I-EXPLORE Faculty Roles
The UC Davis School of Medicine’s Committee on Educational Policy (CEP) oversees the medical education curriculum and appoints the medical education faculty educators. The I-EXPLORE curriculum includes faculty educator positions of: Course Directors, Discipline Leaders, Areas of Scholarly Concentration Mentors, Thread Leaders, Problem Based Learning Facilitators, Clerkship Directors, and Experience Directors (Post-Clerkship Phase).
Course Directors collaborate in course administration, including scheduling, content organization and integration, assessment, and communication. Teaching within the course one is managing is strongly encouraged but not required.
The Pre-Clerkship Phase courses include a Course Director from each I-EXPLORE pillar (Biomedical Sciences, Clinical Sciences, and Health Systems Science), for each of these courses.
- Human Architecture and Function
- Molecular and Cellular Medicine
- Pathogens and Host Defense
- Cardiovascular, Pulmonology, and Renal Systems
- Endocrinology, Reproduction, and Gastrointestinal Systems
- Skin and Musculoskeletal Systems
- Brain and Behavior
- I-RESTORE (Pre-Clerkship Intersession)
The Clerkship and Post-Clerkship phases required curriculum courses also have Course Directors:
- Clerkship Intersession
- Transition to Residency
Discipline Leaders organize their discipline content across the entirety of the curriculum. They collaborate with course directors, thread leaders, and one another to ensure the discipline content is appropriately integrated and spans each educational phase. Discipline Leaders are the primary instructors for their discipline content. Unless otherwise indicated, there is one leader for each discipline.
| Disciplines | Pediatrics | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| Anatomy | Gastroenterology | Microbiology | Pharmacology |
| Biochemistry and Molecular Medicine | Genetics | Musculoskeletal | Physiology |
| Bioethics | Health Equity (2-3) | Nephrology | POCUS |
| Cardiology | Hematology | Neuroanatomy | Procedural Skills |
| Clinical Skills (2-4) | Histology | Neuroscience | Psychiatry |
| Clinical Skills in the Clerkship Phase | Health Systems Science (4-6) | Ophthalmology | Pulmonology |
| Dermatology | Immunology | Otolaryngology | Reproduction |
| Endocrinology | Longitudinal Clinical Experience (2) | Pathology | Urology |
Thread Leaders organize thread content across the entirety of the curriculum. They collaborate with course directors, discipline leaders, and one another to ensure the thread content is appropriately integrated and incorporated over each educational phase. Thread Leaders might participate in the instruction of the thread content, but most often it is taught by course directors and discipline leaders. The threads are:
- Behavior Health
- Care for Vulnerable Populations
- Diagnostic Medicine
- Pain Medicine
- Preventive Medicine
- Stages of Life
Individual problem-based learning (PBL) facilitators lead a group of 6-8 students in the Team INQUIRE program during the Pre-Clerkship Phase. In PBL, students study a case, select learning objectives, identify and assess appropriate resources for relevant information, and teach one another the learned content. This active learning approach strengthens student communication and professionalism skills. PBL Facilitators help guide group sessions with the use of cases, and provide student feedback on their teamwork, communication, and critical thinking skills. Approximately 20 faculty participate in PBL annually.
Areas of Scholarly Concentration (ASC) are optional longitudinal elective experiences that include academic modules and projects for interested students. Mentors for the ASC create student learning communities that span the duration of medical education. The mentors collaborate with other School of Medicine educational leaders and committees to develop topical content and guide students on special projects. The scholarly concentrations are:
- Global Health
- Health Care Policy and Advocacy
- Medical Education
- Quality Improvement
- Research
Each clerkship has at least two Clerkship Directors who collaborate on course design, administration, implementation, communication, didactic instruction, required clinical experiences, and assessments. Clerkship Directors execute the clinical course seven (7) times each academic year, often working with regional clinical affiliates for diversified student experiences. The Clerkships are:
- Family and Community Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Obstetrics and Gynecology
- Pediatrics
- Psychiatry
- Surgery
The Clerkship Phase also includes the Clerkship Intersession Course lead by 2-3 Course Directors.
Experience Directors are faculty who manage required curriculum experiences during the Post-Clerkship Phase. Experience Directors may be the Course Director of a required experience, or work with Course Directors across various departments to successfully implement the experience. Required Post-Clerkship experiences include education in these areas:
- Emergency Medicine
- Intensive Care Unit
- Neurology
The Post-Clerkship Phase also includes the Transition to Residency Course which is organized by two Course Directors.