Meaningful Education and Training

An integrated, experiential curriculum equips students to connect science with patient care and systems thinking. Active learning strengthens clinical reasoning, teamwork and adaptability essential for modern healthcare practice. Ensuring early and progressive training in the use of the electronic health record (EHR) will further support students’ clinical readiness, documentation accuracy and understanding of real-world care delivery.

UME Outcome 1.1: 95% of preclinical and clinical courses will include at least one active learning modality (case-based, simulation, or team/problem-based activity) with an overall increase in active learning by 10%

UME Outcome 1.2: ≥8 integrated learning experiences (cases, simulations, or team-based activities) will explicitly connect basic, clinical and HSS content

UME Outcome 1.3: All students will receive structured, developmentally appropriate EHR training throughout the entire curriculum

UME Tactic 1.1: Expand use of case-based, simulation and team-based learning modalities across the curriculum.

• 1.1a. Conduct a comprehensive inventory of current active learning strategies across preclinical and clinical phases to identify gaps, redundancies and opportunities for active learning and integration.
• 1.1b. Explore the feasibility of Problem-Based Learning (PBL) as an instructional strategy in the preclinical curriculum, including evaluation of required faculty, space and resource needs.
• 1.1c. Design and pilot 1 PBL or active learning case for the preclinical curriculum.
• 1.1d. Pilot focused faculty development on effective facilitation of PBL and other active learning formats, emphasizing learner engagement and assessment strategies.
• 1.1e. Identify opportunities to incorporate simulation and/or observed structured clinical examinations in the clinical curriculum

UME Tactic 1.2: Embed longitudinal health systems science content into active learning sessions, emphasizing real-world application and integration with the basic and clinical sciences across all phases of the curriculum

• 1.2a. Conduct comprehensive mapping of existing HSS content across the preclinical and clinical phases to identify gaps, redundancies and opportunities for longitudinal integration of HSS competency domains
• 1.2b. Collaborate with course and clerkship to identify instructional strategies and priorities on where to intentionally embed HSS principles throughout the curriculum
• 1.2c. Design and pilot integrated learning cases that link basic, clinical and health systems science using authentic scenarios

UME Tactic 1.3: Increase early clinical exposure and enhance training on electronic health record (EHR) systems to better prepare students to deliver effective patient care

• 1.3a. Provide EHR access for all incoming students
• 1.3b. Collaborate with VCU Health IT and Compliance to establish EHR training, providing the opportunity that allows students to practice documentation, order entry and clinical decision support in a safe, educational setting
• 1.3c. Collaborate with Practice of Clinical Medicine course directors to identify opportunities for progressive EHR training into the preclinical curriculum, emphasizing documentation, information retrieval and patient communication
• 1.3d. Form an interdisciplinary work group of preclinical and clinical course/clerkship directors to design a developmentally appropriate EHR curriculum that prepares students for clinical responsibilities
• 1.3e. Begin a coordinated planning process to establish a structured, longitudinal approach for EHR instruction and utilization across all phases of the curriculum

UME Tactic 1.4: Integrate technology, including artificial/augmented intelligence (AI) literacy and application, into the curriculum, focusing on discerning appropriate and ethical use, clinical decision support and innovations in healthcare delivery

• 1.4a. Establish a working group on Technology and AI in Medical Education to identify priority competencies in AI literacy, ethics and clinical decision-making
• 1.4b. Develop and pilot a longitudinal curriculum for the M3 year on ethical, safe and equitable use of AI in the clinical setting in case-based instruction
• 1.4c. Develop and pilot an OSCE that deliberately introduces an AI-induced error or “hallucination” where failure to detect the error could cause patient harm, with standardized artifacts (EHR extract, AI summary, education materials) and standardized patient scripts

UME Tactic 1.5: Expand use of case-based, simulation and team-based learning modalities across the curriculum

• 1.5a. Identify lecture-based content that could be streamlined or replaced by PBL cases to create time for PBL cases to promote deeper learning and integration across disciplines

UME Tactic 1.6: Embed longitudinal health systems science content into active learning sessions, emphasizing real-world application and integration with the basic and clinical sciences across all phases of the curriculum

• 1.6a. Design and pilot integrated learning cases that link basic, clinical and health systems science using authentic scenarios

UME Tactic 1.3: Increase early clinical exposure and enhance training on electronic health record (EHR) systems to better prepare students to deliver effective patient care

• 1.3a. Identify opportunities to increase early clinical experiences that reinforce patient-centered communication and effective and appropriate use of the EHR in care delivery

Intentional, individualized opportunities for exploration and mentorship support professional growth and professional identity formation, helping students align their personal values, career goals and scholarly pursuits.

