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Technical Standards

CUSM is committed to full compliance with section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (PL 93–112) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA PL 101–336) enacted by Congress in 1990 (Nondiscrimination based on Disability). Upon acceptance, students must attest to their ability to meet those standards with or without reasonable accommodations. Their signature notes this acknowledgment on a copy of the school's Technical Standards.

Accepted applicants to CUSM must be able to complete all requirements inherent in and leading to the MD degree. CUSM has adopted technical standards for assessing all accepted applicants to ensure this. Because the MD degree implies the practice of medicine, the graduates must know and master the skills to function in a wide variety of clinical situations and to administer a broad spectrum of patient care.

Functional senses are critical for the diagnostic skills of the MD and other healthcare providers. Therefore, the candidates for the MD program must have somatic sensations and functional senses of vision, smell, taste, and hearing. Additionally, they must have sufficient function of touch, pain, and temperature and adequate proprioceptive sense (position, pressure, movement, stereognosis, and vibratory). Good motor function is also critical since it permits them to perform outpatient examinations and other medical skills. They must consistently, quickly, and accurately integrate all the information they gather from their patient and employ it while inspecting the patient. They must be intellectually able to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize information and data logically to reach an accurate diagnosis. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation, are all personal qualities that should be assessed during admissions and education.

In addition, the candidate for the MD degree must have the following five skills*:

* Technological accommodations can be made for some disabilities in some of these areas, but a candidate should be able to perform reasonably independently.

Observation Skills

"The whole art of medicine is in observation… but to educate the eye to see, the ear to hear and the finger to feel takes time, and to make a beginning, to start a man on the right path is all that you can do."

– William Osler.

The candidate must be able to observe demonstrations and experiments in the basic sciences, including but not limited to physiologic and pharmacologic demonstrations, microbiologic cultures, and microscopic studies of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states. A candidate must also be able to observe a patient accurately at a distance and close at hand. Observation necessitates the functional use of the sense of vision and somatic sensation. The functional use of the sense of smell enhances it.

Communication Skills

The candidate should be able to speak, hear, and observe the patient gather information, describe changes in mood, activity, and posture, and perceive nonverbal communication. A candidate must articulate effectively and sensitively with patients through speech, reading, and writing. The patients of physicians who communicate well are more adherent to therapies and more satisfied with care. The candidate must be able to communicate effectively with all members of the healthcare profession. Communication skills are necessary for the student to accomplish the curricular requirements of CUSM.

Motor Skills

Candidates should have sufficient motor function to gather information from patients. For example, physical examination requires motor function for, e.g., inspection, palpation, percussion, and auscultation. A candidate should be able to complete routine procedures using universal precautions without risk to patients. A candidate should be able to do basic laboratory tests (urinalysis, complete blood count, etc.), carry out diagnostic procedures (proctoscopy, paracentesis, etc.) and read electrocardiograms and X-rays. A candidate should be able to execute motor movements reasonably when s/he is required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular coordination, equilibrium, and meticulous use of the senses of touch and vision.

Intellectual-Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Skills

These qualities are required for measurement, calculation, reasoning, analysis, synthesis, and the ability to extrapolate and reach diagnostic and therapeutic judgments. They are also necessary for problem-solving skills. The candidate should also be able to recognize and draw conclusions about three-dimensional spatial relationships and logical, sequential relationships among events. The candidate should be able to use the information s/he gathered to formulate and test hypotheses that enable effective, timely diagnosis and treatment of patients in various clinical modalities. The candidate should understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and should remain fully alert and attentive at all times in clinical settings.

Behavioral and Social Attributes Skills

A candidate must:

  1. Demonstrate judgment and emotional health stability to utilize their intellectual abilities fully.
  2. The exercise of sound judgment and prompt completion of all responsibilities and tasks attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients.
  3. Communicate and relate to patients, their families, and healthcare personnel sensitively and professionally.
  4. Work effectively and professionally as part of the healthcare team.
  5. Be able to adapt to changing environments.
  6. Display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients.
  7. Readily be willing and able to examine any patient regardless of the patient's age, disability, national origin, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, veteran status, or political beliefs.
  8. Maintain regular, reliable, and punctual attendance for classes and clinical responsibilities.
  9. Contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments, accept constructive feedback from others, and respond with appropriate modification.