Foundations Phase

The Foundations Phase curriculum is eighteen months (three terms) in length and offered at 6 campuses in the WWAMI region. The curriculum is educationally equivalent at all the WWAMI sites, and common teaching materials, syllabi, and examinations are given to ensure that all students are achieving the same level of competence.

The Foundations Phase includes:
  • A 1-2-week Orientation at each Foundation site.
  • Nine integrated, interdisciplinary block courses.
  • Thread topics that are integrated into each block.
  • Four themes: health equity and justice, health systems science, ethics, and global and population health, that are taught throughout the Foundations Phase.
  • Three Integration weeks which reinforce and apply concepts from disparate basic science disciplines.
  • Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM), which develops clinical skills in both a classroom and patient care setting through the Primary Care Practicum.
  • A Summer Independent Investigative Inquiry (III) course and III Final Project.
  • Consolidation and Transition to Clerkships courses, which provide study time for USMLE Step 1 licensing exam and prepares students to enter the clinical curriculum.

Foundations Phase Curriculum

The following is a comprehensive list of all courses and credits that students entering in 2024 or after register for in the Foundations Phase.

Summer Year 1
2 courses, 15 credits		Fall Year 1
3 courses, 23.5 credits		Winter Year 1
4 courses 21 credits 		Spring Year 1
3 courses, 22.5 credits
MEDSCI 500: Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM, 2 credits)

MEDSCI 510: Fundamentals of Medical Science and Research (FMR, 13 credits)		MEDSCI 502: Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM, 3 credits)

MEDSCI 530: Infections and Immunity (I&I, 10 credits)

MEDSCI 516: Integration I (0.5 credits)

MEDSCI 520: Cancer, Hormones, and Blood (CHB, 10 credits)		MEDSCI 504: Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM, 4 credits)

MEDSCI 540: Muscle, Joints, Bones and Skin (MJBS, 8 credits)

MEDSCI 550: Cardiovasculary System (CVS, 8 credits)

MEDSCI 523: Medicine, Health and Society I (MHS I, 1 credit)		MEDSCI 506: Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM, 4 credits)

MEDSCI 553: Respiration and Regulation (R&R, 10 credits)

MEDSCI 517: Integration II (0.5 credit)

MEDSCI 556: Head, Neck and Gut (HNG, 8 credits)
Summer Year 2
2 courses, 9 credits		Fall Year 2
4 courses, 24.5 credits		Winter Year 2
2 courses 14 credits 		Spring Year 2
clinical courses, credits vary
MEDSCI 501: Independent Investigative Inquiry (III, Triple I, 6 credits)

MEDSCI 524: Medicine, Health and Society II (MHS II, 3 credits)		MEDSCI 508: Foundations of Clinical Medicine (FCM, 4 credits)

MEDSCI 560: Mind, Brain and Behavior (MBB, 11 credits)

MEDSCI 518: Integration III (0.5 credits)

MEDSCI 503: Triple I Final Project (1 credit)

MEDSCI 570: Reproduction and Development (R&D, 8 credits)		MEDSCI 562: Consolidation (CONSOL, 12 credits)

MEDSCI 583: Transition to Clerkships (TTC, 2 credits)

If you have questions about this page or would like to make changes please contact foundmed@uw.edu