The Pathway Scholars Program is more than a master's degree. It is an immersive academic experience designed to prepare aspiring physicians for the demands of medical school and the responsibilities of a career in medicine. Our Master of Medical Studies curriculum closely mirrors the pace, depth, and structure of a first-year medical school experience, ensuring students are equipped to succeed from day one.
Students benefit from a comprehensive and intentional curriculum that emphasizes:
- Academic Mastery: Foundational medical science coursework paired with individualized study strategies, tutoring, and academic coaching.
- High Stakes Testing Preparation: Dedicated blocks focused on content review, test-taking strategies, and structured support for exam readiness.
- Research Exposure: Foundational training in clinical and basic science research with hands-on support through a mentored longitudinal project.
- Clinical Exposure: Longitudinal shadowing and experiential learning across diverse healthcare settings.
- Professional Development: Mentorship, leadership training, and personal growth opportunities that cultivate confidence and a clear sense of purpose.
- Wellness & Resilience: Programming that supports students’ social, emotional, and mental wellbeing through the rigors of medical training.
Each element of the program is carefully designed to foster not only academic success, but also leadership, adaptability, and commitment to service; qualities that define the most impactful physicians.
Organ System Block Design
The academic foundation of the Pathway Scholars Program is built around a series of organ system-based blocks that closely mirror those in the first-year allopathic medical school (MS1) curriculum. These blocks are taught by the same expert faculty who lead the corresponding medical student courses and include:
- Molecular Basis of Life and Disease
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Hematology
- Clinical Anatomy
Each block is carefully designed to introduce students to the pace, depth, and expectations of medical school coursework while providing the support necessary to build confidence and academic resilience.
These courses serve a dual purpose: they deliver essential content that lays the groundwork for future learning, and they provide students with early exposure to the structure and rigor of the MD curriculum. Pathway Scholars alumni consistently cite these blocks as a major contributor to their success and report that they entered medical school feeling less stressed, more prepared, and academically confident.
This early alignment with the MD program sets students up to not only transition smoothly into medical school, but to lead among their peers.
Foundations in Doctoring Skills and Clinical Practice
As part of the Pathway Scholars curriculum, students will get the opportunity to participate in a dedicated Doctoring Skills Block that introduces the core principles of clinical communication and patient care. This focused experience is designed to build early competence and confidence in key doctoring skills that will be essential throughout medical school and beyond.
Through interactive sessions led by faculty clinicians, students gain exposure to:
- Conducting patient interviews and building rapport
- Performing basic physical examination techniques
- Practicing documentation and oral case presentations
- Applying clinical reasoning within system-based cases
- Developing professional identity and bedside manner
Students work with trained standardized patients who simulate realistic clinical scenarios and provide immediate feedback on communication, empathy, and exam skills. The course is administered in the College of medicines modern state of the art doctoring center which features 24 exam rooms with dual‑computer stations, multiple debrief rooms, observer monitoring stations, and video recording for performance review.
The Doctoring Skills Block is taught by the same clinical educators who lead the Doctoring curriculum for MD students at the College of Medicine – Phoenix, providing an early and authentic experience of the physician role.
While condensed compared to the longitudinal MD curriculum, this block equips students with foundational skills that enhance their preparedness for clinical learning and strengthen their transition into the full medical school experience.
Clinical Anatomy Exposure
Pathway Scholars will have the rare peek into the world as a medical student via the Clinical Anatomy Block—an exclusive cadaver-based experience offering early body‑structural learning
- Hands-On Cadaver-Based Learning: Approved for small-group, immersive lab sessions using willed body donors. Scholars learn to identify muscles, nerves, vessels, bones, and ligaments, and apply standard anatomical terminology in a three-dimensional context.
- Virtual 3-D Visualization Tools: Advanced digital platforms supplement cadaver work, helping students visualize spatial relationships and reinforce applications for clinical procedures and physical exam reasoning.
- Clinical Application Focus: Learning is structured around clinical case presentations to integrate anatomical knowledge with diagnosing structural or injury-related conditions.
- Professional Teamwork and Reflection: Emphasis on respectful interaction with donors, ethical teamwork, and the emotional maturation that accompanies an early anatomy lab experience.
This curriculum is delivered under the guidance of the same anatomy faculty who teach the MS1‑level Clinical Anatomy Block, ensuring a rigorous and authentic experience. For many students, this unique early exposure reduces intimidation entering the full MD anatomy courses, boosts confidence, and provides practical anatomical insight—setting a strong precedent even before the first year of medical school.
Master’s Thesis & Research Training
Research literacy is a core competency for future physicians. As part of the Pathway Scholars Program, students complete a longitudinal master’s thesis project designed to build foundational skills in clinical or basic science research.
