East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine

About East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine

East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine (ECU- BSOM), established in 1969 is a state school located in North Carolina. ECU offers 175 recognized degrees for students who are studying for their Bachelor, Masters, or Ph.D. It is recognized for the array of degree options it provides and its research facilities. ECU holds a passion for improving the quality of life for citizens of North Carolina by introducing inventiveness, collaboration, diversity, consideration, and professionalism in its students.

Missions and Objectives:

ECU aims to achieve certain missions to produce successful students:

- Utilize new learning approaches and delivery methods for maximum retrieval of knowledge
- Produce students with knowledge, expertise, and ethics to prosper in a diverse environment of the globe
- Develop individuals capable of leading and inspiring positive change
- Explore innovative ideas for a flourishing future of North Carolina
- Mould health care practices, advocate a healthy lifestyle, and decrease health disparities
- Upgrade quality of life via culture exchange, education, creativity, and sports

East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine History:

In 1965, NC General Assembly sanctioned East Carolina College to build BSOM. By 1977, ECU was given university status by the state legislature. Soon after in 1969, funds were allotted to ensure completion of the initial stage of additional development and recruitment of faculty. Further funds were allotted by General Assembly on the recommendation of Governor Robert W. Scott and the State Board of Higher Education to enroll students in a one-year program in 1971. By the Fall of 1972, the first 20 students had registered in East Carolina University School of Medicine. After completion of their first year, they were transferred to the School of Medicine at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for their sophomore year. In 1975, a fund of $43 million was appropriated by the General Assembly for construction for new facilities and a four-year medical school at ECU. During April of 1977, ECU received provisional accreditation and was allowed to admit its charter class of 28 students in the fall of the same year. In August of the same year, ECU inaugurated itself with its first class of 28 fourth-year students. Also, in the same year Residency program at ECU was accredited for Family Medicine. The year 1977 was an important year for the institute. Residencies for Psychiatric Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, and Obstetrics and Gynecology were accredited by 1978. On March 30, another significant ceremony took place where initial groundbreaking for new Medical facilities took place. In the same year programs leading to the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Anatomy and Cell Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology and Immunology, Pharmacology, and Physiology were introduced at ECU. In February of 1981, ECU successfully received complete accreditation and by May its charter class graduated, amongst which were Natalear Collins and Brenda Klutz, who were its first African American students. By 1982, ECU School of Medicine received another important accreditation, of the Emergency Medicine Residency Program. On October 29^th of 1982, the newly built Brody Medical Sciences Building was inaugurated. The next year, 1983, the first Doctor of Philosophy degree was conferred by ECU. In 1985, ECU received two more accreditations for residency of Anatomic and Clinical Pathology, and in 1987 the Doctoral program in Pathology was also introduced. In 1999, the Medical School was renamed to what it is called today, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University. This was done so to recognize the continuous support and efforts of the Brody Family who were the former owners of Brody’s retail chain. On May 3^rd, 2000, Dr. Randolph Chitwood, a Cardiothoracic surgeon at Brody, performs the first robotic heart valve surgery in North America. By 2016, BSOM was one of the seven schools globally that had achieved the ‘2016 Aspire Excellence Award’, awarded by the Association for Medical Education in Europe, and in 2017 BSOMs Student National Medical Association chapter received regional recognition for their efforts in providing group supports to minority students in underserved communities, making BSOM proud.

Campuses and Location:

Brody School of Medicine (BSOM) is established in facilities located over East Carolina University, situated in the West of Greenville, close to Vidant Medical Center. Greenville is known to be the medical hub of Eastern North Carolina, creating a culturally rich environment and good educational and economic options in the region. Alongside preserving its southern charm and hospitality, Greenville has thrived into NCs 10^th largest city. Uptown Greenville is a 501-c-3 organization responsible for maintaining social, cultural, and economic developments in the city center. It is known for arranging events such as PirateFest, the Uptown Umbrella Market, the Artwalk, and pre-home game celebrations for the ECU football team. The facilities in use by BSOM at EC University are:

Brody Medical Sciences Building:

A seven-story building, based on 489,000 sq. feet land has numerous classrooms, lecture halls, training and research facilities, student recreational facilities, faculty offices, and a 525-seat auditorium. The building is connected to BSOM academic teaching hospital Vidant Medical Center, Cancer center, rehabilitation center, and other medical facilities.

