Interstitial Curriculum (ISC)
Interstitial Curriculum ISC A, B, C
XX-3001, XX-3011, XX-3021, 7 one-day programs
The ISC is a year-long, longitudinal series of seven required 1-day programs and events scheduled at intervals during the Core Clinical Experiences year (CCE). Each content area is broadly significant to medical education/medical practice and is often under-represented in clinical education. Many topics have been added in response to student feedback and in collaboration with student-led initiatives. In AY22-23, ISC topics include: Caring for People with Disabilities; Criminal Justice and Health; Oral Health; Military Service (Veteran’s) Health; US Healthcare Policy; Patient Safety and Quality Improvement; Trauma Informed Care; Informatics; Caring for LGBTQIA+ People; and Disaster Management. PURCH students are integrated into all ISC days and Tan Chingfen Graduate School of Nursing students are integrated into some of the ISC days, as permitted by the academic calendar. ISC days are often paired with two full Careers in Medicine Days, which include discussions about 4th year planning and wellness, and three interstitial BAP sessions, where students meet with their Learning Community mentors.
During the Interstitial Curriculum, learners are expected to:
- Participate actively in all the activities scheduled during the ISC days, including standardized patient encounters, small group sessions and interviews with patient volunteers
- Complete any required pre- and post-assignments for the ISC, including some independent study work
- Provide constructive feedback to course leaders through evaluations to encourage continual improvement and evolution of the course
The ISC comprises three courses that are graded CREDIT/NO CREDIT. Credit for each of the three courses is assigned within 6 weeks of the end of each thematic section. To receive CREDIT students must achieve the course learning objectives and complete all required assignments.
Contact us
Keith Muccino, MD - Co-Director
Philip Day, PhD- Co-Director
Pawel Stefan Chojnowski - Education Program Specialist
ISCCurriculum@umassmed.edu