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The Decompressed Program was developed by the College of Medicine to improve retention and graduation of medical students. Procedures and policies for this Program as implemented at the Chicago regional site are presented in this document.
Chicago Framework
The Decompressed Program allows students three years to complete the M-1 and M-2 requirements, as described below.
Students who may be expected to profit from the Program will be informed about it after they are accepted to the College of Medicine. In addition, all first year (M-1) students will receive information about the Program when they enter the College of Medicine.
Students for Whom the Program is Designed
First year (M-1) students who present with compelling academic and/or personal circumstances and who believe they require three years to complete M-1 and M-2 requirements because of these circumstances will be encouraged to apply for the Decompressed Program at the beginning of the M-1 year. In addition, M-1 students who have low scores on the midterm and laboratory examinations during the Fall semester will be encouraged to apply for the Program prior to Final examinations at the end of the Fall semester.
Applying for the Program
First year (M-1) students may apply for the Program (a) when they enter the College of Medicine at Chicago or (b) no later than December 1 of the Fall semester (prior to the December Fall Final Exams). The decision to apply for the Program rests with the student and may not be mandated by the College of Medicine. Similarly, if a student is approved to enter the Program, the final decision to participate remains with the student.
Application for the Program will be made in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs by individual students after they consult with their campus faculty advisor. The final decision to admit students to the program will be made by the Student Advancement Committee in consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Applicants must demonstrate that admission to the Program will be of substantial academic and/or personal benefit. Once a student has formally applied for admission to the program (by the December 1 deadline) the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will approve the student’s entry into the program, pending confirmation by the Senior Associate Dean for Educational Affairs. The names and academic records of students admitted to the program will be sent as Informational Items to SAC and CCSP. Students admitted to the Program enter immediately into a prescribed, decompressed course of study.
Brief Program Description
As noted above, students admitted to the Program follow a prescribed, decompressed course of study, which is outlined below. Courses are taught at the same times as those taken by students in the regular curriculum.. Courses in which content integration occurs (neuroanatomy &.neurophysiology; pharmacology/psychopathology) are scheduled for the same terms.
Year 1 of the Decompressed Program
Students must take and pass the following courses, which constitute one-half of the normal M-1 curriculum. Students must pass these courses no later than the conclusion of the Summer make-up examination period following the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 1.
YEAR 1 FALL [3 courses]
Gross Anatomy
Nutrition
Biochemistry
YEAR 1 SPRING [4 courses]
Gross Anatomy
Introduction to Molecular Medicine
Fundamentals of Immunology and Microbiology
Brain and Behavior
Summer Term I Following Fall and Spring Semesters of Year 1
Students who do not pass required Year 1 courses during the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 1 are required to engage in supervised remedial work and pass required make-up examinations to equal 2/3 of the M-1 decompressed curriculum to earn a repeat decompressed year.
Year 2 of the Decompressed Program
Students are required to take and pass the following courses no later than the conclusion of the Summer make-up examination period following the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 2.
YEAR 2 FALL [4 courses]
Essentials of Clinical Medicine 1
Tissue Biology
Physiology 1
YEAR 2 SPRING [4 courses]
Essentials of Clinical Medicine 2
Physiology
Neuroanatomy
Tissue Biology
Human Development
Summer Term Following Fall and Spring Semesters of Year 2
Students who do not pass required Year 2 courses during the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 2 are required to engage in supervised remedial work and pass required make-up examinations equal to 2/3 of the Year 2 decompressed curriculum, if a repeat year has not been awarded previously. The student who has repeated a year must pass all required make-up examinations.
Year 3 of the Decompressed Program
Students who successfully complete Years 1 and 2 will have passed all M-1 courses and one M-2 course prior to Year 3. The following courses must be taken and passed no later than the conclusion of the Summer ma ke-up examination period following the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 3.
YEAR 3 FALL [5 courses]
Essentials of Clinical Medicine 3
Fall Pharmacology
Fall Pathology
Fall Clinical Pathophysiology
Infection and Immunity
YEAR 3 SPRING [5 courses]
Essentials of Clinical Medicine 4
Spring Pharmacology
Spring Pathology
Spring Clinical Pathophysiology
Psychopathology
Summer Term Following Fall and Spring Semesters of Year 3
Students who do not pass required Year 3 courses during the Fall and Spring semesters of Year 3 are required to engage in supervised remedial work and pass required make-up examinations equal to 2/3 of the third decompressed year if a repeat decompressed year has not already been awarded. A student who has repeated a year must pass all required make-up examinations.
USMLE Step 1
Students are required to take USMLE Step 1 after Year 3. Students who want to delay taking the examination must petition the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and receive approval to do so. Students who delay taking the USMLE Step 1 may not begin clerkships until after taking the examination.
Other
In some cases, M-1 students carrying a full course load present with compelling, extenuating circumstances during the M-1 year. These circumstances cause the student to request a Leave of Absence. Students who receive an approved Leave of Absence and are in good academic standing when they begin their Leave may petition prior to their return to the College of Medicine to enter the Decompressed Program. A student is in good academic standing if he/she has not failed any final examinations.
Tuition and Fee Status
Students enrolled in this voluntary program will have full-time student status and will be required to pay appropriate tuition and fees for each year in which they participate in the Program.
Approved: M1/M2 Curriculum Subcommittee July 17, 2006 ; Curriculum Committee July 24, 2006.
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