It is the policy of the University of Arizona College of Medicine – Phoenix (COM – P) that students in Years 3 and 4 meet the credit requirements listed below.

Please note:

  • One credit equates to one week of instructional time in clerkships, electives, and selectives.
  • Particular rotations and/or sites cannot be guaranteed due to capacity considerations across the distributed model of COM-P.
  • Students with off-cycle schedules may require an individualized plan to allow hybridization of graduation requirements in instances where a student’s graduation requirements are completed as part of two separate class cohorts. This will be determined by the office of student affairs and curricular dean(s).

Applicable section for Class of 2024

Applicable section for Class of 2025

Applicable section for Class of 2026 and beyond

CLASS OF 2024

Year 3

Traditional Curriculum

  1. Students must complete all Year 3 clerkships. Clerkships may not be taken at non-COM – P affiliated sites.
  2. Students must complete a four-week ambulatory patient care selective in Year 3 or Year 4. The selective should be chosen in consultation with the student’s career and professional advisor(s). The selective will prioritize patient care through an ambulatory care experience.
    1. A four-week patient care elective may be pursued in Year 3 instead of the ambulatory selective at the student’s discretion in consultation with the student’s career and professional advisor(s), provided there is sufficient clinical capacity in the student’s desired elective. If a patient care elective is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective must be completed in Year 4.
    2. A four-week structured research elective (that differs from the student’s Scholarly Project) may be pursued in Year 3 instead of the ambulatory patient care selective with approval of the director of Scholarly Projects, dean, student affairs and dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. If a structured research elective is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective will be completed in Year 4. *
    3. Requests for a non-patient care elective or discretionary time in Year 3 must be approved by both the dean, student affairs and the dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. If a non-patient care elective or discretionary time is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective will be completed in Year 4. *
    4. Under extenuating circumstances, a two-week patient or non-patient care elective may be pursued with approval of both the dean, student affairs and the dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. *

*If a non-patient care elective or discretionary time is taken during Year 3, this will count towards total allowable non-patient care and discretionary time. 

Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) Curriculum

  1. Students must complete all Year 3 LIC requirements (see syllabus).
  2. Exceptions or re-entry into the regular curriculum track must be approved by the dean, clinical curriculum and dean, student affairs, or their respective designees, in consultation with the LIC director and Student Progress Committee, to ensure all graduation requirements are met.

Year 4

  1. Students must complete a total of 43 credits Year 4 credits. In addition to credits earned for Intersessions (five) and Scholarly Projects (two), these credits must include:
    1. Four credits of a core sub-internship selective (see Core Sub-Internship Rotation Policy for details).
    2. Four credits of a designated critical care selective.
    3. Four credits of Emergency Medicine Clerkship in traditional curriculum or four credits Neurology Clerkship in LIC curriculum (the Neurology Clerkship for LIC students is considered a Year 4 course).
    4. Twenty-four credits of electives, with a maximum of eight credits of non-patient care. Included in the non-patient care maximum are research courses (both Scholarly Project courses non-Scholarly Project) and independent study courses (including reading electives).
  2. Electives must be either two or four credits. A maximum of two Year 4 electives may be two credits each. Exceptions may be made in consultation with the director, electives, dean, clinical curriculum and dean, student affairs, or their respective designees.
  3. The maximum number of credits allotted during Year 4 in one specialty field is 16.
    1. The Emergency Medicine Clerkship, core sub-internships, critical care rotations, ambulatory selective, independent study electives, bootcamp electives, and research electives do not contribute to the 16-credit maximum in one specialty field.
  4. The maximum number of credits allotted for courses completed at institutions and sites not directly supervised by COM-P faculty or directly affiliated with COM-P during Year 4 electives is 16. 
    1. Core Sub-I and Critical Care Selectives must be completed at a COM-P site.
  5. The same course may not be repeated for additional credit, with the following exceptions:
    1. Electives with the same course title and number may be repeated as long as the site/location is different for each elective.
    2. LIC courses may be repeated as part of the LIC curriculum.
    3. Research electives and independent study electives may be repeated once, up to a maximum of eight non-clinical course credits as stated above; the repeated independent study course must have a different set of learning objectives from the first.
    4. Global Health electives may be repeated once, up to a maximum of eight credits, if a different site/location is chosen for the second elective.
  6. Any exceptions to the above limitations must be approved by the director, electives, dean, clinical curriculum and the dean, student affairs, or their respective designees.