Vidant Medical Center:

The building is a flagship for BSOM, being the third-largest, level one trauma center in the USA, serving over 1.4 million individuals over 29 counties. It is a tertiary caregiving center housing over 900 beds. It includes units for Medical, Surgical, Pediatric, Neurosurgical, Cardiac and Trauma patients. It also has a free-standing surgery center, a birthing center, a sleep disorders center, a hemodialysis unit, a 75- bed rehabilitation center, a behavioral health unit, a pain management center, a toxicology service, a 52,000 square-foot wellness center, and the 109-bed Maynard Children’s Hospital

Courses Offered by East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine:

M.D Programs:

Medical Education is a four-year program that follows Standard Operating Procedures at BSOM. MD students are prepared to enter the medical field with advanced clinical skills in their possession. Experience is also provided to the students by deploying them in rural and unprivileged communities. The curriculum is designed as per the latest advancements in the field of medicine, making it an effective learning degree.

Ph.D. Programs:

BSOM provides options to study your Ph.D. in the following areas of research:

- Anatomy and Cell Biology
- Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
- Interdisciplinary Program in Biomedicine
- Microbiology and Immunology
- Pathology & Laboratory Medicine
- Pharmacology and Toxicology
- Physiology

Dual Degree Programs

Students who have completed one summer research preceptorship in one of BSOMs involved departments or completed Masters in associated subjects can apply for a dual degree.

MD/MBA Program

Students are required to secure a position in the top three quartiles to qualify for the MD/MBA program. MBA classroom requisites are usually fulfilled between the 2^nd and 3^rd years of medical studies. Interested students must submit their requests to the Office of Student Affairs by the deadline. An MD/MBA admission Committee will choose students based on eligibility. Note: Successfully pass USMLE 1 for continued enrollment

MD/MPH Program

MD/MPH eligibility requirements are the same as those for other MPH students. Students must fulfill requisites for both degrees in five years. Students have the option to study MPH courses during summers, take a leave of absence between the 2^nd and 3^rd year of medical school or avail distance learning. Leave of absence will only be granted to students that have completed USMLE Step 1.

MD/Ph.D. Program

Earning a Ph.D. degree in addition to an MD degree helps students evolve their research expertise. There are various options available that fulfill the requirements of both MD and Ph.D. programs, but each degree will have a different curriculum based on the level to which each Ph.D. program can be integrated into the medical curriculum.

East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine Eligibility:

- Only students already in the MD program can apply for the MD/Ph.D. program any time after their admission
- Next USMLE Step 1 should be successfully passed, begin with, the Ph.D. application
- Students who have completed one summer research

Admissions Procedures:

Interested students must petition the Dean of Medical Sciences via the Office of Student Affairs for leave of absence before applying to the MD/Ph.D. program. The following modifications must be made in the standard Graduate School Application for submission.

- GRE not required
- Graduate School application fee waived
- BSOM Transcripts since enrollment
- One reference letter using reference form, including Graduate School Application
- Statement of purpose essay aimed to describe the reason behind pursuing a dual degree in MD/PhD
- Applicants interview is required
- Curriculum:

Ph.D. programs included in the MD/Ph.D. the dual degree program must develop a curriculum which meets departmental and Graduate School requirements that gives leeway in course requisites

Duration:

Students that qualify for the MD/Ph.D. program will be granted a leave of absence for four years from their MD curriculum for the completion of the Ph.D. degree. To avail leave for a time more than four years students must submit an application to the Dean of Medical School. A minimum of two years in residence is required for Ph.D. completion.

MPH Programs

Students for the MPH program are admitted in both Fall and Spring semesters. All applicants must submit the following for application approval:

- Application and fees
- Transcripts
- Test Scores
- 3 letters of recommendation
- Letter of intent (essay)

A total of 45-semester credits are compulsory for the MPH program. Public health being an interdisciplinary degree provides the option to complete the degree in five different areas of knowledge.

Residencies & Fellowships

BSOM offers an array of options in which students can complete their residencies and fellowships.

