"Nuts & Bolts 2" - A Guide to the Clinical Years Section 1: General Information Table of Contents What if I need more time? The most common reasons students take time off are to do research, to have some additional time for family leave, to travel/study abroad, or find out what they want to do in medicine. We have an open policy about extending your program, without going through faculty committees or other hoops. You merely have to meet with your faculty mentor or career advisor, and jointly design a program that is focused and can be accomplished in the time allotted. You also meet with Dr. Loeser for planning and final approval. There is a form in the Office of Curricular Affairs that helps you sort out the various elements of your program: timing, goals, and funding. It is called the "blue form" and must be signed by your advisor and then by Dr. Loeser, so take the form with you when you meet. A copy of the form is also sent to Student Financial Services. If you are planning on extending the date of your graduation, you must meet with Dr. Loeser, preferably before the lottery in March of your third year, but no later than August of your fourth year. A Request for Extended Program (the "blue form") needs to be completed and signed by an advisor before this meeting. Also, you must complete the Clinical Performance Exam (CPX) in May/June of your third year. The Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs may grant a student up to a one year leave of absence for personal, professional, or medical reasons. This leave of absence may be renewed for up to one year at the discretion of the Vice Dean for Education in consultation with the Faculty Council. Timing: There is no perfect time to extend medical school; the best time is when it fits your needs. Some students may want time to solidify what they have learned in the Essential Core courses before they start clerkships and after passing Step One of U.S. Medical Licensing Exam. A few will take the UCSF pathology fellowship, offered to two or three students each year. More commonly, students extend their education by one year after the third-year core clerkships (sometimes for twelve months in a row, and other times alternating quarters of being registered and not) to work full-time in a laboratory, to participate in an Area of Concentration, to take additional clerkships, or to travel to foreign countries and hone their clinical skills in a variety of settings. There are also ten slots for medical students to take a Masters in Public Health at UC Berkeley each year. Most students will fit this in as an extra year between third and fourth years, though some will delay applying to residency programs and pursue an MPH after graduation. Remember, UCB is on a semester schedule and classes begin late August and end in mid-May, with a one-month break in January. Speak to Dr. Paula Braveman in the department of Family & Community Medicine as early as possible if you would like to explore this option. Goals: Although there are no required goals for extending medical school, it is a good idea to have a few personal goals in mind when you design your program. Try to focus on one or two. Do you want to use the time to answer a research question? Do you want to travel and study abroad to get a broader idea of health care as it is practiced in different countries? Do you want to sample several different specialties so you can choose your career path? Do you want to spend time teaching, participate in a community service program, or develop health policy? Do you want to take time off to be with your family? There are many things you can do, just make sure you aren't spread too thin and can accomplish your goals in the time set aside. Funding: There are several fellowships that provide stipends for one year. The most well-known of these are in basic science research, like the Howard Hughes Medical Institute and the Doris Duke Clinical Research Fellowship. They all require advanced planning and are competitive, so get started early! Dan Lowenstein, M.D., Director of the Physician-Scientist Education and Training Programs, has all the information about research fellowships, and can help you with your application. You can find much more information about research opportunities and funding at http://medschool.ucsf.edu/studentresearch/ There are limited funds available on a quarterly basis for international study and/or projects through the UCSF School of Medicine Study Abroad Grants program. More information about this and other funding opportunities can be found on the web site of the Office of International Programs (OIP). The OIP also administers a fully funded exchange program to Beijing for fourth-year students, the UCSF-PUMC Exchange Program. See the listings for international education and funding opportunities at http://www.medschool.ucsf.edu/intlprograms If you are staying in San Francisco, you will probably want to stay enrolled so you can use the library, Millberry Union, and Student Health, or maintain your residence in student housing. The interest on some of your student loans will become due if you are not enrolled for more than six months, so most students will not take a Leave of Absence (which requires filing a form with the Registrar) for more than two quarters. Speak with your financial aid officer, or the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs, about the pros and cons of staying enrolled. Student Financial Services has promised us that students may get a fifth year of loans, as long as money is available. But you will receive higher interest loans in your final year, as you will be closer to paying them off. Stipends may be added to your financial aid packet, so your debt will be reduced. Funding from the work-study program is another option to look into if you are in town and need to stay enrolled. Although the funds are limited, it is a good option for both your employer and UCSF. Lastly, do not hesitate to discuss ideas with your faculty mentors, fellow students, and recent graduates. There are many people on campus who can give you advice or point you in the right direction. Just over half of our graduating students have extended their program beyond four years. No one has ever said it was a waste of time!