Advancing human health by training physicians to create the future of medicine, science and society.
Enriched by a culture that supports diversity, inclusion, critical thinking and creativity, our students will go on to:
- Change the face of medicine through discovery and innovation;
- Reimagine health care to make high quality care accessible to all; and,
- Educate and inspire generations to come.
In alignment with our mission, we are committed to addressing racism in education.
Learn more about our curriculum >>
Accreditation
The Washington University School of Medicine’s MD program is nationally accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). For details, see the Bulletin.
Purpose & Vision
Since our last curriculum renewal, the world has been transformed by technology, scientific discovery, and our understanding of education science’s role in training physicians.
More importantly, healthcare delivery and our understanding of health and its social determinants is continuing to evolve rapidly. We are at the forefront of scientific discovery and clinical medicine. We have gained a deeper understanding of the cognitive sciences and their influence on learning. We are working hard to transform health and end disease through research, innovation, community engagement, and advocacy. We are making critical investments in informatics and technology.
But there is much still to do. St. Louis and the world are plagued by poverty, disease, and disparities in care. The Gateway Curriculum will ensure that our students are not only exceptional physicians, but prepared to lead the transformational changes needed to improve our future. No school is better positioned to develop the academic leaders needed to advance health locally, nationally, and internationally than Washington University. We must ensure our curriculum and educational programs achieve that goal.
Now is the time.
Evidence-based principles
The new curriculum and programs is grounded in evidence-based learning sciences and effectively supports new programs and curriculum with the technology, infrastructure, human and financial resources necessary to thrive.
Specific strategies aimed at achieving our desired outcomes include:
- Competency-based curricular structure that provides standardization of learning outcomes but individualization of process through backwards design
- An assessment system that is transparent and continuously incorporating both regular feedback and routine self-reflection on strengths, direction, and opportunities for growth
- Maximally effective educational methodologies including incorporation of technology and active learning strategies
- Programming that promotes relationships with peers, teachers, patients and systems of care
- Integration of foundational, clinical and social sciences content throughout training with progressive complexity and depth as learners progress —known as helical integration
- Required and elective longitudinal curricula to support the formation of identity as an academic leader with skill development in:
- Leadership and teamwork
- Science, discovery, and innovation
- Teaching and learning
- Social determinants of health, community engagement, and advocacy
