UCSF EPAC Description for First Year Medical Students
This information is for those of you who are considering a career in Pediatrics.
We want you to be aware of an educational opportunity called Education in
Pediatrics Across the Continuum (or EPAC). The continuum is the educational
journey on which you now embark, extending through medical school, residency,
and even, into fellowship and your professional career. The vision of EPAC is to
create a new model of medical education and training that seamlessly spans your
time in medical school and your future time in residency.
We are proud to be one of four institutions, in collaboration with the Association
of American Medical Colleges, offering this longitudinal pediatric training
opportunity. Additionally EPAC receives sponsorship through a grant from the
Josiah Macy Jr. Foundation.
You should consider EPAC if you want a training experience with a pediatric focus.
As one of the elite medical schools in this country, UCSF medical school prepares
students excellently for careers in pediatric care. However, acknowledging that
much of medical school is adult care-centric, the EPAC program would add more
of a ‘pediatric lens’ to your experience. Additionally, EPAC focuses on longitudinal
relationships that extend from medical school through internship and residency at
UCSF. Students accepted into the final phase of the UCSF EPAC medical school
program will be guaranteed a position in the UCSF pediatric residency training
program.
UCSF EPAC has three parts. The first part of EPAC occurs in year one and part of
year two of medical school. It is called EPAC EXPLORE. EPAC EXPLORE will include
a combination of three main components: a series of supplementary pediatric
teaching cases linked to the core curriculum, pediatric selectives or interactive
pediatric elective involvement within year one of the FPC course, and mentor
sessions to discuss pediatric career options and considerations. Taking part in
EPAC EXPLORE is optional for UCSF students, and is an excellent opportunity for
determining if a formal commitment to EPAC is right for you. EPAC EXPLORE is
open to students interested in pediatrics considering continuing on further in
EPAC, and we hope that 10-20 of you will be interested in EPAC EXPLORE.
Updated on 9/8/2014 9:39:00 PM
The second part of EPAC, called EPAC FOCUS, starts at the end of your second
year of medical school. EPAC FOCUS continues to emphasize a pediatric lens,
longitudinal experiences, and mentorship. Based on our experience as educators
and on data of past medical students interested in pediatrics, we anticipate that
fewer than half of the students in EPAC EXPLORE will choose to continue on to the
EPAC FOCUS. We understand that some of you may develop non-pediatric
interests or alternate pediatric-related interests (such as pediatric surgery) and
we want to be able to give you as much choice as possible to pursue the career
path of your choosing. We also know from experience that even though you may
be ready to commit to pediatrics, not all of you will want to commit to staying
here at UCSF for residency. Inclusion in EPAC FOCUS may include an application
process.
The final part of EPAC is called EPAC MATCH. It starts in the middle of the third
year of UCSF Medical School and continues through the end of Pediatric
Residency training. Again EPAC MATCH emphasizes longitudinal clinical
experiences and spans UCSF Medical School and the UCSF Pediatric Residency
program. We anticipate that approximately 4 of you will ultimately be selected
for the first EPAC MATCH class during the third year of medical school and will
ultimately become members of the UCSF Pediatric Residency Program. Inclusion
in EPAC MATCH may include an application process.
In summary, EPAC provides opportunities for mentorship and preceptorship
throughout your medical school and residency training, continuity with pediatric
patients in longitudinal clinical experiences through both medical school and
residency, and continuity with medical school faculty, like myself, who are part of
EPAC. You will form partnerships to acquire the skills that will enable you to
become a skilled pediatrician. Finally, in addition to standard medical school and
residency advancement, EPAC students will focus throughout training on
individual achievement of defined competencies and milestones which constitute
the professional activities of a pediatrician.
If you want to learn more about EPAC, please contact michele.long@ucsf.edu.
Updated on 9/8/2014 9:39:00 PM