The UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP) is a five-year graduate/medical degree program. The pre-clerkship years are spent at UC Berkeley, engaging in a leading-edge integrated problem-based-learning medical curriculum while simultaneously earning a master's degree (MS) in the Health and Medical Sciences at UC Berkeley's School of Public Health. After 2.5 three years, our students move across the bay to UCSF to finish their medical education and receive their medical doctorate (MD).
To apply to the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP), applicants start by:
1. Applying to UCSF via AMCAS
2. Receiving and accepting an invitation for a UCSF secondary application
3. Following the instructions on the UCSF secondary application by checking the JMP box to indicate interest in the JMP
4. Submitting additional JMP-specific application materials as instructed
After checking the JMP box, applicants will be prompted to provide additional JMP-specific materials, including two short essay questions. Only applicants who have checked the JMP box on their UCSF secondary application will be considered for JMP admission.
The UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program (JMP) is a pioneer in teaching medicine in the broader context of public health and health systems. The goal of the JMP’s curriculum is to train physician “changemakers” who approach medicine with a broad trans-disciplinary understanding of the social and structural determinants of health, health systems science, community health, and health equitypopulation health, health equity, and data science.
The integrated academic and professional approach to learning medicine is three-pronged:
1. Structured research mentorship;
2. Foundational courses in public health, health systems, and medicine;
3. Freedom to choose additional courses that support your research.
This curriculum will not only support your research but also provide you with a critical perspective of the context in which you will practice medicine.
The following outline describes the course requirements for the JMP curriculum with a minimum of 32 credit units taken for your master’s in addition to the medical curriculum.
Curriculum
The curriculum consists of foundational core courses and courses in two possible tracks selected by students. Master’s courses are taken in parallel with medical courses. Students should commit to a track once they identify a mentor and a project, which is expected by the end of the first year. The two tracks provide the curricular flexibility needed to accommodate various approaches to achieving the program’s goals. In other words, we recognize that the education of antiracist changemakers can be accomplished through different paths.
In the table below, the core required courses are shaded in green. The orange and purple shading in the table represent the two tracks. Track A (purple shading) focuses on changemaking through health policy and biomedical sciences. Track B (orange shading) focuses on changemaking through social science and humanities. The required methods course for track A is biostatistics; for track B, students, with their mentor’s advice, will select an appropriate methods course.
Anti-Racist and Racial Justice Praxis Spring Student Elective
3
One Research Methods course in the methods students will use for their project. 2-4 units each course. Applies only to track B. For track A, biostatistics counts as a methods course {see below}
Health Policy and Management Breadth Course (or equivalent required for Track A)
2
JMP Masters of Health & Medical Sciences Thesis
A JMP student’s MS coursework and research culminate in the crafting of a thesis, including an in-depth literature review of the student’s area of expertise and a scholarly product, often a manuscript for submission to a journal. Students can pursue research in any field of knowledge with a link to human health. A database of prior JMP research theses can be accessed at: http://escholarship.org/uc/ucb_ucsf_joint_medical_program
Courses
Health and Medical Sciences Program
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021
The five semester sequence introducing principles of the medical basic science, health policy, public health, and clinical aspects of medicine taught in a contextual-integrated case-based format. The sequence includes curriculum in biochemistry, histology, microbiology, immunology, neuroanatomy, pathology, physiology, pharmacology, and clinical sciences. Foundational Sciences through Problem-Based Learning: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 5 times.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 9 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
The focus of this course is on medical physiology—the study of the human body's normal functioning. Physiology underpins the rest of the foundational medical sciences curriculum by allowing students to map and anchor the additional learning necessary to make sense of complex problem-based learning (PBL) medical cases later in the curriculum. Students will learn physiology through team-based learning (TBL), a student-centered pedagogy in which they work with physiological problems to solve them collaboratively. By actively engaging in learning through problem-solving, students do more than memorize content; they learn how to work together to build a strong web of interconnected information to solve real-world problems. Foundational Medical Sciences: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: Create rich and elaborated causal networks that explain physiological processes.
