Medical Knowledge & Scholarship

Our graduates will demonstrate knowledge of the scientific basis of medicine, the ability to apply knowledge to patient care and contribute to scholarship in medicine through research or teaching.

Expand the entries below to learn more about benchmarks in these competencies.

MKS - 1a
Demonstrate clinically relevant knowledge of the normal structure and function of the body at the molecular, cellular, organ, and system levels.

Does Not Meet: Unable to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of normal structure and function of the body.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of normal structure and function of the body in the classroom setting.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of normal structure and function of the body in the context of clinical care of patients.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of normal structure and function of the body in the context of clinical care of complex patients.
Aspirational Behavior: Demonstrates exceptional knowledge base while teaching basic science principles related to normal structure and function.

MKS - 1b
Demonstrate knowledge of the mechanisms of mental and physical illness.

Does Not Meet: Unable to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of mechanisms of disease.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of basic mechanisms of disease in the classroom setting.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of mechanisms of disease in the context of clinical care of patients.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of mechanisms of disease in the context of clinical care of complex patients.
Aspirational Behavior: Demonstrates exceptional knowledge base while teaching basic science principles related to mechanisms of disease.

MKS - 1c
Demonstrate knowledge of how illness, injury, and age affect function and quality-of-life.

Does Not Meet: Unable to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of functional and quality of life issues.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of functional and quality of life issues in the classroom setting.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of functional and quality of life issues in the context of clinical care of patients.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of functional and quality of life issues in the context of clinical care of complex patients.
Aspirational Behavior: Demonstrates exceptional knowledge base while teaching basic science principles related to functional and quality of life issues.

MKS - 1d
Demonstrates knowledge of the clinical and laboratory manifestations of disease.

Does Not Meet: Unable to define and identify disease manifestations for common illnesses.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Able to define and identify disease manifestations for common illnesses and describe test characteristics.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Able to define and identify disease manifestations for common illnesses and predict test results.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Able to define and identify disease manifestations for complex illnesses and explain the diagnostic testing process for a given disease.
Aspirational Behavior: Able to analyze and recommend high value testing appropriate for a given disease.

MKS - 1e
Demonstrates knowledge of pharmacology and other therapeutic modalities.

Does Not Meet: Unable to explain mechanism of action or side effects of classes of common drugs/ other therapeutic modalities.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Able to explain mechanism of action and side effects of classes of common drugs / other therapeutic modalities.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Able to explain mechanism of action and side effects of drugs / other therapeutic modalities and identify indications and contraindications for use in common illnesses.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Able to explain mechanism of action and side effects of drugs / other therapeutic modalities and identify indications and contraindications for use in complex illnesses.
Aspirational Behavior: Able to analyze and recommend treatment decisions to provide high value care.

MKS - 1f
Demonstrate knowledge of epidemiology, biostatistics, artificial intelligence, and the principles of disease prevention. Apply principles and data relevant to clinical problems from appropriate sources, including emerging technologies.

Does Not Meet: Unable to demonstrate sufficient knowledge of basic principles of epidemiology, statistics, or prevention. Does not access appropriate sources.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of basic principles of epidemiology, statistics and prevention in the classroom setting and appropriate supporting sources.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of principles of epidemiology, statistics, and prevention in the context of clinical care of patients as well as uses sources appropriate for clinical care.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Demonstrates sufficient knowledge of principles of epidemiology, statistics, and prevention in the context of clinical care of complex patients, using appropriate sources.
Aspirational Behavior: Demonstrates exceptional knowledge base while teaching basic science principles related to epidemiology, statistics and prevention and skilled use of appropriate information sources including emerging technologies.

MKS - 3a
Apply knowledge to diagnose illness and solve clinically relevant problems.

Does Not Meet: Unable to develop a differential diagnosis.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Generates and explains a differential diagnosis for common clinical problems.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Generates, explains and prioritizes a detailed differential diagnosis for common clinical problems and arrives at the most likely diagnosis.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Generates and prioritizes a detailed differential diagnosis for common and complex clinical problems and arrives at the most likely diagnosis.
Aspirational Behavior: In challenging situations, efficiently generates a detailed and prioritized differential for complex clinical cases and arrives at the most likely diagnosis using a high-value approach which mitigates diagnostic errors.

MKS - 3b
Apply knowledge to prevent and treat illness and improve quality of life.

Does Not Meet: Unable to identify appropriate prevention and/or therapeutic options.
Phase 1 Benchmark: Identifies at least one appropriate prevention/therapeutic modality for common conditions.
Phase 2 Benchmark: Identifies appropriate prevention/therapeutic modalities for common conditions and can prioritize options relevant to clinical problems.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Identifies and prioritizes appropriate prevention/therapeutic options for complex conditions utilizing shared decision-making considering patient values.
Aspirational Behavior: Evaluates risks/benefits of prevention/therapeutic modalities for complex conditions that consider quality of life, financial context, and barriers to implementation.

MKS - 4a
Demonstrate facility with research methods, including the appropriate ethical choices and legal constraints involved, and complete a faculty-mentored scholarly project.

Does Not Meet: Unable to identify or complete a scholarly project and/or unable to identify ethical issues in the design and conduct of research.
Phase 1-2 Benchmark: Constructs a research question and methodology, identifies ethical issues in the design and conduct of research, works effectively with a mentor, and begins data collection that complies with security requirements.
Phase 3 Benchmark: Completes a faculty-mentored scholarly project with appropriate ethical considerations and completes a thesis or manuscript.
Aspirational Behavior: Disseminates research at a regional or national level and teaches others how to consider ethical choices and legal constraints within the research environment.