Doctor of Medicine, M.D.

https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/prospective-students/degree-programs#la-926365128-doctor-of-medicine---md-program

By conferring the Doctor of Medicine degree, the University certifies that the student is competent to undertake the next step in the physician's education - that of graduate medical education or residency training.

It certifies further that, in addition to the scientific knowledge and skills, the graduate posseses qualities of behavior and personality, compassion, responsibility, and integrity-essential to an effective professional life. Medical education ordinarily consists of a minimum of four years of study.

Students recommended for the Doctor of Medicine degree must be of good moral character, have completed an entire academic course of instruction as enrolled medical students, passed all required subjects and received satisfactory grades. In addition they must meet College requirements regarding the United States Medical Licensing Examination, and meet all financial obligations to the College of Medicine. At the end of the final academic year, students who have fulfilled these requirements will be eligible for the M.D. degree.

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine (OUCOM) MD program is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education. OUCOM medical students are eligible to sit for the United States Medical Licensure Examination delivered by the National Board of Medical Examiners. Successful completion of this multi-step examination is required for medical licensure in the United States. To learn more about the licensure requirements for each state visit the Federation of State Medical Boards at: https://www.fsmb.org/step-3/state-licensure/

The MD/PhD program provides training for individuals with strong clinical and basic science interests for research careers in academic medicine.

Offered jointly by the Graduate College and the College of Medicine, the dual degree program consists of four years of medical school and a minimum of three years of graduate study (which occurs between the preclinical and clinical curricula) including dissertation research in an area of basic biomedical science leading to a PhD degree. The work must be conducted under the guidance of a funded clinical and/or basic science investigator who is a member of the Graduate Faculty. The program concludes with clinical studies during the final two years of medical school. Students will receive academic counseling and career guidance, and participate in special seminars and retreats designed to enhance the educational environment. Clinical and basic science investigators at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center annually receive over $25 million in research funding through external granting agencies. As participating partners, scientists at the Oklahoma Medical Research Foundation receive $13.5 million annually. All enrolled MD/PhD students receive a stipend plus full tuition throughout their training.

Students must meet all admission standards for both colleges, including compliance with all admissions policies, process, and prerequisites.

Students are required to adhere to and comply with student policies which include but are not limited to student health requirements (including immunization requirements—as stated in College of Medicine Policy 309), maintenance of training certification, and examination regulations, located in the College of Medicine Policy Manual and the OUHSC Faculty Handbook.

Students must fully comply with and adhere to all curriculum, professionalism, promotion, and graduation requirements, standards, and policies for both degree programs.

Students enrolled in the MD program are expected to comply with the MD program academic calendar (see: Rotation Dates and Academic Calendars) and enroll in all scheduled MD program coursework. Students enrolled in the graduate college are expected to comply with the OUHSC academic calendar during that portion of his or her training (see The Admissions Academic Calendar).

It is the student’s responsibility to ensure they are enrolled in the prescribed courses and to pay tuition and fees at the time designated by the Bursar's Office. Details regarding tuition/fee charges and collection are available from the Bursar's Office.

Application Procedure

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine participates in the American Medical College Application Service (AMCAS). Persons applying to the MD program should begin the application process during the summer a year in advance of the time they wish to be admitted.

All applicants are required to take the Medical College Admission Test (MCAT). We will use an applicant's most recent MCAT^® score which must be taken no later than the fall of the year in which the application is filed.

The AAMC PREview™ will be recommended, not required, starting in the 2021-2022 cycle. We will hold these scores separately to be used for research purposes, but they will not be used for evaluation.

Letters of recommendation are required to complete an application. These may either be a premedical committee letter and one faculty letter, or three faculty letters. Our definition of a faculty letter is one written by a college/university faculty member who has instructed you at the college/university level. These letters should be submitted through AMCAS Letters as part of the AMCAS application. Additional letters of recommendation may also be submitted by the applicant but are not required.

