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Stanford Medicine MD Program

MD Program
Student Handbook
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Section 4: Discovery Curriculum Overview

  • In this section:
  • 4.1  Discovery Curriculum Schematic
  • 4.2  Academic Calendar
  • 4.3  Academic Requirements for Graduation
  • 4.4  Scholarly Concentration Requirement
  • 4.5  Required Pre-Clerkship Curriculum and Pathways
  • 4.6  Calendar of Clerkship Periods
  • 4.7  Required Clerkship Curriculum
  • 4.8  Selective Clerkship Requirement
  • 4.9  Absences during Clerkships
  • 4.10  Dropping Clerkships less than Four Weeks before Start of Period
  • 4.11  Completing Clerkships at Other Institutions
  • 4.12  INDE 297: Reflection and Contextual Medicine
  • 4.13  Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Requirement
  • 4.14  Clinical Performance Examination (CPX) Series
  • 4.15  Curriculum and Assistantship Limits
  • 4.16  Directed Reading Unit Enrollment Limits

updated August 2025

MD Program
Student Handbook
  • MD Admissions
  • Discovery Curriculum
    • Required Pre-Clerkship Curriculum and Pathways
      • Early Clinical Engagement
    • Required Clerkship Curriculum
      • INDE 297: Reflections, Research and Advances in Patient Care
      • Calendar of Clerkship Periods
      • Clerkship Resources
    • Social Justice & Health Equity Curriculum Thread
    • Dual Degree Programs
    • Declare Intention to Split Pre-Clerkship Curriculum
    • Discovery Curriculum Leadership
    • MD Program Centralized Calendar
  • MD Physician Scientist Programs
    • Physician-Scientist (PSTP)
    • Berg Scholars
      • Meet the Berg Scholars
    • Medical Scientist (MSTP)
  • Financial Aid
  • Research & Scholarship
    • Scholarly Concentrations
    • MedScholars
  • Student Affairs
    • OMSA Divisions
    • Disability Resources
    • Student Support
    • 1st Generation Mentorship Program
    • Student Life
    • OMSA Events
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    • Contact Us
    • Social Media
  • Student Wellness
    • Student Life Advising
    • Wellness Resources
    • Mistreatment
    • Policies & Protocols
    • Programs & Events
    • Curricular Initiatives
    • Student Leadership
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    • Contact Us
  • Academic Advising
    • Specialty Career Advisors
      • Careers in Medicine
      • Choosing a Speciality
    • Residency Application Resources
  • Medical Education
    • Evaluation and Instructional Development
    • CCAP
      • Meeting Proceedings
    • Faculty & TA Resources
      • Clinical Educator Required Professional Development
      • The Criterion-Based Evaluation System (CBES)
      • Essential Information, Tools & Forms
    • MD Program Teaching Awards and Nominations
  • Academic Support
    • Registrar
      • FAQs
      • Curriculum Management
      • Contacts
    • Learning Strategies
    • Stanford Student Guidance Program
  • Learning Environment
  • Faculty Opportunities
  • MD Student Policies
    • Section 2: General Standards
      • 2.1: Competencies and Objectives for Medical Student Education
      • 2.2: Specification of Requirements for Graduation with the MD Degree
      • 2.3: School of Medicine, Technical, Non-Academic Standards
      • 2.4: School of Medicine Professionalism Principles
      • 2.5: AAMC Uniform Teacher-Learner Agreement
    • Section 3: MD Requirements and Procedures
      • 3.1: Academic Records Privacy of Student Information, and Consent to Use of Photographic Images
      • 3.2: Registration and Study List
      • 3.3: Data Security and Privacy (HIPAA) Training
      • 3.4: Definition of Medical Student Practice Role
      • 3.5: Disability Accommodations
      • 3.6: Ethical Conduct of Biomedical Research
      • 3.7: Evaluation Completion Requirements
      • 3.8: Industry Interactions Policy
      • 3.9: Leaves of Absence, Discontinuation and Reinstatement
      • 3.10: Malpractice Liability for Medical Students
      • 3.11: Medical Health Requirements and Immunizations
      • 3.12: Policies and Resources for Mobile Devices
      • 3.13: Respectful Environment and Mistreatment Policy
      • 3.14: Safety Training
      • 3.15: Stanford Medicine Policy for the Removal and Transport of PHI
      • 3.16: School of Medicine Medical Education Research Initiative
      • 3.17: Stepping Out of MD Curriculum Sequence
      • 3.18: Student Duty Hours and Work Environment
      • 3.19: Student Participation in Clinical Activities Involving Personal Risk
      • 3.20: Stanford Hospitals and Clinics Surgical Procedures for Medical Students
      • 3.21: Universal Precautions and Needlestick Protocol
      • 3.22: United States Medical Licensing Examinations (USMLE) Requirements: Step 1 and Step 2 CK
      • 3.23: Stanford Hospital Computer Access for Medical Students (EPIC)
      • 3.24: School of Medicine Learning Spaces & Study Spaces
      • 3.25: School of Medicine Absence Policy and Expectations
      • 3.26: N95 Respirator Mask Fit Requirements for Medical Students
      • 3.27: School of Medicine Dress Code Guidelines for the Clinical Setting
      • 3.28: School of Medicine Criminal Background Check Policy
      • 3.29: Dual Degrees
      • 3.30: Academic Advising
      • 3.31: Conscientious Objection Policy
      • 3.32: Generative Artificial Intelligence (AI) Policy
    • Section 4: Discovery Curriculum Overview
      • 4.1: Discovery Curriculum Schematic
      • 4.2: Academic Calendar
      • 4.3: Academic Requirements for Graduation
      • 4.4: Scholarly Concentration Requirement
      • 4.5: Required Pre-Clerkship Curriculum and Pathways
      • 4.6: Calendar of Clerkship Periods
      • 4.7: Required Clerkship Curriculum
      • 4.8: Selective Clerkship Requirement
      • 4.9: Absences During Clerkships
      • 4.10: Dropping Clerkships Less than Four Weeks Before Start of Period
      • 4.11: Completing Clerkships at Other Institutions
      • 4.12: INDE 297: Reflection and Contextual Medicine
      • 4.13: Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) Requirement
      • 4.14: Clinical Performance Examination (CPX) Series
      • 4.15: Curriculum and Assistantship Limits
      • 4.16: Directed Reading Unit Enrollment Limits
    • Section 5: Assessment of Student Academic Performance
      • 5.1: Health Provider Non-Involvement in Student Assessment
      • 5.2: Evaluation of Performance in Pre-Clerkship Courses
      • 5.3: Exam Policy for Pre-Clerkship Courses
      • 5.4: Evaluation of Performance in Clinical Clerkships
      • 5.5: Standardized Patient Teaching and Assessment Activities
      • 5.6: Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)
    • Section 6: Committee on Performance, Professionalism and Promotion (CP3)
      • 6.1: CP3 Introduction
      • 6.2: Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
      • 6.3: Promotion
      • 6.4: Procedures for Addressing Performance, Professionalism and Technical Standards Concerns
      • 6.5: Chart of Responses to Student Issues
    • Section 7: Financial Aid and Tuition
      • 7.1: Financial Aid
      • 7.2: Tuition & Fees
    • Section 8: Stanford University Policies
  • MD Program Contacts

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