refer to page 7 of your residency booklet.

Which months you leave free for interviewing depends in part on the specialty you believe you will be going into.

Interview season is time-intensive. For this reason, our career advising team recommends that students applying in the larger specialties keep late November, early December or January open, if at all possible for interviews.

If you are applying in Dermatology, Neurosurgery, Orthopaedics, or Emergency Medicine, plan to keep December, January, and February flexible.

If applying in the military match, you will need to keep September-November flexible.

 Also refer to page 7 of your residency booklet.

No. Keep in mind most students’ submit their residency application by mid-September. Any of the faculty members that you worked with during your internal medicine rotation would be good faculty to write your letters of recommendation. Also, internal medicine is very open to receive letters from other specialties (Pediatrics, Family Medicine, etc.) You just need to make sure that you have at least one internal medicine faculty member co-sign your Chair’s letter.

Many of our students who have matched at some of the most prestigious hospitals in the country did not do their sub-I in time to submit a letter for the application process.

Keep in mind most students’ submit their residency application by mid-September. Any of the faculty members that you worked with during your internal medicine rotation would be good faculty to write your letters of recommendation. Also, internal medicine is very open to receive letters from other specialties (Pediatrics, Family Medicine, etc.) You just need to make sure that you have at least one internal medicine faculty member co-sign your Chair’s letter. Many of our students who have matched at some of the most prestigious hospitals in the country did not do their sub-I in time to submit a letter for the application process.

No, not at all. Keep in mind most students’ submit their residency application by mid-September. The majority of students’ letters of recommendation come from faculty they worked with during their third year clerkships.