A link to our supplemental application is emailed to all applicants by the College of Medicine Admissions Office after the preliminary application material has been received from AMCAS. A non-resident of Oklahoma applicant who has close ties to Oklahoma should carefully document these ties on the supplemental application. A nonrefundable application fee of $85.00 is required to be submitted electronically with the submission of the supplemental application. Applicants receiving an AMCAS fee waiver will receive a College of Medicine application fee waiver.

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine has two educational tracks; the OU Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City and the OU School of Community Medicine (OUSCM) in Tulsa. Applicants interested in applying to the OUSCM track will be required to complete additional questions specific to the OUSCM on the supplemental application.

Applicants currently enrolled in a graduate degree program are required to submit a letter from the program director or chair of the department which states the applicant is in good standing and that they are supportive of the application.

Applicants applying to the joint MD/PhD program will be contacted separately and provided with information regarding the MD/PhD supplemental application.

All successful applicants will be interviewed by the Admissions Board in Oklahoma City and offered a position in the Oklahoma City educational track. Successful OUSCM applicants will receive an additional interview with the OUSCM and if offered a position in both educational tracks, the final track selection will be made by the applicant.

Basis of Selection

Admissions decisions are based on an applicant’s indications and probabilities of successfully completing medical school, intellectual ability, academic achievement, character, motivation, and maturity. The assessment utilizes college grades, MCAT scores, letters of recommendation, personal statements, and results of the required interview.

Intellectual ability and academic achievement alone are not sufficient to assure the professional development and commitment required of a physician. Traits of personality, maturity, interesting or diverse backgrounds, and character are necessary to communicate warmth and compassion and to work effectively in a profession dependent upon interpersonal relationships, cross cultural appreciation, and high ethical behavior. To accomplish the required objectives, candidates for the M.D. degree must have specific abilities and skills.

Students admitted to the freshman class, entering in 2023, had a grade point average of 3.86 and an average total MCAT of 509.

Interview

Interview requirements are based on the competitiveness of the current applicant pool. All applicants selected for final consideration will be interviewed virtually between August and December by members of the Admissions Board. The College of Medicine endeavors to have a class selected by March 1st. It should be emphasized that an invitation for an interview does not signify acceptance for admission.

Useful document for your interview:

Prerequisite Course List

Educational Tracks

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine offers students two different educational tracks (i.e., paths) that lead to the Doctor of Medicine Degree: the OU Health Sciences Center (OUHSC) in Oklahoma City and the OU School of Community Medicine (OUSCM) in Tulsa. Both Tracks provide students with the knowledge and skills necessary to serve as a well-rounded physician. Each track offers unique opportunities as indicated below.

Comprehensive Academic Health Center. The Oklahoma City campus includes seven professional colleges and is part of the Oklahoma Health Center, a 200-acre complex that includes OU Medical Center, VA Medical Center, Dean McGee Eye Institute, The Children’s Hospital at OU Medical Center, Stephenson Cancer Center, University Research Park, and Oklahoma’s only Level One Trauma Center.

140 students per class creates an enriching environment with students from a wide range of different educational backgrounds and experiences.

Specialty experience is easily accessible with the opportunity to interact with a broad range of residency programs including 53 ACGME accredited specialty and sub-specialty programs with 571 residents and fellows in training.

The Oklahoma City Campus has 884 faculty members in 18 Clinical Departments and 4 Basic Sciences Departments

Community Setting. The School of Community Medicine utilizes large community hospitals, OU physicians clinics, and community physicians for training students and residents for primary care and sub-specialties in medicine and surgery.

Only 30-35 students per class creates a tight-knit student community, small rotation teams and individual attention from both academic and community faculty.

The concepts of community medicine are woven into all learning and environments at the School of Community Medicine. For example, the Summer Institute brings students and faculty from many disciplines together for an immersion in community medicine.

Public Health Education is available for all School of Community Medicine Track medical students. Students have the option of completing a certificate in public health or taking an extra year to complete a MPH degree. Public health course tuition is funded through generous philanthropic support.

Community-Based Research. Students can participate in research while tackling tough problems and creating solutions to improve the health of entire communities.

