Learning to be a Physician: Beginning a life of healing

“In what may be called the natural method of teaching, the student begins with the patient, continues with the patient, and ends his studies with the patient, using books and lectures as tools, as means to an end.”   -Sir William Osler

What is a College? 

A College at UT Southwestern is a learning community that brings together gifted faculty with small groups of students to mirror the professional clinical skills, behaviors, and attitudes of a physician. Students are assigned to one of six Colleges on their first day of medical school and remain in that College for all four years.

What is the purpose of a College? 

Colleges create an informal environment where groups of students (typically six) and faculty share the experience of being a physician. Professionalism, communication and clinical skills are taught in a bedside setting. The group engages in deep discussions of many topics including:

This intimate relationship begins on day one of medical school, lasts four years, and often leads to lifelong relationships.

What are the characteristics of a College? 

Faculty mentors – Each College has a group of distinguished faculty who meet weekly with their medical students. Faculty are chosen because of their dedication to patients, teaching, and professionalism. Faculty serve as role models as well as advisors.

Weekly meetings are held throughout the first two years.

Interactions among classes – Students remain in their assigned College all four years.

Curriculum coordination – Topics assigned for weekly meetings with faculty members are coordinated with topics discussed concurrently in the basic science curriculum.

What is discussed in the weekly meetings? 

During the weekly meetings between the small groups of students and their faculty mentors, several clinical topics are discussed, including:

History taking – Gathering clinical data by speaking with the patient.

Physical examination – Gathering clinical data by observing and examining the patient. The emphasis is on bedside teaching and patient-centered care.

Diagnosis – The synthesis of the information gathered during the history and physical examination enables one to understand the cause of the patient’s symptoms or signs.

Professionalism – Faculty mentors counsel, demonstrate, and model techniques for understanding and managing complex human behavior and ethical issues that are a daily part of the care of patients.

How do students become College members?

All students accepted will be randomly assigned to a College and to a mentor. Each College will have a College master and six or seven College mentors.  The master will oversee the mentoring activities of the College. Six students will be appointed to each mentor.

For More Information Please Contact The Office of Medical Education:

Artwork by David Killpack and Jeremy Sherman in the UT Southwestern Web Curriculum group