2.2: Specification of Requirements for Graduation

The requirements for the MD degree are established by the Stanford University School of Medicine Faculty Senate and allow no exceptions. Those requirements are as follows:

  1. Satisfaction of Academic Requirements: To graduate, students must satisfy all academic requirements, as outlined here.
  2. United States Medical Licensing Examination: To graduate, students must achieve overall passes on the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) examinations, as outlined here.
  3. Satisfaction of Professionalism Requirement: To graduate, students must meet the standards of professionalism set forth in the School of Medicine Professionalism Principles.
  4. Satisfaction of Technical Standards: To graduate, students must meet the requirements set forth in the School of Medicine Technical, Non-Academic Standards.
  5. Residency Requirement: To graduate, students must enroll in and be assessed for 12-quarters of full “Med-MD” tuition. MD degree candidates must be registered for the quarter during which the degree is conferred. Students must apply for conferral of a degree by submitting an ‘Application to Graduate’ in Axess. Students may graduate in any quarter by completing their degree requirements and submitting the ‘Application to Graduate’ by the application to graduate deadline date for that quarter.
  6. Medical Health Requirements and Immunizations: MD degree candidates must be in compliance with medical health requirements at all times. Entering medical students must complete certain health-related forms, immunizations, and tests before beginning studies at Stanford and, for some of these, annually thereafter.
  7. Data Security and Privacy (HIPAA) Training: MD degree candidates must be in compliance with Stanford's Data Security and Privacy (HIPAA) Training
  8. Safety Training: MD degree candidates must be in compliance with Bloodborne Pathogens, Hospital-Acquired Infections training, Safety and Emergency Preparedness training requirements and N95 Respirator training and fitting.
  9. Ethical Conduct of Biomedical Research: MD degree candidates must be in compliance with the CITI training requirement.

Note on licensure: Meeting the graduation requirements for the MD degree at Stanford University School of Medicine does not guarantee eligibility for state licensure. Some states have specialized curricular requirements for licensure, and students are advised to check with the Medical Board in states of possible residency for licensure requirements.

The MD Program reserves the right to make changes to the academic requirements, teaching modality, and required schedule at any point to ensure that all competencies and objectives are being met by medical students. In response to the ongoing COVID crisis, changes may need to be made to the required units, format, schedule, assessments, policies and procedures to quickly respond to the changing learning environment without notice. All changes will be communicated to medical students in a timely manner.

updated August 2023