UME Outcome 2.1: At least 4 fully developed Pathways of Distinction (e.g., Research, Medical Education) will be established and accessible to students.

UME Outcome 2.2.: Development and implementation of at least 6 new electives or para-curricular offerings across the M1–M4 years that align with professional identity formation.

UME Tactic 2.1: Develop and implement tailored para-curricular pathways of distinction (e.g., research, medical education and teaching, etc.) that include mentored scholarly projects and foster longitudinal identity formation

• 2.1a. Identify a workgroup to develop and formalize a comprehensive framework for the Pathways of Distinction, including overall structure, instructional design, governance structure, capstone requirements and longitudinal expectations
• 2.1b. Select and prepare one Pathway of Distinction for launch in Year 2 based on institutional priorities, faculty expertise and student interest
• 2.1c. Recruit key leadership and faculty—including a Pathways Program Manager, Pathways Directors and faculty mentors—to support the design, implementation and evaluation of the initial Pathways
• 2.1d. Form a Pathways Leadership Team to provide ongoing oversight, coordination and continuous quality improvement of curricular content, mentorship structures and governance processes

UME Tactic 2.2: Create structured opportunities for professional growth, career exploration and skill development to support life-long learning and evolving professional goals

• 2.2a. Establish a work group to identify opportunities for professional growth and career exploration across all phases of the curriculum, with a focus on students not participating in Pathways of Distinction
• 2.2 b. Explore options for expanded programing, including M1 electives, M3 electives and other para-curricular experiences that foster skill development and professional identity formation

Embedding leadership training fosters the communication, collaboration and advocacy skills physicians need to lead effectively in clinical teams, health systems and communities.

UME Outcome 3.1: A longitudinal leadership development curriculum will be fully implemented across all four years of the M.D.program.

UME Outcome 3.2: 50% or more of M.D.students will engage in authentic theory to practice leadership opportunities.

UME Tactic 3.1: Design a leadership development curriculum, emphasizing self-awareness, communication, collaboration, systems thinking and advocacy

• 3.1a. Form a leadership curriculum design team representing faculty and students to define core leadership competencies aligned with national standards and the institutional mission
• 3.1b. Conduct a comprehensive review of existing leadership-related content across the curriculum, student organizations and institution to identify opportunities for collaboration and integration
• 3.1c. Develop and pilot an interactive leadership development session that introduces foundational skills in self-awareness, communication, collaboration and advocacy

UME Tactic 3.2: Create an inventory of current activities (e.g., student government, societies, student organizations, community engagement initiatives) where leadership competencies are practiced

UME Tactic 3.3: Develop a leadership competency framework outlining progressive milestones for followership, leading self, leading others and leading teams

UME Tactic 3.4: Offer theory to practice opportunities to apply leadership skills to real-world situations

• 3.4a Engage the leadership curriculum design team to identify opportunities for students to apply leadership skills in authentic team projects, student organizations, academic settings and community engagement collaborations

A culture of humanism, professionalism, belonging and service strengthens resilience, mitigates burnout and reinforces the sense of purpose that sustains physicians throughout their careers.

UME Outcome 4.1: A longitudinal service-learning curriculum will be fully implemented throughout the curriculum

UME Outcome 4.2: A service recognition program will be established that encourages medical students to participate in community service

UME Outcome 4.3: At least one event per semester will be implemented to promote student well-being and foster meaningful faculty–student engagement

UME Tactic 4.1: Expand community engagement and service-learning experiences across all four years, with emphasis on improving health of the community

• 4.1a. Establish a community engagement and service-learning working group to identify existing opportunities and areas for growth
• 4.1b. Identify opportunities to integrate service-learning into all four years of the M.D.curriculum

UME Tactic 4.2: Create opportunities to enhance student well-being and engagement with the VCU School of Medicine and larger community through formal and informal programming

• 4.2a. Develop a catalog of wellness and engagement events (community service days, “Meaning in Medicine” gatherings, student-faculty socials, society events) and effectively communicate them to students to promote connection and belonging
• 4.2b. Launch at least 1 pilot initiative for students that foster peer support, mentorship and positive learning environments

UME Tactic 4.3: Create at least 1 opportunity for informal faculty-student engagement to strengthen relationships, mentoring and model professional engagement

UME Tactic 4.4: Expand community engagement and service-learning experiences across all four years, with emphasis on improving health of the community

• 4.4a. Expand SOM connections with community organizations that serve Richmond and surrounding areas and enhance the webpage
• 4.4b. Explore approaches to recognize students who demonstrate exemplary commitment to service and community engagement such as “Service Award” for sustained, meaningful contributions

Creating professional development opportunities for our faculty will improve our residents’ and fellows’ educational and professional experiences.