The following residencies are an option:

- Cardiothoracic Surgery
- Emergency Medicine
- Family Medicine
- Internal Medicine
- Obstetrics and gynecology
- Pathology
- Pediatrics
- Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
- Psychiatry
- Surgery

The following fellowships are an option:

- Acute Care Surgery
- Bariatric Surgery
- Cardiovascular Disease
- Child & Adolescent Psychiatry
- Cytopathology
- Diabetes
- Emergency Medical Services
- Endocrinology
- Forensic Pathology
- Gastroenterology
- Geriatrics
- Hematology/Oncology
- Infection Disease
- Interventional Cardiology
- Maternity & Women’s Health
- Neonatal-Perinatal Medicine
- Nephrology
- Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine
- Sports Medicine
- Surgery
- Vascular Surgery

Combined programs options are:

Internal Medicine/Emergency Medicine
Internal Medicine/Psychiatry
Internal Medicine/ Pediatrics

Curriculum:

BSOM inculcates healthy work ethics in their students by following the outlined curriculum:

First-Year Curriculum (Blocks 1, 2, And 3)

Block 1

- Ethical Issues in Medicine (2 Credit Hours)
- Gross Anatomy & Embryology (8 Credit Hours)
- Histology & Cell Biology (4 Credit Hours)
- Molecular Basis of Medicine (5 Credit Hours)

Block 2

- Behavioural Science (2 Credit Hours)
- Medical Neuroscience (6 Credit Hours)
- Medical Physiology (5 Credit Hours)

Block 3

- Foundations of Disease and Therapeutics (4 Credit Hours)

Note: Some of the courses from block 3 are taught during the second year. The courses that are taught during the first year are listed below:

- Behavioural Science (Block 2)
- Doctoring I (Blocks 1 and 2)
- Ethical Issues in Medicine (Block 1)
- M1 Foundations of Medicine (Blocks 1, 2, and 3)
- Gross Anatomy and Embryology (Block 1)
- Medical Biochemistry (Block 1)
- Medical Genetics (Block 3)
- Histology and Cell Biology (Block 1)
- Medical Microbiology & Immunology (Blocks 2 and 3)
- Medical Neuroscience (Block 2)
- Medical Physiology (Block 2)
- Society, Culture, and Health Systems (Blocks 3 and 4)

Second Year Curriculum (Block 4)

Longitudinal

- Foundations of Medicine II (2 Credit Hours)/ Doctoring II (7 Credit Hours)
- Basic Psychiatry (6 Credit Hours)
- Society, Culture, and Health Systems (Spans Blocks 3 and 4—2 Credit Hours)

Systems

- Heme and Renal (3 Credit Hours)
- Cardiopulmonary (4 Credit Hours)
- Nervous and Sensory (2 Credit Hours)
- Musculoskeletal and Skin (3 Credit Hours)
- GI/Nutrition/Multi-System (4 Credit Hours)
- Endocrine and Reproductive (4 Credit Hours)

The courses that are taught during the second year are listed below:

- Doctoring II (Block 4)
- M2 Foundations of Medicine (Block 4)
- Introduction to Medicine (Block 4)
- Medical Pathology (Blocks 3, 4)
- Medical Pharmacology (Blocks 3, 4)
- Basic Psychiatry (Block 4)

Third Year Curriculum

Clinical course clerkship is completed during the third year of the curriculum.

- Family Medicine – 8 weeks
- Internal Medicine – 8 weeks
- Obstetrics-Gynecology – 6 weeks
- Pediatrics – 8 weeks
- Psychiatric Medicine – 6 weeks
- Surgery – 8 weeks
- Radiology – year-long online course

Final Year Curriculum

The purpose of the final year of the curriculum is to target any weaknesses observed in the students, choose the intended field of specialty, and develop any other skills required for healthy work practice of a physician In this year students get more practical and hands-on experience where they apply the concepts they learned in real situations. Thus, the final year helps students attain a certain level of professionalism and confidence required for the real world. This also helps them develop doctor/patient relationships important for their field of work.

Fourth Year Requirements

Class of 2019 M4 Requirements

- 4 weeks – Acting Internship (AI) – BSOM or Away
- 4 weeks – Emergency Medicine – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Neurology & Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Primary Care (PC) – Ambulatory at BSOM or Away
- 4 weeks – Primary Care in Family Medicine, Internal Medicine or Paediatrics Advanced Core Clinical Rotations (ACCR)
- 2 weeks – Surgery – Advanced Core Clinical Rotations (ACCR)
- 18 weeks – Electives – BSOM or Away
- 1 week – Transition to M4 – BSOM
- 1 week – Transition to Residency – BSOM
- 8 weeks – Flex (personal study/residency interviews)

