University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix Will Allow Fourth-Year Students to Graduate Early

The University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix is offering early graduation for qualified fourth-year students who wish to serve during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In an email sent March 27, Guy Reed, MD, MS, dean of the College of Medicine – Phoenix, informed fourth-year students that the medical school will work with them to accelerate their graduation. Requests to graduate before the regularly scheduled date of May 11 will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. A College of Medicine Student Progress Committee will meet April 6 to consider the requests, and the newly-conferred MDs could begin work in a clinical setting by mid-April.

“Given the extraordinary times in which we find ourselves, and the rapidly growing burden that the pandemic is placing on our health care system, we stand in admiration of our students who wish to pursue this option and will do our best to facilitate these requests,” Dean Reed said.

About 90 students are expected to graduate in the Class of 2020. Dean Reed said more than half of those students have completed their requirements, meaning about 50 newly-conferred MDs could begin service as early as mid-April.

To qualify, students must have completed all graduation requirements and submit their request in writing that details their rationale and planned service contribution, including start and end dates of service, nature of work, location and expected workload. They also must secure a letter from the director of the program they will be serving stating that the organization will assure appropriate licensure of their activities and provide malpractice insurance.

“We know that Covid-19 represents a particular risk for those on the front lines of patient care,” Dean Reed said. “Arizona does not currently have a critical shortage of health care workers, however, that could change in the next few weeks. The situation is extremely fluid, and we will rely on information from our hospital partners as well as the governor and the Arizona Department of Health Services about their needs.”

The UA College of Medicine – Tucson is considering similar measures.