Technical Standards

Technical Standards for Admission, Continuation and Graduation

The School of Medicine is responsible for ensuring that its graduates can become fully competent physicians. Patient safety must never be compromised. All candidates should be aware that the academic and clinical responsibilities of medical students may, at times, require their presence during day, evening, and night hours, seven days a week.  Although candidates may intend to ultimately practice within a specific scope, the medical education program requires full participation, with reasonable accommodations if needed, across all components of the curriculum.  The School of Medicine is committed to the full and equitable inclusion of qualified learners with disabilities, in compliance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, and does not discriminate against otherwise qualified applicants for admission or matriculated students who have disabilities.

Responsibilities

The Technical Standards are reviewed every three years and additionally, as indicated by the Associate Deans, representative Education staff, and Vice Dean of the Undergraduate Medical Education program. Any suggested revisions are reviewed and approved by the Educational Program Committee, the Admissions Committee, and the Executive Faculty Committee.

All incoming students must review the Technical Standards for Admission, Retention, and Graduation prior to matriculation and attest to their ability to meet the standards. All matriculated students must review the Technical Standards for Admission, Retention, and Graduation on an annual basis and attest to their continued ability to meet the standards. Students who, after review of the Technical Standards, believe that they require a reasonable accommodation to fully engage in the medical education program should contact the Disability Resource Center as soon as possible to discuss their accommodation needs. The Office of Student Affairs will notify students of the deadline for filing the acknowledgment, but it is the student’s responsibility to declare and file additional documentation for accommodations, if applicable.

All candidates for the MD degree must complete all required courses and clerkships and comply with all policies as listed in the School of Medicine Bulletin.

Implementation

Implementation of these technical standards across the educational continuum is within the purview of the School of Medicine faculty, operating through its faculty committee processes. It is the responsibility of the members of faculty committees to determine the appropriate interpretation and application of the standards in individual cases. 

Observation

Candidates must be able, in classroom, clinical, and laboratory environments, to acquire information from demonstrations and participate in experiments of science, including but not limited to such things as dissection of cadavers; examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology, and neuroanatomy laboratories; and microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. Candidates must be able to obtain a medical history and perform a complete physical examination, integrate findings based on this information, and develop an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan. Candidates must be able to recognize non-impaired versus impaired patient function or conditions.

Communication

Candidates must be able to communicate effectively, efficiently, empathetically, and sensitively with patients, their families, health care personnel, colleagues, faculty, staff, and all other individuals with whom they come in contact. Candidates must be able to obtain a medical history in a timely fashion, interpret non-verbal aspects of communication, and establish therapeutic relationships with patients. Candidates must be able to perceive and react appropriately to changes in mood, activity, posture, and behavior; and perceive nonverbal communication. Candidates must be able to gather, transmit, and record information accurately and clearly; and communicate effectively and efficiently in English with other health care professionals in a variety of patient settings, using both written and oral forms. 

Motor Function

Candidates must be able to participate in classroom, clinical, and laboratory learning environments in a timely, efficient, and effective manner. Candidates must be able to perform physical examinations (e.g., palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers) using appropriate equipment. They must be able to respond to clinical situations in a timely, efficient, and effective manner to provide general and emergency care, including adherence to universal precautions. Candidates must be able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to effectively operate a computer. These activities require some physical mobility, coordination of both gross and fine motor neuromuscular function, and balance and equilibrium.  

Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities

Candidates must be able to consistently and accurately assimilate and analyze clinical data, perform observations, clinical measurements and calculations and problem-solve to make logical diagnoses and therapeutic judgments for patients. Candidates must be able to learn through a variety of modalities, including, but not limited to, classroom instruction; small-group, team, and collaborative activities; individual study; preparation and presentation of reports; simulations; and the use of computer technology. Candidates must be able to memorize, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate, synthesize, and transmit information. They must recognize and draw conclusions about three-dimensional spatial relationships and the logical sequential relationships among events, as they relate to human anatomy and function. They must be able to formulate and test hypotheses that enable effective and timely problem-solving in the diagnosis and treatment of patients in a variety of clinical settings and health care systems. They must be able to learn, participate, collaborate, and contribute as part of a team.  

Behavioral and Social Attributes

Candidates must demonstrate the maturity and emotional stability required to fully utilize their intellectual abilities. They must accept responsibility for learning, exercising good judgment, and promptly completing all responsibilities attendant to their curriculum and to the diagnosis and care of patients. Candidates must display integrity, honesty, conscientiousness, empathy, a sense of altruism, and a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. They must understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and must function within both the law and the ethical standards of the medical profession. Candidates must be able to interact with patients and their families, health care personnel, colleagues, faculty, staff, and all other individuals with whom they come in contact in a courteous, professional, and respectful manner. Candidates must be able to contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments; accept constructive feedback from others; and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes. Candidates must be able, with or without reasonable accommodation, to tolerate taxing workloads and function in a competent and professional manner under highly stressful situations, adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and manage the uncertainty inherent inpatient care and the health care system.

 

Approved by Admissions Committee: May 2026
Approved by Educational Program Committee: May 2026