Only about 15% of medical schools in the U.S. offer competency-based graduation (CBG), and VCU School of Medicine is proud to make the option available to our students. The program provides early mentorship and clinical training in the student's chosen specialty. Upon meeting the academic and professional standards for the competency-based graduation program, the residency program, and the medical school, you will be ranked to match into the VCU or VCU affiliated Residency Program through the National Residency Matching program. Should you choose to rank us, you would be positioned to match at the VCU or VCU affiliated program for residency. This unique opportunity also aims to address the physician workforce shortage in Virginia, as those who stay for residency are more likely to remain in the Commonwealth to practice.
VCU School of Medicine participates in the Consortium of Accelerated Medical Pathway Programs (CAMPP), a group of North American medical schools offering the three-year pathway.
The program's first cohort graduated in 2020. Read about their journeys here.
CBG Mission Statement
The mission of the VCU Competency-Based Graduation Program is to develop and retain physicians in Virginia through innovative curricular design, individualized mentorship, and a supportive learning environment. We aim to cultivate exceptional physicians who are well-prepared to make meaningful contributions to healthcare in Virginia while minimizing the financial burden of their medical education.
CBG Vision Statement
By fostering early mentorship and offering specialty-specific opportunities, the VCU Competency Based Medical School Program aims to develop a strong professional identity and career readiness among its participants. Graduates of the Competency-Based Graduation Program will enter their residencies with a robust foundation of essential skills, prepared to excel in their fields and achieve long-term career success and fulfillment.
Program Timeline
The preclinical phase remains unchanged. Students learn about the CBG program during interest sessions, and those committed to a specialty and staying at VCU or an affiliated residency are paired with mentors for early specialty-specific experiences.
Students apply and are pre-enrolled in the CBG program during the first semester, then are placed with a practice of clinical medicine preceptor in their chosen specialty. Full enrollment into the program follows successfully passing USMLE Step 1.
CBG participants begin clinical training one month earlier than traditional third-year students. They follow a custom-designed clerkship schedule that sequences rotations to align with their chosen specialty. This includes a dedicated month-long elective in that specialty, providing deeper clinical immersion and early exposure. Instead of the standard M3 electives, students complete an acting internship in their desired field—typically a fourth-year component—during the third year. They also take the USMLE Step 2 exam in the winter. After completing their third-year clerkships, students participate in a critical care acting internship. All required core clerkships are still completed as part of the program.
Participants undergo a rigorous assessment of competency throughout their third year to ensure they remain on track for early graduation. The CBG Clinical Competency Committee, comprised of clerkship directors, residency directors and other School of Medicine leaders, evaluate CBG students every quarter.
Students who remain on track as deemed by the committee will be ranked to match into the VCU residency program of their chosen specialty through the National Resident Matching Program. At any point prior to entering the match, students may leave the CBG program and reenter the traditional four-year pathway.
Interested students should know which VCU residency program they want to enter. The program is designed to allow for early exposure to that program, and we work to align second-year students with a preceptor in their desired specialty. We are actively expanding into other programs, and our currently participating residencies include:
“Being able to accelerate the clinical portion of my training seemed almost too good to be true. I knew what I wanted to do and had already worked with the faculty and residents here and had wonderful experiences.”
Janina Pearce, M.D., Ph.D.
2020 CBG graduate
For more information about the competency-based graduation program, please contact:
Christina Vitto, M.D.
CBG Program Director
christina.vitto@vcuhealth.org