Develop and practice evidence-based self-regulated learning skills.
Develop communication skills that support effective teamwork.
Learn from an anti-racist lens and actively practice anti-racism in the classroom.
Skillfully contribute to learning in collaborative teams.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program. JMP first year student fall semester
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2003
Beginning in this semester, you will learn all the foundational medical sciences through problem-based learning (PBL), which builds upon the foundation of physiological knowledge learned through TBL in your first semester. PBL is an evidence-based educational strategy underpinned by a constructivist philosophy of learning. The foundational medical sciences include, among others, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genetics, behavioral sciences, epidemiology, public health, medical sociology, and other social sciences. Foundational Medical Sciences: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: Create rich and elaborated causal networks that explain physiological processes.
Develop and practice evidence-based self-regulated learning skills.
Develop communication skills that support effective teamwork.
Learn from an anti-racist lens and actively practice anti-racism in the classroom.
Skillfully contribute to learning in collaborative teams.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 9 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
Continuing your study of foundational medical sciences through problem-based learning (PBL), this is the second PBL course in a series of 4. PBL is an evidence-based educational strategy underpinned by a constructivist philosophy of learning. The foundational medical sciences include, among others, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genetics, behavioral sciences, epidemiology, public health, medical sociology, and other social sciences. Foundational Medical Sciences C: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: Learn from an anti-racist lens and actively practice anti-racism in the classroom.
Create rich and elaborated causal networks that explain physiological processes.
Develop and practice evidence-based self-regulated learning skills.
Develop communication skills that support effective teamwork.
Skillfully contribute to learning in collaborative teams.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Must be enrolled in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2004
Continuing your study of foundational medical sciences through problem-based learning (PBL), this is the third PBL course in a series
of four. PBL is an evidence-based educational strategy underpinned by a constructivist philosophy of learning. The foundational medical
sciences include, among others, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genetics, behavioral
sciences, epidemiology, public health, medical sociology, and other social sciences. Foundational Medical Sciences D: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: Create rich and elaborated causal networks that explain physiological processes.
Develop and practice evidence-based self-regulated learning skills.
Develop communication skills that support effective teamwork.
Learn from an anti-racist lens and actively practice anti-racism in the classroom.
Skillfully contribute to learning in collaborative teams.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Must be enrolled in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
Continuing your study of foundational medical sciences through problem-based learning (PBL), this is the final PBL course in a series
of four. PBL is an evidence-based educational strategy underpinned by a constructivist philosophy of learning. The foundational medical sciences include, among others, pathology, pharmacology, biochemistry, immunology, microbiology, genetics, behavioral
sciences, epidemiology, public health, medical sociology, and other social sciences. Foundational Medical Sciences E: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Student Learning Outcomes: Create rich and elaborated causal networks that explain physiological processes
Develop and practice evidence-based self-regulated learning skills.
Develop communication skills that support effective teamwork.
Learn from an anti-racist lens and actively practice anti-racism in the classroom.
Skillfully contribute to learning in collaborative teams.