CLASS OF 2025

Year 3 Required Curriculum

Traditional Curriculum

  1. Students must complete all Year 3 clerkships. Clerkships may not be taken at non-COM – P affiliated sites.
  2. Students must complete a four-week ambulatory patient care selective in Year 3 or Year 4. The selective should be chosen in consultation with the student’s career and professional advisor(s). An elective meets the ambulatory selective requirement if at least 50% of the four-week experience is outpatient and the elective site has agreed to host both third and/or fourth year students for this ambulatory experience. See course catalog for electives that meet the ambulatory selective requirement.
    1. A four-week patient care elective may be pursued in Year 3 instead of the ambulatory selective at the student’s discretion in consultation with the student’s career and professional advisor(s), provided there is sufficient clinical capacity in the student’s desired elective. If a patient care elective is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective must be completed in Year 4.
    2. A four-week structured research elective (that differs from the student’s Scholarly Project) may be pursued in Year 3 instead of the ambulatory patient care selective with approval of the director of Scholarly Projects, dean, student affairs and dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. If a structured research elective is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective will be completed in Year 4. *
    3. Requests for a non-patient care elective or discretionary time in Year 3 must be approved by both the dean, student affairs and the dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. If a non-patient care elective or discretionary time is taken in Year 3, the ambulatory patient care selective will be completed in Year 4. *
    4. Under extenuating circumstances, a two-week patient or non-patient care elective may be pursued with approval of both the dean, student affairs and the dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. *

*If a non-patient care elective or discretionary time is taken during Year 3, this will count towards total allowable non-patient care and discretionary time. 

Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) Curriculum

  1. Students must complete all Year 3 LIC requirements (see syllabus).
  2. Exceptions or re-entry into the regular curriculum track must be approved by the dean, clinical curriculum and dean, student affairs, or their respective designees, in consultation with the LIC director and Student Progress Committee, to ensure all graduation requirements are met.

Year 4 Required Curriculum

Students must complete a total of 44 credits during Year 4. These credits must include:

  1. Core sub-internship selective: Four credits (see Core Sub-Internship Rotation Policy for details).
  2. Critical care selective rotation: Four credits of a designated critical care rotation. Must be completed at a COM-P site.
  3. Emergency Medicine Clerkship: Four credits in traditional curriculum. 
    1. LIC students who have already completed four credits of their Emergency Medicine Clerkship will instead be required to complete their Neurology Clerkship (four credits) if it was not completed during their LIC experience.
  4. Electives: Twenty-four credits. See Year 4 electives section below for specific details. 
    1. A maximum of eight credits of non-patient care. 
  5. Personal and Professional Development (PPD): Six credits.
  6. Scholarly Project: Two credits
  7. Discretionary time is non-credit bearing, and each student has a total of 12 weeks of time to use between Years 3 and 4.

Year 4 Electives

  1. Electives must be either two or four credits. A maximum of two electives may be two credits each. Exceptions to the number of two credit electives are rare but can be requested via the Change of Schedule and Exceptions process detailed in the course catalog.
  2. A maximum of 16 elective credits in one specialty field are allowed during Year 4. 
    1. The Emergency Medicine Clerkship, core sub-internships, critical care rotations, ambulatory selective, independent study electives, bootcamp electives, Year 3 electives, and research electives do not contribute to the 16 credit maximum in one specialty field.
  3. A maximum number of 16 credits is during Year 4, may be completed at institutions and sites not directly affiliated with COM-P. 
    1. Students who successfully obtain an away rotation are required to communicate this opportunity with the Year 4 manager and electives coordinator a minimum of 30 days before the start of the rotation.

Electives Specific Information

  1. Non-patient care electives are designated in the course catalog. Research and independent study courses are considered non-patient care. 
  2. The same course may not be repeated for additional credit, with the following exceptions:
    1. Electives with the same course title and number may be repeated as long as the site/location is different for each elective.
    2. Research and non-patient care independent study electives may be repeated once, with all credits applying to a maximum of twelve (four during Year 3 and eight during Year 4) non-patient care credits as stated above; the repeated independent study or research elective must have a different set of learning objectives from the first.
    3. Global health electives may be repeated once, up to a maximum of eight credits, if a different site/location is chosen for the second elective.

      Any exceptions to the above limitations must be approved by the director, electives, dean, clinical curriculum and the dean, student affairs, or their respective designees.

CLASS OF 2026 and Beyond

Year 3 Required Curriculum

Traditional Curriculum

  1. Students must complete a total of 54 Year 3 credits. These credits will include: 
    1. Year 3 clerkships: 36 credits. Clerkships must be taken at COM – P affiliated sites.
    2. Year 3 electives: 12 credits
      1. Four credits per elective, see Year 3 electives section below for specific details. 
    3. Personal and Professional Development Course (PPDa): Three credits
    4. Longitudinal Patient Care Course: One credit
    5. Scholarly Project: Two credits

Longitudinal Integrated Clerkship (LIC) Curriculum

  1. Students must complete all Year 3 LIC requirements, which will be specific to each LIC clinical site. Students should reference the site-specific syllabus for details.
  2. Exceptions or re-entry into the traditional curriculum track must be approved by the dean, clinical curriculum and dean, student affairs, or their respective designees, in consultation with the LIC director. Students may request that transition plans which impact their remaining graduation requirements be reviewed by the Student Progress Committee.

Year 3 Electives

  1. Students will participate in three general electives of choice, totaling 12 weeks.
    1. One elective (four credits) will be a designated ambulatory experience.
      1. The elective will prioritize patient care through an ambulatory care experience. An elective meets the ambulatory requirement if at least 50% of the four-week experience is outpatient and the elective site has agreed to host both third and/or fourth year students for this ambulatory experience. See course catalog for electives that meet the ambulatory requirement.
      2. LIC students will fulfill this selective requirement during the course of the LIC. 
      3. If the ambulatory elective is not completed in Year 3, it must be completed in Year 4, as it is a requirement for graduation.
    2. Of the remaining two-four credit electives (eight credits), one must be a patient care elective. 
      1.  Students enrolled in the basic science elective may complete up to eight weeks in this non- patient care elective, which will count towards the total of 12 allowable credits of non-patient care.
      2. Exceptions for a two-week patient or non-patient care elective are rare, but can be requested through the Change of Schedule and Exceptions process listed in the course catalog.
      3. Requests for use of discretionary time or an additional non-patient care elective in Year 3 must be approved by both the dean, student affairs and the dean, clinical curriculum, or their respective designees. If discretionary time or an additional non-patient care elective is taken in Year 3, it will count towards the total of 12 allowable credits of non-patient care and the 12 weeks of discretionary time. 
    3. The electives should be chosen in consultation with the student’s career and professional advisor. 
  2. All Year 3 patient care electives must be directly supervised by COM-P faculty or directly affiliated with COM-P.
  3. Students will select their Year 3 electives from those available in the course catalog.
  4. A maximum of four elective credits in one specialty field is allowed during Year 3.
    1. The ambulatory elective does not contribute to this allowance.
    2. Elective credits earned in Year 3 will not count towards the Year 4 specialty field allowance, described below. 

Year 4 Required Curriculum

Students must complete a total of 44 credits during Year 4. These credits must include:

  1. Core sub-internship selective: Four credits (see Core Sub-Internship Rotation Policy for details).
  2. Critical care selective rotation: Four credits of a designated critical care rotation. Must be completed at a COM-P site.
  3. Emergency Medicine Clerkship: Four credits in traditional curriculum. 
    1. LIC students who have already completed four credits of their Emergency Medicine Clerkship will instead be required to complete their Neurology Clerkship (four credits) if it was not completed during their LIC experience.
  4. Electives: Twenty-four credits. See Year 4 electives section below for specific details. 
    1. A maximum of eight credits of non-patient care. 
  5. Personal and Professional Development (PPD): Six credits.
  6. Scholarly Project: Two credits
  7. Discretionary time is non-credit bearing, and each student has a total of 12 weeks of time to use between Years 3 and 4.

Year 4 Electives

  1. Electives must be either two or four credits. A maximum of two electives may be two credits each. Exceptions to the number of two credit electives are rare but can be requested via the Change of Schedule and Exceptions process detailed in the course catalog.
  2. A maximum of 16 elective credits in one specialty field are allowed during Year 4. 
    1. The Emergency Medicine Clerkship, core sub-internships, critical care rotations, ambulatory elective, independent study electives, bootcamp electives, Year 3 electives, and research electives do not contribute to the 16-credit maximum in one specialty field.
  3. A maximum number of 16 credits is during Year 4, may be completed at institutions and sites not directly affiliated with COM-P. 
    1. Students who successfully obtain an away rotation are required to communicate this opportunity with the Year 4 manager and electives coordinator a minimum of 30 days before the start of the rotation.

Electives Specific Information

  1. Non-patient care electives are designated in the course catalog. Research and independent study courses are considered non-patient care. 
  2. The same course may not be repeated for additional credit, with the following exceptions:
    1. Electives with the same course title and number may be repeated as long as the site/location is different for each elective.
    2. Research and non- patient care independent study electives may be repeated once, with all credits applying to a maximum of twelve (four during Year 3 and eight during Year 4) non-patient care credits as stated above; the repeated independent study or research elective must have a different set of learning objectives from the first.
    3. Global health electives may be repeated once, up to a maximum of eight credits if a different site/location is chosen for the second elective.

      Any exceptions to the above limitations must be approved by the director, electives, dean, clinical curriculum and the dean, student affairs, or their respective designees.
Curriculum Committee
  • Original Approval Date:
    07/23/2013
  • Revision/Reaffirmation Date:
    02/27/2024
  • Current Effective Date:
    03/1/2024