Students are paired with faculty mentors who provide guided support throughout the research process—from project design to data analysis to final presentation. A structured series of research didactics ensures that students gain practical experience in:
- Study design and methodology
- Critical appraisal of literature
- Data interpretation and statistical reasoning
- Research ethics and regulatory requirements
- Scientific writing and presentation skills
The thesis experience is more than an academic requirement—it’s a launchpad for future scholarly activity in medical school, residency, and beyond. Whether students pursue academic medicine, community practice, or healthcare innovation, this research training equips them with the skills to lead and contribute to evidence-based care.
High Stakes Testing Readiness and Confidence
Success on the MCAT is a critical milestone on the path to medical school—and the Pathway Scholars Program offers a uniquely structured, expert-led approach to help you meet that challenge with confidence.
Our dedicated Core Concepts in Medical Science (MCAT Mastery) Block is a high-yield, three-month course strategically designed to eliminate competing curricular demands, allowing you to focus fully on strengthening your knowledge and test-taking skills in the core concepts of medical science.
This block is:
- Expert-Designed and Led: Faciliated by a dedicated learning specialist and one of the nation’s leading MCAT preparation experts, who has developed high-stakes testing curricula for pre-medical programs across the country.
- Peer-Supported: You'll be guided by Peer Learning Mentors—Pathway alumni and medical students who excelled on the MCAT and have been selected for their ability to teach strategy, discipline, and confidence.
- Individually Tailored: Students receive 1:1 coaching sessions to address personal barriers to performance and optimize individualized study plans.
- Resource-Rich: Each student receives full access to the comprehensive UWorld MCAT educational suite, a premier prep resource that includes over 4,000 QBank questions, 600+ high-yield instructional videos, and digital textbooks.
The curriculum offers comprehensive preparation across all MCAT domains: Biological and Biochemical Foundations of Living Systems, Chemical and Physical Foundations of Biological Systems, Psychological, Social, and Biological Foundations of Behavior, and Critical Analysis and Reasoning Skills (CARS).
Please see Application Process for additional details about the MCAT retake requirement.
Medical School Resources
As a Pathway Scholar, you’ll be fully integrated into the College of Medicine – Phoenix learning environment. From day one, you’ll engage with the same world-class faculty, facilities, and support systems that serve our medical students.
Your courses are led by the same instructors who teach in the first and second years of the MD curriculum offering a seamless academic transition and early familiarity with the expectations and rigor of medical school. You'll also have access to medical student services, campus resources, and mentorship opportunities that position you for success both in the classroom and the clinical setting.
Learning Support and Professional Development
The Pathway Scholars Program is designed to support your growth both as a student and as a future physician. Our program prepares you academically and facilitates your socialization into medical school culture by introducing you to the best practices to thrive in the study of medicine.
Our approach includes:
- Individualized Learning Support: You’ll work closely with a dedicated learning specialist and academic coaching team to develop effective study strategies tailored to the rigors of medical education.
- Hands-On Clinical Exposure: Early experiences in clinical settings help you begin building clinical context and comfort with patient care.
- Standardized Test Preparation: A dedicated MCAT preparation block provides structured content review, test-taking strategies, and guided support to help you perform competitively on high stakes testing for the rest of your career.
- Professional Identity Formation: Structured workshops and mentorship cultivate the professional behaviors, communication skills, and resilience essential to becoming a physician.
- Community Engagement: Scholars participate in CHIP (Community Health Initiative of the University of Arizona – Phoenix), a student-led service-learning program that provides hands-on involvement with underserved populations across the Phoenix area. This experience reinforces our mission to train community-oriented physicians who are responsive to the needs of vulnerable populations.
Program Courses
Pathway Scholars Program 2026-2027 Curriculum Calendar (PDF)
Course Name |
Course Number |
|---|---|
Summer 2026 |
|
| Introduction to Medical Studies | MEDP 697 |
| Principles of Molecular Basis of Life & Disease A | MEDP 618A |
| Medical Science Applications (Organ Systems A) | MEDP 615A |
Fall 2026 |
|
| Principles of Molecular Basis of Life & Disease B | MEDP 618B |
| Core Concepts in Medical Science (MCAT Mastery Course) | MEDP 619A |
| Master's Report/Scholarly Project A | MEDP 909A |
| Leadership, Learning & Ethics A | MEDP 619A |
| Principles of Communication in Medicine A | MEDP 608A |
| Clinical Practicum A | MEDP 694A |
Spring 2027 |
|
| Principles of Cardiovascular-Hematology | MEDP 620 |
| Clinical Anatomy & Physiology (Organ Systems C) | MEDP 615C |
| Master's Report/Scholarly Project B | MEDP 909B |
| Principles of Communication in Medicine B | MEDP 608B |
| Clinical Practicum B | MEDP 694B |