Focus on improving health disparities in Tulsa, Oklahoma and the US in both urban and rural settings. The health status of Oklahoma is remarkably low and huge health disparities exist in our state. The School of Community Medicine is addressing these issues aggressively involving students, staff, residents and faculty.

Bedlam Clinics. Bedlam E-Free, student-led, evening walk-in clinic; provides care to the uninsured. Bedlam L-Free, student-led, longitudinal chronic care clinic where each medical student manages their own panel of patients with multiple chronic diseases.

Curriculum

Course List

Code	Title	Hours
First Year (Total clock hours = 834.5)
INDT 8125	Foundations of Medicine	136-151
INDT 8124	The Human Structure	130
INDT 8122	Clinical Medicine I	115
INDT 8244	Patients, Physicians and Society I	75-87
INDT 8110	Design and Analysis of Clinical Research	16
INDT 8132	Immunology, Microbiology, and Integument	77
INDT 9100
INDT 8140	Gastrointestinal and Hepatobiliary	85
INDT 8148	Endocrinology, Metabolism and Nutritional Biochemistry	85
INDT 8156	Blood, Hematopoiesis, & Lymphatics	68
Second Year (Total clock hours = 688)
INDT 8264	Cardiovascular, Respiratory and Renal Systems	152-164
INDT 8272	Neurosciences	151-166
INDT 8275	Clinical Medicine II	99
INDT 8266	Patients, Physicians, and Society II: Clinical Ethics	30-35
INDT 8301	Enrichment Program: Humanities	16
INDT 8280	Reproduction	98
INDT 9200	MS2 Capstone	70
INDT 9201	Joint, Skin, and Bone	40
Third Year (Total clock hours = 1960)
INDT 9301	Clinical Transitions	40
MED 9250	Medicine Clerkship	298-320
SURG 9760	Surgery Clerkship	298-320
OBGY 9210	Obstetrics and Gynecology Clerkship	226-240
PEDI 9650	Pediatric Clerkship	226-240
PSBS 9520	Psychiatry Clerkship	226-240
FM 9540	Family Medicine Clerkship	155-160
NEUR 9370	Neurology Clerkship	155-160
Students must take 3, two-week rotations chosen from the available specialty disciplines. OKC and SCM options vary.
Fourth Year (Total clock hours = 1360)
INDT 9409	Interprofessional Education (IPE)	80
INDT 9300	Capstone	160
Electives (Includes one required 4-week Sub-Internship)

M.D./Ph.d. Dual Degree Program

The MD/PhD program at the OU College of Medicine offers a comprehensive training pathway for future physician-scientists. This program enables students to enroll concurrently in the OU College of Medicine and the OU Health Sciences Graduate College, leveraging the combined resources of both institutions to prepare for careers in academic medicine and clinical/translational science.

A distinctive feature of the MD/PhD program is the integration of basic science and clinical departments within specialized centers focused on diseases such as neurodegenerative disorders, cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and autoimmunity. These centers provide MD/PhD students with the unique opportunity to bridge basic research with clinical practice, addressing real-world medical challenges throughout their training.

The competitiveness of our program allows us to identify two highly qualified individuals each year who are strongly motivated and committed toward enhancing and advancing their knowledge of medicine through research and clinical exploration.

To learn more about this opportunity, visit the website or contact the College of Medicine Admissions Office.

M.D./M.P.H. Dual Degree Program

The OU College of Medicine offers an MD/MPH program in collaboration with the OU Health Sciences Graduate College. This program allows medical students to complement their clinical training with expertise in public health, enhancing their ability to address broader health issues at the population level.

The MPH coursework provides medical students with a comprehensive understanding of public health principles, including epidemiology, biostatistics, health policy, and environmental health. This knowledge equips future physicians with the skills to incorporate public health strategies into their clinical practice, improving patient outcomes and contributing to community health.

For more detailed information about the MD/MPH coursework, prospective students are encouraged to review the MD/MPH policy 409. This program offers a valuable opportunity for medical students to expand their impact beyond individual patient care to include public health initiatives and policy development.  

