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Academic and Student Services

Medical College of Wisconsin Student Scholarly Concentrations

Our Scholarly Concentrations allow students to individualize their training while working with peers and faculty mentors to pursue an area of common interest in greater depth. Scholarly Concentrations are a required component of our curriculum. In the Discovery Curriculum, all First and Second Year students participate in their selected Concentration, with an option to continue in the Third Year. With the Class of 2027 and implementation of MCWFusion™ medical students will participate in their selected Scholarly Concentration during Phase 1 and Phase 2.

Each of the Concentrations features two components:

  1. A structured curriculum with a core set of competencies delivered through monthly workshops, or core sessions
  2. Flexible, experiential noncore enrichment activities guided by a faculty advisor and an Individualized Learning Plan (ILP) designed to apply core concepts in a variety of settings.

Physician in the Community Concentration | MCW-Green Bay and MCW-Central Wisconsin

As an MCW-Green Bay or MCW-Central Wisconsin student, you’ll participate in our Physician in the Community Concentration, linking your medical education with the resources of our clinical partners and the needs of the Green Bay-area communities to promote health in Northern Wisconsin. This unique MCW experience is designed to cultivate your medical skills and interests, transforming them into a quest for lifelong learning in your practice as a primary care physician, general surgeon or psychiatrist.

MCW-Milwaukee Student Scholarly Concentrations

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Basic to Translational Research Concentration

The Basic to Translational Research Concentration provides core research skills in the area of basic science research. This Concentration is focused on competencies that can be gained from scientific research that are transferable to clinical practice, including communication (oral and written), time management, information gathering, critical thinking/critical assessment (i.e. data analysis, critical reading of scientific literature), and problem solving. Students learn to work in teams and/or independently.

Learn more about the Basic to Translational Research Concentration

Bioethics and Medical Humanities Concentration

The Bioethics and Medical Humanities Concentration will enable students to integrate the knowledge and tools of bioethics and medical humanities into their healthcare careers. This will be achieved through a variety of activities that encompass knowledge of the bioethics scholarly literature through discussion and application of analytic frameworks to clinical ethics, research ethics and ethics teaching. Additionally, the knowledge and skills of bioethics and medical humanities will enable students to strengthen their professionalism, improve communication, preserve empathy and support reflective practice.

Learn more about the Bioethics and Medical Humanities Concentration

Clinical to Translational Research Concentration

The Clinical to Translational Research Concentration is for students interested in complementing their clinical development with the skills required to become clinician-scientists. Through core sessions and a mentored research project, students gain an understanding of the way clinical and translational research improves patient care. This Concentration uses a hypothesis driven research project to provide the student an individualized research experience allowing for the development of research skills.

Learn more about the Clinical to Translational Research Concentration

Clinician Educator Concentration

The Clinician Educator Concentration is designed for students interested in the theory and methods of teaching and learning. Students will explore methods to improve teaching in the clinical setting, learn how to apply educational principles to the development of educational materials and curricula, and develop a scholarly educational product.

Learn more about the Clinician Educator Concentration

Global Health Concentration

The Global Health Concentration is designed for students interested in understanding the healthcare needs of patients, families, and communities around the world. It prepares students for the challenges of working in areas of the world with limited health care resources. Core curriculum topics are consistent with those proposed by the Consortium of Universities for Global Health and other professional schools that have long been on the forefront of global health education and research. Pathway activities are coordinated with the Office of Global Health.

Learn more about the Global Health Concentration

Health Systems Management and Policy Concentration

The Health Systems Management and Policy Concentration will help students understand health policy and the business and economics of medicine. It will also provide students with leadership skills so that they can participate in the changes needed for the U.S. health care system to improve and thrive. The goal of this Concentration is to provide a working knowledge of the health care systems for students who have an interest in pursuing administrative and leadership roles in their future, who would like to effectively advocate for the development and implementation of health policies, and who desire a deeper understanding of how health care is structured and delivered so that they will be a more valuable member or a leader in their health care organization in the future.

Learn more about the Health Systems Management and Policy Concentration

Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Concentration

The Quality Improvement and Patient Safety (QuIPS) Concentration provides students with the core principles and skills necessary to understand and analyze the systems-based aspects of patient care, to actively engage in quality improvement work, and to enhance patient safety with the of achieving the best possible health outcomes for patients.

Learn more about the Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Concentration

Urban and Community Health Concentration

Both population health and patient-centered care perspectives recognize the influence of lifestyle, socio-economic factors, community resources and environmental hazards on morbidity, mortality and well-being. The Urban and Community Health (UCH) Concentration links education with community needs and assets, to prepare students to effectively care for patients in urban communities, promote community health, and reduce health disparities.

Learn more about the Urban and Community Health Concentration