GME Outcome 1.1: Create a mentoring training program and other infrastructure to support program directors and program coordinators

GME Outcome 1.2: Implement faculty development programming to improve teaching, evaluation and feedback and track progress using: (a) participation/completion rates, (b) adoption of standardized evaluation/feedback tools and (c) learner-reported quality of feedback and teaching

GME Outcome 1.3: Establish an office to connect housestaff with research opportunities and support their activities through collaboration

GME Outcome 1.4: Establish and implement a framework for incorporation of AI into training residents and fellows

GME Tactic 1.1: Disseminate a needs assessment and create a list of program director and program coordinator “content experts” to serve as mentors for new program leaders

GME Tactic 1.2: Create a faculty development program, in close collaboration with the faculty development office, with quarterly workshops to include education on teaching strategies, evaluation and effective feedback

GME Tactic 1.3: Establish a research support hub under new Director of GME Research to assist housestaff to find faculty mentors, provide guidance on research design, assistance with IRB and regulatory hurdles, referral for statistical support and connection to a community of physician researchers

GME Tactic 1.4: Establish working group on housestaff utilization of AI

GME Tactic 1.5: Create guidelines for housestaff utilization of AI in clinical documentation

GME Tactic 1.6: Implement mentoring/coaching development program for PDs, PCs and faculty

GME Tactic 1.7: With the 2025-2026 academic year as a baseline, achieve annual increases during the next three years of 10% or more in the number of residents and fellows who have had posters accepted to local, regional and national meetings during their training

GME Tactic 1.8: Implement framework for housestaff utilization of AI in clinical decision-making

Integrating graduate medical education across the VCUHS community, and in particular, at our rural sites (such as Community Memorial Hospital, etc.), will prepare providers and staff to effectively work, teach and collaborate with housestaff, and it will prepare housestaff to provide care to diverse populations in multiple settings.

GME Outcome 2.1: Understand needs of faculty and provide programing to support educational mission at our rural hospitals

GME Outcome 2.2: Establish a baseline level of faculty participation in existing GME faculty development programs and increase participation by 5% annually

GME Outcome 2.3: Enhance GME footprint at our rural facilities by creating and supporting elective rotations

GME Tactic 2.1: Disseminate needs assessment to faculty at our rural hospitals to inform content creation

GME Tactic 2.2: Actively engage faculty to participate in existing GME faculty development programs to establish a baseline level of faculty participation

GME Tactic 2.3: Work with existing programs to create rural rotations at CMH and Tappahannock

GME Tactic 2.4: Create and implement quarterly faculty development programming for our rural sites

GME Tactic 2.5: Implement rural health resident rotations at CMH or Tappahannock for at least 2 programs

Fostering a culture that is respectful, inclusive and equitable is critical to the academic and educational success of our graduate medical students.

GME Outcome 3.1: Implement a structure that enables Housestaff to get an urgent appointment at CTC or EAP within 72 hours and a preventative care appointment at CTC within 30 days

GME Outcome 3.2: Develop and promote peer support programs for housestaff through collaboration with the Employee Assistance Program

GME Outcome 3.3: Promote inclusion and belonging for our housestaff

GME Outcome 3.4: Synergize with the Joy in Medicine® program where it makes sense

GME Tactic 3.1: Improve housestaff access to primary care and mental health resources through the Center for Team Care and the Employee Assistance Program

GME Tactic 3.2: Work with EAP to train at least 10 peer supporters (combination of faculty and residents) and create framework for engagement and sustainability

GME Tactic 3.3: Increase participation in our Housestaff Council by 50%

GME Tactic 3.4: Hold at least 2 events to support inclusion and belonging with the institution

GME Tactic 3.5: Implement opt-out transition check-in and support program for new interns with EAP

GME Tactic 3.6: Evaluate success of Peer Support Program and implement framework for sustainability

GME Tactic 3.7: Work with SOM to establish Mentorship Academy that incorporates the UME, GME and faculty

Effective training, supervision and feedback will ensure our patient care is consistently safe, skilled and kind.

GME Outcome 4.1: Expand education on the social drivers of health and understanding of Epic SDoH tools, incorporating interprofessional training and collaboration to individual departments in a Grand Rounds setting

GME Outcome 4.2: Work with office of VCUHS Chief Quality and Safety Officer to train at least 25% of overall housestaff on principles of high-reliability organizations, with particular emphasis on communications skills

GME Tactic 4.1: Create and disseminate educational programming on social determinants of health and how to incorporate into quality improvement

GME Tactic 4.2: Institution provides summary information of patient safety reports to housestaff and faculty members. Programming (Year 2) developed from gaps identified in the reports

GME Tactic 4.3: Work with VCUHS leadership to create and disseminate educational programming on principles of high-reliability organizations and effective interdisciplinary communication

Graduate programs need to evolve to match how students learn and work today, with more flexibility, different types of training and better connections to various career opportunities.

