Program Overview

At the Frank H. Netter MD School of Medicine, we prepare students to become highly qualified, compassionate and culturally sensitive doctors. No matter which medical specialty you choose, you’ll be trained to view your patients through the lens of a primary care physician — always with an emphasis on patient-centered care. 

From the outset, you’ll learn evidence-based medicine through the integration of basic science concepts in Foundations of Medicine (FOM) and rigorous clinical training through Clinical Arts and Sciences (CAS). In September of your first year, you’ll be paired with a community physician to practice your clinical skills, working with patients through our innovative Medical Student Home (MeSH) program. 

Throughout your four years of medical school, you will work closely with faculty mentors, career advisers and clinical faculty physicians in various medical settings. They’ll help you choose courses, plan your required and elective fourth-year clerkships, and identify residency programs that align to your interests and career goals. To reinforce critical thinking skills and self-directed learning, you will also complete a project under the guidance of a mentor in the Scholarly Reflection and Concentration/Capstone course (SRCC).   

The medical school is located on our interprofessional North Haven Campus with the Schools of Health Sciences, Nursing and Law. This creates a collaborative learning environment for students pursuing degrees in a multitude of health care professions, including physical therapy, occupational therapy and physician assistant. Our state-of-the-art facilities include an operating suite with two high-fidelity simulation rooms, a SimMan suite of lifelike mannequins that function as patient simulators and labs with the latest imaging equipment. Our facility includes 16 patient rooms where students practice examining simulated patients. 

We have affiliations with several community hospitals in urban, suburban and rural settings. Our principal hospital affiliates are St. Vincent’s Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and St. Francis Hospital in Hartford, Connecticut. You'll experience a variety of clinical work placements that help you to determine where you see yourself practicing medicine during and after your residency years.