In fulfillment of its Mission, the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine has established the following educational objectives in the realms of knowledge and skills, conduct and values. As a consequence, the School must ensure that before graduation every student will have demonstrated, to the satisfaction of the Faculty, the following:

Knowledge and Skills

1. Knowledge of the normal structure and function of the body and of each of its major organ systems.
2. Knowledge of the genetic, molecular, biochemical, and cellular mechanisms that are important in maintaining the body's homeostasis.
3. Knowledge of the various causes (e.g., genetic, developmental, metabolic, toxic, microbiologic, autoimmune, neoplastic, degenerative, and traumatic) of maladies and the ways in which they operate on the body (pathogenesis).
4. Knowledge of the altered structure and function (pathology and pathophysiology) of the body as seen in various diseases and conditions.
5. An understanding of the power and the principles of the scientific method in establishing the causation of disease and in assessing the efficacy of traditional and non-traditional therapies.
6. The ability to obtain an accurate medical history that covers all essential aspects of the history, including issues related to age, gender, and socio-economic status.
7. The ability to perform both a complete and an organ system specific examination, including a mental status examination.
8. Knowledge of the most frequent clinical, laboratory, imaging, and pathologic manifestations of common maladies.
9. The ability to interpret the results of commonly used diagnostic procedures.
10. The ability to perform routine technical procedures.
11. The ability to reason deductively in solving clinical problems.
12. The ability to construct appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic management strategies for patients with common conditions.
13. The ability to recognize and treat patients with life threatening emergencies.
14. The ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with patients, patients' families, colleagues, and others with whom physicians must exchange information.
15. Knowledge of the economic, psychological, social, and cultural factors that contribute to the development and/or continuation of maladies.
16. Knowledge of the epidemiology of common maladies within a defined population, and the systematic approaches useful in reducing the incidence and prevalence of those maladies.
17. The ability to identify factors that place individuals at risk for disease or injury, to select appropriate diagnostic tests, and to determine a rational therapeutic response.
18. The ability to retrieve (from electronic databases and other resources), manage, and utilize biomedical information for solving problems and making decisions.
19. Knowledge of the theories and principles that govern ethical decision making, and an understanding of their application in the solution of ethical dilemmas in medicine.
20. Knowledge of various approaches to the organization, financing, and delivery of health care.
21. Knowledge of the principles of medical research and critical evaluation of its significance.

Conduct and Values

1. Compassionate treatment of all patients, respect for their privacy and dignity, and an understanding of their needs and their families' needs at the time of death.
2. Honesty and integrity in all interactions with patients, patients' families, colleagues, and others with whom physicians must interact in their professional lives.
3. A commitment to provide care to patients who are unable to pay and to advocate for access to health care for members of underserved populations.
4. A commitment to advocate at all times for the interests of one's patients over one's own interests.
5. An understanding of, and respect for, the roles of other health care professionals, and of the need to collaborate with others in caring for individual patients and in promoting the health of defined populations.
6. An understanding of the threats to medical professionalism posed by the conflicts of interest inherent in various financial and organizational arrangements for the practice of medicine.
7. The capacity to recognize and accept limitations in one's knowledge and clinical skills, and to acknowledge and rectify personal short comings that may result from those limitations.
8. A commitment to practice medicine in a scholarly manner based on an understanding of the need to engage in lifelong learning.
9. Commitment to achieve excellence in professional area(s) of individual interest.