GE Outcome 1.1: Submission of at least two proposals for new graduate programs in 2026 that will lead to a broadened portfolio of graduate training opportunities in the biomedical sciences

GE Outcome 1.2: Increase by two-fold professional development opportunities for graduate students by 2028

GE Outcome 1.3: Increase by two-fold training grant and fellowship applications supporting doctoral students by 2028

GE Outcome 1.4: Increase by 10 - 15% total graduate student enrollment by 2028

GE Tactics 1.1: Modify graduate programs to unify biomedical sciences MS and PHD curricula

GE Tactics 1.2: Develop non-thesis options for biomedical sciences MS programs

GE Tactics 1.3: Facilitate or lead the development of new MS and certificate programs in partnership with clinical departments within and outside of the School of Medicine

GE Tactics 1.4: Explore accelerated MS programs through partnerships with VCU and potentially other institutions

GE Tactics 1.5: Explore development of a Mentoring Academy for faculty in collaboration with SOM Faculty Affairs

GE Tactics 1.6: Identify opportunities for training in new technologies such as artificial intelligence into MS and PHD program curricula

GE Tactics 1.7: Explore new PHD, MS and certificate programs that align with research themes in the School of Medicine

GE Tactics 1.8: Facilitate the awarding of additional training grants and individual fellowships for doctoral students through partnerships with SOM graduate programs, SOM Office of Research and SOM Research Administration

GE Tactics 1.9: Incorporate the Mentoring Academy for faculty in collaboration with SOM Faculty Affairs to be launched in 2027

GE Tactics 1.10: Incorporate training in new technologies such as artificial intelligence into MS and PHD program curricula

A strategic communication plan with emphasis on brand recognition, training opportunities and career paths will raise awareness with key stakeholders and thereby increase applications to and enrollment in our programs.

GE Outcome 2.1: Development and implementation of a more robust communication plan that includes digital and other forms of marketing by early 2026

GE Outcome 2.2: Increase by 20% total applications to graduate programs by 2028

GE Outcome 2.3: Increase by 15% total enrollment in graduate programs by 2028

GE Tactics 2.1: Triple our efforts in digital marketing, social media and in-person events to better promote our premedical certificate and biomedical sciences MS programs:

• Highlight the VCU School of Medicine as “the destination” for training in the biomedical sciences and targeted clinical areas
• Articulate the value proposition of earning a graduate degree from the VCU School of Medicine
• Answer the question of “Why choose the VCU School of Medicine for graduate training?”

GE Tactics 2.2: Identify and understand key audiences for communication plan

GE Tactics 2.3: Celebrate the successes of our graduate students by telling their stories both within and outside of the School of Medicine

GE Tactics 2.4: Expand marketing to include additional PHD, MS and certificate programs

GE Tactics 2.5: Evaluate effectiveness of communication plan and refine accordingly

GE Tactics 2.6: Develop partnerships with alumni as well as local and regional communities to help support graduate students and increase enrollment in our graduate programs

VCU School of Medicine has a strategic opportunity to expand graduate enrollment and strengthen its regional impact by positioning itself as a key workforce solution for the emerging pharmaceutical/biotech industry in Virginia.

GE Outcome 3.1: Development of a comprehensive plan (that includes training programs, personnel, space, financial resources and any other key considerations) for pursuing this goal during 2026

GE Outcome 3.2: Relationships with at least two local and/or regional partners to explore development of graduate training programs whose alumni will be well suited for employment opportunities in those industries by 2027

GE Outcome 3.3: Design and submit proposals for at least two targeted graduate programs to serve the needs of current employees of partner industries by 2027

GE Outcome 3.4: Expand partnerships with at least 10 alumni working in the pharmaceutical or biotech industries to provide networking opportunities for our graduate students and to provide recruitment opportunities for industry partners by 2028

GE Tactics 3.1: Develop a comprehensive plan for training programs, personnel, space, financial and other resources needed to pursue this goal

GE Tactics 3.2: Partner with School of Medicine leadership to organize a team of School of Medicine expertise to engage in this opportunity

GE Tactics 3.3: Identify and fill new positions for VCU School of Medicine faculty and staff to serve as liaisons for industry partners

GE Tactics 3.4: Leverage our location within an emerging biotech hub to develop industry partnerships in RVA and VA

GE Tactics 3.5: Partner with local pharmaceutical and biotech companies to design and submit for approval graduate programs that address their workforce needs and provide career ladders for their employees

GE Tactics 3.6: Build a strong alumni network, especially as it relates to local and regional companies’ work in pharmaceutics, biotech and life sciences