SOM Admissions

Technical Standards for UMMS

Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Abilities

These abilities include measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, judgment, and synthesis. The student must also be able to recognize letters and numbers quickly and accurately. Clinical reasoning and problem solving, a critical skill demanded of physicians, requires all of these intellectual abilities, and must be performed quickly, especially in emergency situations. Moreover, the effective physician often must deal with several tasks or problems simultaneously ("multi-tasking"). Students must be able to identify significant findings from history, physical examination, and laboratory data, provide a reasoned explanation for likely diagnoses, construct a reasoned and cost-effective diagnostic plan, and prescribe medications and therapy, recalling and retaining information in an efficient and timely manner. Students must be able to identify and communicate the limits of their knowledge to others when appropriate. The ability to incorporate new information from peers, teachers, and the medical literature in formulating diagnoses and plans is essential. Good judgment in patient assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic planning is essential.