Internal Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education

What We Do

Under the leadership of Associate Vice Chair for Education Reeni Abraham, M.D., the Internal Medicine Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) program annually manages more than 650 student enrollments in nine courses across 12 sessions (typically four-week blocks). Clinical learning opportunities for undergraduate medical learners are strategically planned and administered across four multi-ward sites: Clements University Hospital (CUH), Parkland Memorial Hospital (PMH), the Veteran's Administration Hospital (VA), and Methodist Hospital Dallas (MHD), and an average of 30 additional ambulatory clinic sites. Students’ clinical learning is also reinforced by conferences and lectures.

In addition to building medical students’ clinical competencies through two core clerkships and seven electives, the Internal Medicine UME program plays an instrumental role for medical students on many fronts, such as preparation for the residency application process, mentoring for research and scholarly activities, rewarding academic excellence, and hosting visiting learners.

Our Mission

The Internal Medicine UME Program promotes the professional development of future physician leaders through an evolving environment that fosters lifelong learning, compassionate, patient-centered care, a culture of safety and quality, and a commitment to social justice.

Medical School Courses

Core Clerkships

MED 1801 – Internal Medicine

Duration and Setting

Co-directed by Stephanie Brinker, M.D., and Kehinde Odedosu, M.D., the UT Southwestern Internal Medicine Core Clerkship is an eight-week inpatient rotation. The schedule includes a graded six-week rotation on a general medicine teaching wards service or an attending-only hospitalist service at Clements University Hospital, Parkland Hospital, Methodist Dallas Medical Center, Texas Health Presbyterian or the Dallas VA Medical Center. Students also complete a two-week subspecialty rotation that is pass/fail.

Student Roles and Responsibilities

If on teaching service, students take call with housestaff and admit one to two patients per call cycle. Students take new admissions daily on attending-only hospitalist teams. For each patient they admit, they are required to complete an history and physical examination (H&P) and enter it into electronic medical record (EMR), write subsequent daily progress notes and complete oral presentations on rounds. Students are encouraged but are not required to write orders and complete discharge summaries. The average daily census per student is two to four patients.

MED 1804 – Ambulatory Medicine

Duration and Setting

Directed by Co-Directors Eduardo Mulanovich, M.D. and Kylie Cullinan, M.D., the UT Southwestern Ambulatory Clerkship is a six-week rotation that integrates clinical activities in internal medicine and pediatrics. For the Internal Medicine component, students rotate through general internal medicine and specialty clinics at UTSW, Parkland Hospital, the VA, and community practices.

Student Roles and Responsibilities

Students see outpatients with faculty, progressing to independently performing the history and physical, presenting to the attending, and formulating a plan. They are encouraged to see two to three patients per clinic session and document progress notes in the EMR. Additionally, students can work with their preceptors to call patients to follow up on test results or treatment plans in order to practice continuity of care.
Sub-Internships and Post Clerkship Rotations

MED 1910 – Acute Coronary Care Unit

Duration and Setting

Directed by Fiona Strasserking, M.D., the UT Southwestern Internal Medicine Coronary Care Unit (CCU) is a four-week rotation. Students rotate at Parkland Memorial Hospital for the entirety of the rotation.

Student Roles and Responsibilities

Students take new admissions daily and work six out of seven days a week. They do not take overnight call. For each patient they admit, they are required to complete an H&P and enter it into the EMR, enter orders, write subsequent daily progress notes, complete oral presentations on rounds and write transfer notes/discharge summaries for all patients on their census. The average daily census per student is two to four patients.

MED 1911 – General Medicine Sub-Internship

Duration and Setting

Directed by Nicole Oakman, M.D., the UT Southwestern Internal Medicine Sub-internship is a four-week rotation. Students remain at one site for the entire rotation: a general medicine wards service at Parkland Memorial Hospital, Clements University Hospital, or the Dallas VA Medical Center; or an attending-only hospitalist service at Parkland Hospital or Clements University Hospital.

Student roles and responsibilities

If on a teaching service, students take call with housestaff and admit two to three patients per call cycle. Students rotating on attending-only hospitalist teams see newly admitted patients daily. Students gain experiences documenting histories and physicals, daily progress notes, and discharge summaries. Students also gain experience giving oral presentations, entering orders, and discussing patients with members of the interdisciplinary team. The average daily census per student is three to five patients.

MED 1914 – VA Cardio-Pulmonary ICU

Duration and Setting

Co-directed by Paul Lederer, M.D., and Amit Goyal, M.D., the VA Cardio-Pulmonary (CPICU) rotation affords medical students a four-week rotation in two adjacent intensive care units with a total of 20 beds. The patient population is highly complex, typically with multiple comorbidities, and the admission diagnoses vary widely with ample exposure to complications of coronary artery disease, congestive heart failure, valvular heart disease, conduction abnormalities, sepsis, COPD, pneumonia, respiratory failure, renal failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, diabetes, cirrhosis and oncologic emergencies among others allowing for exposure to the entire spectrum of critical care illness.

Student Roles and Responsibilities

While in the CPICU, students function as interns within the team under the direct supervision of medical residents/clinical fellows as well as attendings from the divisions of Cardiology and Pulmonary-Critical Care Medicine. They are responsible for initial evaluation and admission, continued management, and disposition under direct supervision of the senior housestaff and attendings.

