A monthly newsletter for prospective and accepted students of the Feinberg School of Medicine.
Medical Students Develop App to Enhance Learning
Second-year medical students built a web app to help teach fellow classmates and prepare for upcoming exams.
EDUCATION
Northwestern Medicine physicians and students came together to pack and ship a container of supplies for cancer education and treatment to a rural hospital in Tanzania.
Legendary Civil Rights Activist Delivers Martin Luther King Jr. Keynote 
    
RESEARCH
HIV still replicates in lymphoid tissue, even when it is undetectable in the blood of patients on antiretroviral drugs, according to new Northwestern Medicine research.
Graduate Student Investigates Control Mechanisms for the Cystic Fibrosis Gene 
CLINICAL
Ehete Bahiru, MD, a resident in internal medicine, received an NIH global health fellowship to establish a pilot project aimed at improving cardiovascular health in sub-Saharan Africa. 
Inherited Neandertal DNA Influences Human Disease Risk Today  
Focus on the MD Curriculum

Medical student progress at Feinberg is assessed through a competency-based system, which empowers students to become self-reflective professionals. Students are assessed across multiple domains of their performance. The feedback provided is clear, in order to provide a full understanding of the current level of skill and knowledge.

During each Phase, assessments are compiled into an electronic portfolio. Students then review this feedback and write portfolio reflections on their progress in the Feinberg Competencies , which includes individualized Learning Plans. Once the Reflections and Learning Plans are reviewed by their college mentors, they are submitted to the portfolio committee for final review and determination of readiness to move on to the next Phase of the curriculum.

During Phase 1, block grades are awarded as pass/pass after remediation.  Failed exams and competency performance that does not meet benchmarks must be remediated .

In Phase 2, clerkship grades are awarded as honors, high pass, pass and fail. Student academic outcomes, research and extracurricular activities are used to identify students eligible for Alpha Omega Alpha designation and graduation honors. Outcomes for Feinberg students in the National Residency Match Program are exceptionally good with over 62% matching at top-tier programs.

Read more about student experiences and perspectives here . 
Why Did I Choose Feinberg?
 
Chase Anderson is a third-year medical student.  
Chase Anderson, a third-year medical student, met two of his current classmates during his group interview. They shared contact information and kept in touch afterwards. That exchange was one of the reasons Anderson decided to make Feinberg his top choice.

"The unity and connection I made with my future peers is something that drew me to Feinberg," he says.

What aspects of the curriculum have you enjoyed or found useful?
I enjoyed the Individual Preceptorship. I loved having a mentor who really cared about me and pushed me as well. The mentors at Feinberg, even on clerkships, trust you to do things, and if you show that you are really skilled they really let you shine.
 
How have you liked living in Chicago?
The skyline at night and going on walks along the lake is breathtaking. There are a lot of opportunities in Chicago and plenty of things to do.
 
What is the biggest challenge you've faced so far?
Being myself. I want to be a person who helps people and that is why I got into medicine. I think learning to be yourself is the biggest challenge. You want to be everything for your patients, you have to remember you have a certain skill set that brought you here and you are going to get better at other skills and you should learn and grow, but you have to remember that core that is you.
 
Read more about Anderson's experience at Feinberg here.

Admissions Q&A

How does U.S. News and World Report rank Feinberg?
The most recent U.S. News and World Report listed Feinberg at #19 for research intensive schools and #29 for primary care.
 
Is Feinberg a clinical or research-oriented medical school?
Feinberg's mission is to educate the next generation of physicians and scientists. It is a  research-intensive institution that prioritizes taking scientific discovery from the bench to the bedside to improve patient care and outcomes. However, the strength of our academic medical center lies in striking a balance between education, clinical and research activities, blending all together in a collaborative study and work environment. In part, this is made possible by the co-location of our teaching and research facilities with our strong  clinical affiliates: Northwestern Memorial Hospital (this includes Prentice Women's Hospital and Northwestern Medicine Lake Forest Hospital), the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, the Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and the Jesse Brown Veterans Administration Medical Center.