Curriculum changes to support student wellbeing

Dear students, faculty and staff, 

The Pathways to Health and Wellness Curriculum (PWHC) was created with adaptability in mind. We knew from the outset that occasional fine-tuning would be needed to meet the needs of our learners.    

The first years of curriculum implementation have allowed students, faculty and staff to reflect on what works and what could be improved. After a college-wide conversation, we are excited to announce several changes to the PHWC. 

All changes are intended to decompress the current rigorous schedule and promote learner wellness. No new sessions will be added to the PHWC, and tuition will not be affected by these changes. 

The below changes will go into effect in Fall 2024:  

• Current protected wellness time will be repurposed as a guaranteed study day before each content exam.  
• Weekly Readiness Assessment Tests (RATs) will be discontinued. Readiness assessment will instead occur at the session-level, with formative points that can be earned.  
• To achieve schedule decompression and guaranteed study time, the preclinical academic calendar will begin two weeks earlier, with a projected start for the fall semester of Aug 12, 2024. Spring semester will begin one week earlier. 

I would like to thank our student leaders, students, faculty leaders, faculty and staff for the feedback that helped bring about these important changes. I believe these adjustments will go a long way in supporting the wellbeing of our medical students in years to come.  

Sincerely,  

Ken Johnson, D.O.