To learn more about this opportunity, contact the College of Medicine Admissions Office.

Prerequisites

https://medicine.ouhsc.edu/prospective-students/admissions/admissions-process#la-670833283-prerequisites

The Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education require that all applicants be U.S. citizens or hold a permanent visa and have a minimum of 90 semester hours. All eligible applicants must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and a minimum total score of 492 on the MCAT. These scores are not considered competitive, however. MCAT score must be within two years of application date. The following courses are required with a letter grade of “C” or better:

Medicine Prerequisites

Duration	Subject
1 semester	General Zoology/Biology with Laboratory
1 semester	Genetics, Cellular Biology, or Molecular Biology (your choice)
2 semesters	English
2 semesters	General Chemistry
2 semesters	Organic Chemistry
2 semesters	Physics
3 semesters	Psychology, Sociology, Philosophy, or Humanities (any combination)

Pass/Fail grading, advanced placement and CLEP courses are accepted if a subsequent higher course is taken for a grade.

In addition, it is recommended applicants take the following courses:

Medicine Prerequisites

Duration	Subject
1 semester	Biochemistry
1 semester	A writing-intensive English course1

¹

A writing-intensive course should include instructional objectives and graded assignments that are designed to enhance college-level writing skills.

Educational Program Objectives 

(Section 400 of the College of Medicine Policies and Procedures Handbook)

The following competency-based Educational Program Objectives guide the planning, delivery, and evaluation of the College of Medicine core undergraduate medical education program. Students are expected to demonstrate competency in each of these areas prior to graduation.

1. Medical Knowledge
   Students will demonstrate knowledge of the…
   1. Basic scientific principles fundamental to the practice of medicine
   2. Normal structure, function, and embryology of organ systems
   3. Pathogenesis and manifestations of clinical disorders
   4. Utility, mechanisms of action, and adverse effects of commonly used drugs
   5. Physical, cognitive, emotional, social, and behavioral aspects of human development
2. Patient Care
   Students will be able to…
   1. Elicit a medical history and perform a physical examination
   2. Interpret common diagnostic and screening tests
   3. Create, prioritize, and justify a differential diagnosis
   4. Evaluate and manage common clinical conditions
   5. Perform general procedures of a physician
   6. Apply principles of health promotion and disease prevention to patient care
   7. Describe and address common societal problems adversely affecting health in Oklahoma
   8. Provide general care to diverse patient populations
3. Communication
   Students will be able to…
   1. Use effective listening, observational, and communication techniques with patients and families
   2. Deliver clear and accurate oral presentations using standard formats tailored to the needs of the listener
   3. Provide accurate and context-specific documentation of clinical encounters in written and electronic formats
4. Professionalism
   Students will be able to…
   1. Demonstrate altruism, honesty, compassion, and responsiveness to patient needs
   2. Demonstrate integrity, respect, reliability, and accountability in professional endeavors
   3. Demonstrate commitment to ethical principles by respecting patient autonomy and seeking the patient’s best interest
   4. Demonstrate cultural sensitivity, recognize personal and systemic healthcare biases, identify demographic influences on healthcare quality and outcomes, and suggest strategies to reduce health disparities
5. Practice-Based Learning
   Students will be able to…
   1. Use biostatistics and the scientific method, describe principles of clinical and translational research, appraise scientific studies, and engage in evidence-based clinical practice
   2. Identify and address personal strengths and weaknesses, respond appropriately to feedback, and seek help and advice when needed
   3. Engage in self-directed learning as a foundation of life-long learning
6. Systems-Based Practice
   Students will be able to…
   1. Integrate the unique and complementary abilities of other healthcare professionals and collaborate as a member of an interprofessional team
   2. Explain the principles of health systems science and contribute to a culture that promotes patient safety
   3. Describe and apply the fundamental principles of community medicine¹

¹

Supplemental SCM Track Objective. Objectives are assigned to EPO 6c for students on the Tulsa Campus Only