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Must be enrolled in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 9 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Spring 2023, Spring 2022, Fall 2021
Clinical Medicine at the JMP is designed to learn and practice the basic skills, knowledge and professionalism needed for the practice of medicine. Students enroll in the course for four consecutive semesters during their first and second years. Clinical Medicine: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: HMS 214
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 6 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This is the first semester of a mandatory 5 semester Clinical Medicine course. It lays down the foundation for building upon history-taking and physical exam skills and introduces concepts of anti-racism for future integration in your clinical interviews, exams, and communication. The course uses a combination of small group sessions, standardized patient encounters, and intensive clinical encounters within a seminar setting to prepare students to thrive in clinical rotations as curious and self-driven learners, compassionate, clinically astute and just health care providers, and effective and collaborative team members. Clinical Medicine A: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This is the second semester of a mandatory 5 semester Clinical Medicine course. It lays down the foundation for building upon history-taking and physical exam skills and introduces concepts of anti-racism for future integration in your clinical interviews, exams, and communication. The course uses a combination of small group sessions, standardized patient encounters, and intensive clinical encounters to prepare students to thrive in clinical rotations as curious and self-driven learners, compassionate, clinically astute and just health care providers, and effective and collaborative team members.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This is the third semester of a mandatory 5 semester Clinical Medicine course. It builds upon the foundation for history-taking and physical exam skills with of focus on differential diagnoses and integrates concepts of anti-racism in your clinical interviews, exams, and communication. The course uses a combination of small group sessions, standardized patient encounters, and intensive clinical encounters within a seminar setting to prepare students to thrive in clinical rotations as curious and self-driven learners, compassionate, clinically astute and just health care providers, and effective and collaborative team members.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This is the fourth semester of a mandatory 5 semester Clinical Medicine course. It builds upon the foundation for history-taking and physical exam skills with focus on differential diagnoses and integrates concepts of anti-racism in your clinical interviews, exams, and communication. The course uses a combination of small group sessions, standardized patient encounters, and intensive clinical encounters to prepare students to thrive in clinical rotations as curious and self-driven learners, compassionate, clinically astute and just health care providers, and effective and collaborative team members.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This is the final semester of a mandatory 5 semester Clinical Medicine course. It builds upon the clinical skills developed in the first four semesters, integrating antiracism and clinical reasoning throughout your clinical interviews, exams, and communication. The course uses a combination of small group sessions, standardized patient encounters, and intensive clinical encounters within a seminar setting to prepare students to thrive in clinical rotations as curious and self-driven learners, compassionate, clinically astute and just health care providers, and effective and collaborative team members.
Terms offered: Fall 2021, Fall 2020, Fall 2019
The overall goals of this course is for students to learn and practice advanced interviewing, integrated and focused clinical history-taking, physical exam skills, clinical decision making and problem solving skills, H & P and SOAP notes, oral case presentations and professionalism in clinical settings. Coursework is divided in 5 elements of Classroom Sessions, Psychiatric Interview, Kaiser PACE Week, 4 Inpatient Preceptorships, and 2 standardized patient exercises at SMU
Terms offered: Spring 2022, Fall 2021, Spring 2021
A seminar to help Joint Medical Program students acquire skills necessary to define a research question, find appropriate mentorship, and design a research project. Summer course introduces research design, methods, and expectations for M.S. research in Health and Medical Sciences. Fall and spring semesters address topics in research; student progress toward M.S. thesis is reviewed and critiqued. Development of research plan, protocol design and implementation, and research findings will be reviewed. Each student takes this course three times in the first year. Research Seminar: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Sciences UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 6 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
This graduate course aims to support the students’ development as scholars and medical learners with a critical stance. This seminar has two components. The first is a discussion seminar focusing on 1) understanding the relationship between theory and method in designing research protocols and conducting social scientific research and 2) translating research questions into methods/research design, including appropriate measurements. The second component is a practicum; students will apply the theoretical concepts, historical analyses, and conversations about methods from the seminar to the research projects that students will develop. It includes practical aspects such as writing skills, information literacy, grantsmanship, etc. JMP Masters Seminar Thinking Critically about Medicine: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3.5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023
This is the second in a series of 5 courses designed to support graduate students’ development as scholars and medical learners with a critical stance. This course provides a scaffold for students to make progress on their master’s project work. To support this process, students will use class time to work in the context of their groups, which are assigned based on methodological affinity or topic affinity. Students can move between groups as needed, and new groups may be formed when needed. Students will continue working on translating research questions into methods/research design, including appropriate measurements. JMP Masters Seminar: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Science Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
JMP Masters Seminar & Community Leadership is a series of 3 courses with two components in each one. The first one is the master’s working group seminar; students will use class time to make progress on their master’s project work in the context of groups assigned based on methodological affinity or topical affinity.
