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The mission of the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education is to administer a four year educational program towards the MD degree that:

• Provides students with the knowledge, skills, attitudes and habits they will need to practice safe, effective, ethical, evidence-based and patient-centered medicine in the 21st century,
• Integrates the basic and clinical sciences, and
• Adheres to established learning principles.

The program will:

• Be grounded in the principle that the health of populations can and should be related to the education of health professionals.
• Remain aligned with Vanderbilt’s mission to produce leaders and scholars in medicine. Thus it will provide a core foundation for the entire spectrum of specialties and careers, including clinical medicine in either academic, community, or international settings, clinical and basic science investigation, health services research, health policy, medical education or administration, or any combination of the above
• Be learner-centered in the following ways. It will be presented in a logical sequence using teaching methods that are appropriate for specified learning objectives, with expectations that are appropriate for the learner’s stage in development as a physician.

At a curriculum retreat in February 2004, faculty and students determined that to accomplish these goals, the following topics required emphasis in our curriculum: professionalism, cultural competence, communication skills, evidence-based medicine, information technology, interdisciplinary teamwork, lifelong learning and patient-centered care. These topics run as longitudinal themes throughout the four years of the curriculum.

The Office of Undergraduate Medical Education embraces the principle that the best curriculum is one that mirrors the values of the medical profession. It constantly strives for excellence, responds to and incorporates changes in medical knowledge and practice, treats all members of the learning community with respect, and seeks best evidence to inform its implementation.

The Office is also dedicated to the principles of constant quality improvement, and incorporates these in managing the curriculum through the structure and function of the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee