Phase 3 (Year 4) Curriculum
Introduction
Phase 3 of the Illinois Medicine Curriculum is designed to strengthen students’ foundational competencies as they explore career paths and prepare for residency.
The experiences offered in Phase 3 ensure that all of our graduates possess the foundational skills and competencies that will be expected of a physician. Students will be tasked with the challenge of applying evidence-based medicine in complex settings, the increased clinical responsibility of sub-internships, and the training to prepare for the next phase of their medical careers in the Transition to Residency course.
Phase 3 is also the time for students to strategically select experiences that will provide a strong foundation in the specialties that they intend to work with as a resident and beyond. With the support of their academic advisor, students can choose electives that will create a competitive application to the residency programs that best fit their specific personal goals, and that will prepare them for a successful career in their chosen specialties. For instance, if a student is interested in going into general surgery, they may consider taking electives on anatomy, radiology, and anesthesia. Getting a well-rounded experience will prepare students for the next stages of their medical careers.
Introduction
Requirements
Please refer to the overall MD requirements for planning for Phase 3 needs.
The curriculum requirement for the fourth year is that students satisfactorily complete 38 weeks of Phase 3 courses including:
- Sub-Internship* (4 weeks)
- Physician-Assessed Patient-Facing Electives* (12 weeks)
- Acute Care (EM or ICU)* (4 weeks)
- Transition to Residency (TTR) Course* (2 weeks)
- Open electives (16 weeks) (Note that electives you have taken in Phase 2 are included in this total.)
* Must be taken in the M4 year
Excluding sub-internships and the Transition to Residency course, many of the Phase 3 requirements may be fulfilled at a University of Illinois College of Medicine site or as away rotations, pending approval. See below for campus-specific restrictions on away rotations.
Sub-Internship
All students are required to complete a 4-week sub-internship. This predominantly inpatient rotation allows students the opportunity to take primary responsibility for patients under the direct supervision of a resident or attending physician. Students will get to experience continuity of care with their patients.
Subinternships are offered in Family Medicine, Surgery, Pediatrics, OB/GYN and Medicine. Peoria students will complete their sub-internship on the Peoria campus.
Electives
As students plan their M4 year, they should consider the following guidelines:
- Phase 3 should be a well-thought-out and well-integrated educational experience. It is a time to focus on knowledge, skills, and attitudes while working towards foundational competencies.
- Students should select courses that provide appropriate preparation for their chosen specialties.
- At the same time, Phase 3 is not a postgraduate year and should not be spent exclusively on students’ chosen specialties. This may be a final opportunity to select a learning experience unrelated to a future specialty.
In general, residency directors in the major clinical fields prefer that students spend two months of their fourth year in their chosen field. It is recommended that time be divided between advanced study in the basic discipline and relevant specialties. If a student is undecided about residency, two months in one field and one or two in others might be a wise choice. Most residency directors agree that students need a well-balanced fourth year, not a mini-residency.
In addition to advanced and relevant specialty electives, a well-planned Phase 3 schedule will include experiences in unrelated fields chosen to meet an interest or fill a knowledge gap. Students will want to include one or more electives in areas ancillary to clinical medicine such as pathology or anesthesia, and perhaps also in ambulatory care and/or basic or applied research.
Note: The exact sequence of students’ preferred electives/courses will most likely not match their preferences. We will be using the E*Value Optimizer scheduling system, which will produce the most equitable schedule for all UICOMP students. More information and details will be provided in an informational meeting.
Transition to Residency
Transition to Residency is the final component of the longitudinal Clinical Connections and Competencies course required of all UI COM students. The goal of Transition to Residency is to ensure students have learned the final competencies required to make a successful transition to their intern year. Students will review foundational knowledge and clinical skills necessary to be successful in the next phase of their career. Transition to Residency also provides students an opportunity to review their own performance as it relates to the entrustable professional activities (EPAs); this information can guide students in determining the EPAs they should continue to develop and where they should maintain best practices.
USMLE STEP 2
Students are encouraged to take four to six weeks to prepare for the USMLE Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Exam. Students are strongly advised to sit for Step 2 CK as soon as allowed after the completion of the Phase 2 year to facilitate the ERAS application and residency interviews. Refer to the Academic Policies and Professional Standards regarding completion requirements of core clerkships prior to sitting for Step 2 CK.
Schedule Changes
Once schedules have been finalized and released to the students by the registrar, students from other schools will be permitted to schedule electives here. Those students will not be “bumped” later on to accommodate changes from UI COM students.
It is likely that students will need to request schedule changes throughout Phase 3. Once away rotations get approved and interview season begins, it is not unusual to have numerous changes to students’ course schedules. M4 students can follow the simple process outlined below for schedule changes:
- Email the appropriate course coordinator to request the change (either to add a new course to their schedule, or to drop from a course for which they had previously been registered).
- The course coordinator will respond to your request via email and copy the site registrar, who will then update your schedule accordingly. Students should double check to confirm the registrar has been included on the email so that their schedule and registration will be accurate.
Any schedule changes must be made a minimum of two weeks in advance of the start date for the course in question. In instances of extenuating circumstances that prevent students from meeting this deadline (such as interview offers or away rotation approval), students must reach out to the registrar for approval before requesting an elective from the course coordinator.
NOTE: When adding a new course to a schedule, the registrar will drop any previously registered course(s) that conflict with the new course for which the student has been approved. It is the student’s responsibility to communicate this change with the appropriate course coordinator(s).
Failure to add an elective correctly will result in students receiving NO credit for that elective; failure to drop an elective correctly could lead to registration issues.
Students should be mindful of the fact that many faculty members offering electives have busy clinical practices, which is why a two-week minimum lead time for schedule changes has been implemented.
Away Rotations
It is important that we are able to communicate with students while they are on an away elective rotation. Students should confirm that we have a telephone or pager number to reach them prior to starting their away rotation.
Electives at Other UI COM Campuses
UICOMP students may register for electives at any of the UI COM campuses. The process for enrolling in UI COM electives not hosted in Peoria will be discussed during the Phase 3 Planning Night presentation. If students have questions about this registration process, they can contact the registrar or the Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Clerkship.
Visiting Student Learning Opportunities
The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) has an electronic application system for away rotations. Over 318 schools participate in Visiting Student Learning Opportunities (VSLO). Students will be required to complete their application online if applying to one of the VSLO schools. Visit the AAMC website for more details on these learning opportunities.
Students who have been approved for an elective outside of the UI COM system must complete the appropriate form on the registrar webpage to be able to receive credit without registration issues.
International Elective
Students considering elective experiences in other countries should initiate discussion with the Office of Academic Affairs and the sponsoring department beginning about the middle of the M3 year. International experiences typically last four to eight weeks.
The International Elective Approval Form must be completed and sent to the registrar upon approval of an international elective to receive credit without registration issues. The form can be found on the registrar webpage.
**Link Note: This form is not currently on the registrar webpage. Will need to update when a new form is available?**
Additionally, students must enroll their international travel with the UIC Study Abroad Office using an online Global Engagement form.
Students travelling internationally should see their doctor at least four to six weeks before their trip to allow time for any necessary immunizations to take effect. Always check for new requirements due to outbreaks. Two good sources of information are https://travel.state.gov/ and https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/.
Residency Interviews
Students should make an effort to schedule interviews during times when no courses are scheduled. Free periods may be scheduled throughout the year, and Phase 3 students are encouraged to leave some free time in their schedules to interview at residency programs. Most programs will invite students to interview before the end of January.
If an interview must occur during a scheduled course, students must REQUEST PERMISSION FOR AN EXCUSED ABSENCE and make arrangements with the course director. This should be communicated PRIOR to the beginning of the course, or as soon as an invitation to interview is received.
Fourth-year students are an integrated part of the patient care team; other members of the team will be counting on students to participate as scheduled. In most cases, course directors will have made considerable efforts to ensure a quality experience for students. The course director may or may not grant permission for you to be absent. You may offer (or be asked) to take extra call evenings or weekends in order to make up the time you will be away. It is not acceptable for students to simply not show up for scheduled activities in order to go to an interview.
If a student is absent for a significant amount of time from either a two-week or a four-week course, they may not receive a grade for the course, and it will not count toward their required weeks of instruction. Please see full policy on Phase 2-3 Participation Expectations.
You may not take more than the required weeks of instruction. If you receive remuneration at any time, that work will not “count” toward required weeks of instruction, nor will you be covered by the University of Illinois Malpractice Insurance. Refer to policy on student stipends. If, after you have completed the required weeks of instruction, you decide to seek employment involving patient care (e.g., paramedic, etc.), be sure you are covered for malpractice insurance by your employer.
Any time students are away from the Peoria area for more than one week, an emergency contact number should be provided to the UICOMP Offices of Student and Academic Affairs. Students should make alternative/forwarding arrangements to ensure timely receipt of mail sent to their home address or placed in their student mailbox. It is a professional expectation that students will respond promptly to emails and phone calls within 72 hours unless in a remote area that is out of range.
Phase 3 (M4) Academic Year Calendar
| Block | 2 Week Increments |
|---|---|
| 1A | 04/27/26-05/09/26 |
| 1B | 05/11/26-05/23/26 |
| 2A | 05/25/26-06/06/26 |
| 2B | 06/08/26-06/20/26 |
| 3A | 06/22/26-07/04/26 |
| 3B | 07/06/26-07/18/26 |
| 4A | 07/20/26-08/01/26 |
| 4B | 08/03/26-08/15/26 |
| 5A | 08/17/26-08/29/26 |
| 5B | 08/31/26-09/12/26 |
| 6A | 09/14/26-09/26/26 |
| 6B | 09/28/26-10/10/26 |
| * FALL BREAK | 10/12/26-10/24/26 |
| 7A | 10/26/26-11/07/26 |
| 7B | 11/09/26-11/21/26 |
| 8A | 11/23/26-12/05/26 |
| 8B | 12/07/26-12/19/26 |
| ** WINTER BREAK (No classes) | 12/21/26-01/02/27 |
| 9A | 01/04/27-01/16/27 |
| 9B | *01/18/27-01/30/27 |
| 10A | 02/01/27-02/13/27 |
| 10B | 02/15/27-02/27/27 |
| 11A (TTR course in this block) | 03/01/27-03/13/27 |
| 11B | 03/15/27-03/27/27 |
| 12A | 03/29/27-04/10/27 |
| 12B | 04/12/27-04/24/27 |
| Block 1A (AY 27-28) | 04/26/27-05/08/27 This block begins new summer term |
| Block 1B (AY 27-28) | 05/10/27-05/22/27 |
| Block 2A (AY 27-28) | 05/24/27-06/05/27 |
Important Information
Breaks
* Fall Break: 10/12/26-10/24/26
Taking the break is recommended; taking a course is optional.
** Winter Break: 12/21/26-1/2/27
Please note that there is no malpractice insurance coverage for students during Winter Break. Only non-clinical research electives are allowed, with approval. Research will be registered in Spring term.
Terms
Summer: 4/27/26-8/8/26
Must have minimum 6 weeks instruction to qualify for financial aid. Full time in summer is 6 weeks.
Fall: 8/10/26-12/19/26
Must have minimum 6 weeks instruction to qualify for financial aid. Full time in fall is 12 weeks.
Spring: 1/4/27-4/24/27
Must have minimum 6 weeks instruction to qualify for financial aid. Full time in spring is 12 weeks.
Rotations beginning on a Monday where there is a national holiday will begin on Tuesday instead. For rotations already in progress, students will report based on clinical needs.
Schedules and Approval
- Box schedule, Banner courses, Student Portal, and E-Value must match; students should check for accuracy periodically. Notify registrar if different. peoriaregistrar@uic.edu
- Schedule change requests must be made via email to appropriate department coordinator a minimum of 2 weeks in advance; CC peoriaregistrar@uic.edu.
- Research/Individualized electives must be approved a minimum of 3 weeks in advance.
Graduation
- Student graduation requirements can be found in student individual Box schedules.
- AY 27-28 begins 4/26/27, summer term. May 2027 grads may use the beginning of this term if needed to complete grad requirements; tuition/fees assessed.
- Graduation requirements must be completed by 6/5/27 in order to be awarded a May 2027 diploma and participate in the 2027 Match. Convocation date for the Class of 2027 is TBA.