Certificates of Distinction are offered to students as optional advanced medical preparation opportunities with specialization in specific areas of service. Students may pursue one Certificate of Distinction during their undergraduate medical education at the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix. Students who successfully meet the certificate requirements will receive a Certificate, a "Distinction in [area of service]" notation on their transcript and medical student performance evaluations (Dean’s Letters).
- The Global Health Program introduces students to health care service under the constraints of a developing nation. By sharing their knowledge and learning from colleagues abroad, students return to Arizona better prepared to provide care to patients and communities on the domestic scale. Through this program, students are eligible to earn a Global Health Certificate of Distinction, which consists of five educational components, including: externships, courses, participation in seminars, a scholarly project and a preceptorship abroad.
- The mission of the Certificate of Distinction in Health Humanities is to educate and empower students and health care providers to value and employ humanistic approaches to patient care as informed by the disciplines of bioethics and medical humanism, narrative medicine, the arts and health humanities.
- The Primary Care Scholars Program is a mentoring and scholarship program that recognizes students who demonstrate a strong commitment to primary care. Students admitted to the program are offered a four-year longitudinal clinical experience with an enriched educational curriculum that focuses on the acquisition of knowledge pertaining to primary care practice, health policy and advocacy, public and population health, as well as the development of leadership and scholarship skills. This program will prepare students to be health care leaders.
- The Service of Community Certificate of Distinction is intended to increase familiarity with underserved patient populations in the urban setting and to enhance student involvement within the Phoenix community. As a program dedicated to the creation of community-responsive physicians, it offers participants additional opportunities for mentorship, community service and scholarly work. Students who pursue this certificate of distinction will be prepared to address the many unique factors which affect the health and well-being of underserved populations and will be recognized for their commitment and devotion to service.
- The Certificate of Distinction in Research is a four-year extracurricular program that recognizes students who show a strong commitment to clinical and translational research throughout medical school. Through structured mentorship, workshops, and longitudinal scholarly training, students develop essential and advanced skills in research design, data analysis, scientific communication, and sharing original research. Students accepted into the program complete a series of educational modules, scholarly outputs, and professional development activities, culminating in conference presentations and manuscript submissions. This program prepares students to become physician-scholars and future leaders in academic medicine and research.
