Paths of Distinction

    Enhance your education by considering one of our five unique Paths of Distinction, providing additional experiences that align with your interests. Developed to integrate with your field of study, the paths offer a way to further develop your knowledge and skills.

    Paths of Distinction available to students at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health include:

    Path of Distinction in Public Health

    Path of Distinction in Medical Education

    Path of Distinction in Research

    Path of Distinction in Bioethics

    Path of Distinction in Interprofessional Practice and Education

    Path of Distinction in Public Health

    Students who participate in the Path of Distinction in Public Health are provided with additional public health didactics, experiential learning and mentorship that supplements the ForWard Curriculum and serves as a foundation for the MD-MPH Dual Degree Program.

    In addition to the requirements, students who complete the Path of Distinction in Public Health will be afforded additional training opportunities including community-based experiential learning sessions and health equity and social justice trainings. We look forward to working with students and faculty interested in integrating medicine and public health.

    List of requirements

    MD students who participate in the Path of Distinction in Public Health will:

    • Complete PHS 712 Integrating Medicine and Public Health
    • Attend 8 POD-PH sponsored meetings in Phase 1
    • Identify and work with a project mentor to complete a project related to their preferred area(s) of interest. This project must be completed during the first summer of medical school and can focus on any public health area such as quality improvement, program planning, program evaluation, community health assessment, global health, health disparities and/or health policy.
    • Complete a series of reflections during your summer project
    • Orally present at a symposium sponsored by the Path of Distinction in Public Health
    • Participate in the Path of Distinction in Public Health learning community
      • Co-lead one learning community session before graduation
      • Attend one learning community session during Phase 2
      • Attend three learning community sessions during Phase 3

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    Path of Distinction in Medical Education

    The Path of Distinction in Medical Education (PoD MedEd) prepares tomorrow’s leaders in medical education. It provides medical students with exposure to core principles of education and enables them to apply that knowledge through experiences in teaching and scholarship.

    Students engage with a series of interactive online modules, take a teaching elective during Phase 3, and develop a medical education project in consultation with a faculty mentor. PoD MedEd students also collaborate with faculty and colleagues through participation in learning community events.

    List of requirements

    MD students who participate in the Path of Distinction in Medical Education will:

    • Complete Foundations of Medical Education Online Modules
    • Complete a 2-4 credit Teaching Elective in Phase 3
    • Identify and work with a mentor to complete a Medical Education Project related to an area of interest by March 1 of graduation year. This project can be completed as a Shapiro Research Project during the summer of Phase 1 or as a 4-8 credit Independent Study Elective during Phase 3
    • Disseminate scholarly outcomes of the Medical Education Project via presentation in a professional Medical Education related forum, such as the Medical Education Day, the Medical Education Learning Community, or another comparable conference or departmental medical education day.
    • Participate in the PoD MedEd learning community
    • Be in good standing in the MD Program

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    Path of Distinction in Research

    The Path of Distinction in Research (POD-R) is designed to recognize those students who go beyond the required curriculum to gain research skills and build a research portfolio that contributes to the advancement of science and the practice of medicine.

    POD-R confers distinction in research upon graduation to students in the MD curriculum who conduct mentored research during medical school and meet program standards for achievement in research scholarship.

    List of requirements

    MD students who participate in the Path of Distinction in Research will:

    • Engage in minimum 16 weeks of research (summer, electives, fellowship)
    • Author one or more manuscripts (first author or co-authored) or research thesis, based on original research
    • Complete 7 research learning activities
    • Participate in 6 other research-related activities
    • Present research locally and regionally; national presentation encouraged
    • No professionalism concerns
    • Satisfactory evaluation of work by research mentor and Student Research Committee
    • Good student standing

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    Path of Distinction in Bioethics

    The Path of Distinction in Bioethics (POD-B) awards distinction at graduation for students in the MD program who complete requirements demonstrating significant achievement in bioethics. The POD-B program provides students with opportunities for focused electives and selectives, clinical ethics observation, bioethics scholarship, and participation in a vibrant bioethics learning community. It serves as a foundation for service and research in ethics in one’s medical career.

    List of requirements

    MD students who participate in the Path of Distinction in Bioethics will:

    • Good standing in the Medical School Program
    • Complete MED HIST (Medical History & Bioethics) 729, “Introduction to Bioethics”
    • Complete MED HIST 730, “Topics in Bioethics”
    • Complete at least one approved Phase 3 selective
    • Participate in the Bioethics Learning Community (BLC)
      • Phase 1: Attend at least 3 BLC discussions
      • Phase 2: (co-)Lead a BLC discussion and attend at least one other BLC discussions.
      • Phase 3: Attend at least 3 BLC discussions
      • Phase 3: Attend the annual SMPH Bioethics Symposium and the Dean’s Luncheon preceding it.
      • Phase 3: Attend at least one Hospital Ethics Committee (HEC) meeting.
    • Complete a supervised scholarly Bioethics Research Paper
    • Present the Bioethics Research Paper orally at the SMPH Bioethics Research Symposium

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    Path of Distinction in Interprofessional Practice and Education (IPE)

    The UW IPE Path of Distinction Program (UW IPE PoD) awards distinction at graduation for health/social science program students (including the MD program students) who complete a two-year longitudinal IPE program, as detailed below, to gain and advance knowledge and skills in interprofessional competencies, and to become interprofessional practitioners as future healthcare team members and leaders.

    IPE is widely recognized as a roadmap toward improving the patient care experience, improving the health of communities and populations, reducing the cost of healthcare delivery, and improving the work experience of healthcare professionals - known as the ‘Quadruple Aim’.

    List of requirements

    The UW IPE PoD Program provides students with IPE learning, IPE research, IPE leadership and IPE reflection opportunities that supplement their program-specific education opportunities:

    • IPE Learning
      • Students need to complete the IPE Fundamental Badge (the four UW CIPE Competency Modules), an IPE course (or an IPE Didactic/Specialty Badge), an IPE simulation opportunity, and an IPE clinical/community placement.
    • IPE Leadership
      • Students are required to complete an IPE Leadership Badge through fulfilling two or more IPE leadership opportunities.
    • IPE Project
      • Students to complete an IPE Scholarship Badge by developing, implementing, evaluating, and disseminating an IPE-related project to advance the Quadruple Aim (better health, better care, better value, and better providers’ work experience).
    • Final IPE Reflection and Knowledge Sharing
      • At the end of the program, students are required to either submit a reflection or present/share (individually or as teams) their learning from their IPE PoD journey with students in their (and other) programs.

    Cross-professional students at UW-Madison at any year in their program (as long as they are able to satisfy the requirements) are eligible to apply. Applicants are required to complete an online application. The application includes a 500-word personal statement about IPE interest/experience and the impact of the UW IPE Path of Distinction on professional growth, as well as a resume/CV.

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