The second component, Antiracist Advocacy and Leadership in Medicine, addresses how JMP students show up in the community first as antiracist medical students, and then as antiracist physicians; it provides foundational skills to change structures to advance health equity by focusing on leadership development, community engagement, and strategies to create authentic partnerships with community members to advance health equity. JMP Masters Seminar & Community Leadership: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: You must be enrolled as a graduate student in the UC Berkeley-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023
The 2nd of the JMP Masters Seminar & Community Leadership series of 3 courses with two components. The 1st component is the master’s working group seminar; students will use class time to make progress on their master’s project work in the context of groups assigned based on methodological affinity or topical affinity.
The 2nd component, Antiracist Advocacy & Leadership in Medicine, addresses how JMP students show up in the community first as antiracist medical students, and then as antiracist physicians; it provides foundational skills to change structures to advance health equity by focusing on leadership development, community engagement, and strategies to create authentic partnerships with community members to advance health equity. JMP Masters Seminar & Community Leadership D: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Prerequisite: Enrolled as a graduate student in the UCB-UCSF Joint Medical Program
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 2 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Grading: Offered for satisfactory/unsatisfactory grade only.
Terms offered: Fall 2024, Fall 2023, Fall 2022
The 3rd of the JMP Masters Seminar & Community Leadership series of 3 courses with two components. The 1st component is the master’s working group seminar; students will use class time to make progress on their master’s project work in the context of groups assigned based on methodological affinity or topical affinity.
The 2nd component, Antiracist Advocacy & Leadership in Medicine, addresses how JMP students show up in the community first as antiracist medical students, and then as antiracist physicians; it provides foundational skills to change structures to advance health equity by focusing on leadership development, community engagement, and strategies to create authentic partnerships with community members to advance health equity.
Terms offered: Fall 2021, Spring 2021, Fall 2020
The Epidemiology/Reproductive Health/ Evaluation TWG provides JMP students a supportive small group student-centered environment in which to discuss their research with other students engaged in Epidemiology/Reproductive Health/ Evaluation projects towards the goal of the successful completion of the required JMP MS. Basic, Clinical, and Behavioral Research Thesis Working Group: Read More [+]
Objectives & Outcomes
Course Objectives: To develop specific skills in Epidemiology/Reproductive Health/ Evaluation research design, planning and implementation, data collection, analysis, presentation and publication. To give students a supportive environment in which to discuss their research with students and faculty who are engaged in similar research. To give students the opportunity to provide peer advising to their classmates regarding their research projects. To provide students with individual mentoring by TWG leaders during outside sessions planned between faculty and students To support students in developing skills in working with a mentor, developing a research design, obtaining IRB approval, collecting and analyzing data, managing a research project, presenting findings as posters or oral presentations, presenting research to the community, and drafting a master’s thesis and/or publication
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: 2nd year students-HMS 261 completed with no incompletes 3rd year students-prior HMS 265 completed with no incompletes
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit up to a total of 4 times.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 3-5 hours of seminar per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Spring 2024, Spring 2023, Spring 2022
Designed to permit qualified graduate students to pursue special study under the direction of a faculty member. Special Study: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 0-3 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 8 weeks - 0-3 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Terms offered: Fall 2022, Spring 2014, Spring 2013
Group study for graduate students. Intensive examination of health-related topics. Directed Group Study: Read More [+]
Rules & Requirements
Prerequisites: Graduate standing in Health and Medical Sciences Program or consent of instructor
Repeat rules: Course may be repeated for credit without restriction.
Hours & Format
Fall and/or spring: 15 weeks - 1-5 hours of independent study per week
Summer: 6 weeks - 2.5-12.5 hours of independent study per week 8 weeks - 1.5-7.5 hours of independent study per week 10 weeks - 1.5-4 hours of independent study per week
Additional Details
Subject/Course Level: Health and Medical Sciences/Graduate
Grading: The grading option will be decided by the instructor when the class is offered.
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