MED 1915 - Internal Medicine and Psychiatry

Duration and Setting

Under the direction of Henriette Mathis, M.D., the UT Southwestern Med-Psych Sub-internship is a four-week rotation. Students rotate at Parkland Memorial Hospital: two weeks with an Internal Medicine Hospitalist on a medicine secure unit and two weeks on the inpatient psychiatry unit.

Student Roles and Responsibilities

Students take new admissions daily on the medicine secure unit and inpatient psychiatry teams. For each patient they admit, they are required to complete an H&P and submit on EMR, enter orders, write subsequent daily progress notes, complete oral presentations on rounds, participate in daily interdisciplinary meetings, lead an ethics learning session and write discharge summaries for all patients on their census. When rotating on the inpatient psychiatry service, they also assist with medicine consults. The average daily census per student is three to five patients.

Residency Essentials Course

Co-directed by Jaini Sutaria, M.D., and Hina Hehta, M.D.

Material and topics presented in the six-week Residency Essentials course enables UTSW graduates to enter residency with an increased competency and sense of confidence in the skill sets required to perform the professional activities of an intern. Internal Medicine manages the largest fourth year cohort, with over 100 students participating in didactics and hands-on simulation sessions, including an innovative medical escape room.
Research and Scholarly Activity Opportunities

Students interested in research, scholarship and/or quality improvement projects in the broad domain of undergraduate medical education to fulfill their scholarly activity requirement will receive robust mentorship through the Internal Medicine UME program, and we can facilitate multiple learning opportunities in the realms of data collection, analysis and abstract or manuscript writing. After determining their projects and mentors, students must submit the required research activity forms to the office of the Associate Dean of Research for final approval.

Medical students interested in research or a scholarly activity exploring a facet of undergraduate medical education including curriculum development may contact Reeni Abraham, M.D., or Sarah Collins, Ph.D.
Career Advising and Mentoring

Internal Medicine is a popular specialty, and each year, between 50 and 70 students apply for categorical residency positions in this field. As they prepare to apply for a residency position, each cohort of students considering internal medicine as a career receive personal advising and mentoring from the Internal Medicine Residency Advising Committee between May and September.

Comprised of UME program leaders and internal medicine faculty, the Advising Committee is chaired by Reeni Abraham, MD and includes Ahmad Anshasi, M.D., Rachel Bonnema, M.D., Stephanie Brinker, M.D., Jessica Campbell, M.D., Eduardo Mulanovich, M.D., Nicole Oakman, M.D., and Kehinde Odedosu, M.D.. Each year, these clinical faculty committee members and along with Sarah Collins Kamsickas, Ph.D., and Agatha Villegas draft, personalize and submit the department Standardized Evaluative Letter for each categorical residency applicant on behalf of Internal Medicine Chair.

Advising continues throughout the application process, with match list recommendations and mock interviews offered to the students. In total, the advising relationships between the Internal Medicine Advising Committee and students applying to internal medicine residency programs span a 10-month period.

Students interested in learning more about a career in internal medicine may contact the Advising Committee chair, Reeni Abraham, M.D. (Reeni.Abraham@UTSouthwestern.edu).
Scholarships

The Internal Medicine UME program administers and awards three scholarships annually:

The Richard Mays Smith Scholarship Award

Established in 1974 by the family of Dr. Richard Mays Smith, one of Dallas’ pioneering internists, this award honors his legacy and contributions to the field of Internal Medicine. Dr. Smith practiced at the Dallas Medical and Surgical Clinic and was known for his dedication to patient care. The scholarship is awarded annually to a graduating senior who demonstrates academic excellence, a strong interest in Internal Medicine, and financial need.

The Hemphill-Gojer Award

Created by Annie Lou Seymour Hemphill and Ross Hemphill, this award honors two UT Southwestern graduates: their son, Ross Seymour Hemphill, M.D., and their son-in-law, Bernard Gojer, M.D. Both men exemplified a commitment to the practice of Internal Medicine. The award is presented each year to a senior medical student who shows promise and dedication to pursuing a career in Internal Medicine.

The Herbert S. Salomon, M.D., Class of 1967, Memorial Scholarship Fund

Established by Stephen Salomon and his wife, Eleanor, this scholarship honors the life and legacy of Dr. Herbert S. Salomon, who earned his medical degree from UT Southwestern in 1967 and began a cardiology residency at Parkland Hospital before passing away from cancer at age 30. The fund supports graduating seniors ranked in the top 20 percent of their class, recognizing both academic achievement and a commitment to the medical profession.
Visiting Students Program

U.S. medical school students interested in a visiting rotation at UT Southwestern must apply through the Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO) portal. Students who are accepted for an elective rotation should complete their application six to eight weeks prior to the rotation start date as failure to do so can result in cancellation of the offer.

The Internal Medicine UME program collaborates with the Office of Enrollment Services to ensure that visiting students have fulfilled all the credentialing requirements prior to starting their visiting clinical rotation. Then all onboarding activities including orientation, badging, and service scheduling is managed by the Internal Medicine UME program for the visiting students it accepts.

Please refer to the Visiting Students from U.S. Medical Schools web page for more information on requirements both before and after acceptance.