The new Accelerated MD Program in the T.H. Chan School of Medicine at UMass Chan Medical School offers an expedited path to residency, allowing students to complete their medical education in three years instead of the traditional four. Learners and faculty involved with the program explain how it works in a new Voices of UMass Chan podcast.
"We wanted to cater to students who arrive with a clear career goal in mind,” said Patricia Seymour, MD’07, associate professor of family medicine & community health and assistant dean for clinical curriculum in the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education. “This program is an opportunity for them to fast-track their medical education and residency training, saving time and resources."
The program is geared toward medical students who have a clear affinity for generalist medicine, specifically family medicine, internal medicine and pediatrics. Students who complete the program will have a residency spot at UMass Chan. Despite the accelerated pace, the program offers flexibility and provides a safety net for students who may experience shifts in their professional aspirations.
“I explain to students that it’s like a pipeline. If you get accepted, you’re integrated into the residency program of your choice that accepts you. You start seeing patients and having clinical experiences right in the first year,” said Mark Vining, MD, associate professor of pediatrics.
The program is part of the Vista curriculum, which was introduced in 2022. Vista incorporates a health system pillar, in addition to biomedical and clinical science pillars, and adds health equity, diversity and inclusion; population and community health; and patient and provider wellness to required studies.
Second-year medical students Elena Tang and Mia Lai are in the program’s first cohort and discuss how it is benefitting them.
Medical students interested in enrolling in the program can find out more info at: https://www.umassmed.edu/som/academics/aMD-AcceleratedMD/
Listen to the full Voices of UMass Chan podcast here: umassmed.edu/news/voices. Subscribe through SoundCloud, Apple Podcast, Spotify, YouTube, or wherever you listen to podcasts.
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