In a state first, the University of Arizona will open a three-year pathway for medical degrees at two of its medical schools.
The program will be offered to students at the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Tucson and the University of Arizona College of Medicine—Phoenix. Students in the program will complete the same required core coursework and clerkships as the traditional program, but some elective clinical curriculum and transition to residency credits have been removed, according to a June 17 university news release.
“The three-year pathway to a medical degree will play a key role in our ability to address the state’s shortage of primary care physicians, including but not limited to rural, tribal and underserved communities,” Michael Abecassis, MD, the inaugural Humberto and Czarina Lopez endowed dean of the College of Medicine—Tucson, said in the release.
The program will enroll its first cohort this fall. Within the next three years, the medical schools aim to enroll a combined 36 students.
Across the country, more than 30 universities offer three-year medical degree programs.