Total= 54 weeks

Class of 2020 and Beyond M4 Requirements

- 4 weeks – Acting Internship (AI) – BSOM or Away
- 4 weeks – Emergency Medicine – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Intensive Care Unit (ICU) – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Neurology & Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation – BSOM
- 4 weeks – Primary Care (PC) – Ambulatory at BSOM or Away
- 22 weeks – Electives – BSOM or Away
- 1 week – Transition to M4 – BSOM
- 3 weeks – Transition to Residency Bootcamp/Foundational Science Capstone – BSOM
- 8 weeks – Flex (personal study/residency interviews)
- 3 weeks – Vacation (Fall Break and Winter Break)

Total= 57 weeks

Research:

BSOM has aimed to research programs related to Diabetes, Cardiovascular disease, Cancer, Neurological disorders and infectious diseases, and many others. It also has a Clinical Trials Office, which is responsible for facilitating the research associated with a new treatment for patients who wish to access them. The following facilities act as support for research:

BSOM Research & Graduate Studies
Office of Sponsored Programs
Comparative Medicine
Clinical Trials Office
Institutional Review Board (IRB)
Office of Prospective Health
Division of Research, Economic Development, and Engagement
Medical Storeroom
North Carolina Tissue Consortium

Departments:

BSOM has the following departments on its campus:

Anatomy and Cell Biology
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology
Bioethics and Interdisciplinary Studies
Cardiovascular Sciences
Comparative Medicine
Emergency Medicine
Family Medicine
Internal Medicine
Microbiology and Immunology
Obstetrics/Gynecology
Pathology and Laboratory Medicine
Pediatrics
Pharmacology and Toxicology
Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
Physiology
Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine
Public Health
Radiation Oncology
Surgery

Centers and Programs:

Apart from its medical departments, BSOM has some other centers and programs for various purposes:

Bioethics Collaborative
Center for Health Disparities
Center for Telepsychiatry and E-Behavioral Health
Diabetes Clinical Research Center
Eastern Carolina Chapter of the Society for Neuroscience
East Carolina Heart Institute at ECU
Health Systems Research & Development
NC Statewide Telepsychiatry Program (NC-STeP)
Pediatric Healthy Weight Research & Treatment Center
REACH Initiative
Robotic Surgery Center for Training and Education
Summer Biomedical Research Program
Summer Program for Future Doctors (SPFD)
Telemedicine Center
Wooten Laboratory for Alzheimer’s Neurogenerative Diseases Research

Admission Requirements:

For a candidate to qualify for application of admission to BSOM, following are the requirements:

North Carolina Residents:

Since BSOM aims at training students to serve their state, only residents of North Carolina are eligible to apply

Medical College Admission Test:

Applicant scores that are not later than three years at the time of application are acceptable

Prerequisites:

Students must have completed their undergraduate degree, and hold at least three years of experience at an accredited college or university before matriculation in medical school. Undergraduate major need not be specific; however, students must have completed one year of each of the following courses prior to their MCAT for the class of 2021:

- One year of General Biology or Zoology with laboratory (Botany alone is not sufficient to meet this requirement)
- One year of General Chemistry with laboratory (which must include both qualitative and quantitative analysis)
- One year of Organic Chemistry with laboratory
- One year of Physics with laboratory
- One year of English (or writing-intensive courses)
- One semester of Social Sciences/Humanities
- One semester of Biochemistry, and
- One semester of Statistics/Biostatistics

Any courses that are taken in Genetics, Biostatistics, Biochemistry, Humanities, and Social Science, along with an additional year of English, are advisable.

Tuition Fees:

Estimated Cost of Attendance for the First Year Medical Student is as follows:

	Fall	Spring	Total
Tuition and fees	$11,494	$11,494	$22,988
Room and board	$6,679
Books and supplies*	$3,344	$707	$4,051
Personal	$1,506	$1,507	$3,013
Transportation	$1,616	$1,616	$3,232
Insurance	$1,270	$1,270	$2,540
Loan fees	$404	$404	$808
Total	$26,313	$26,349	$52,662

*Includes computer allowance (laptop and iPad mini 4 ~$2,032) It is recommended that students arrange their fees prior to starting their degree to avoid distractions. Applicants can arrange their fees via family funding or apply for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) prior to starting their admission process. BSOM, also offers grants and scholarships to as much as 90% of its student body, along with these scholarships ranging from $500-$25,000 are allotted to 70 students annually.

Application Process:

The following steps are followed in the admission process:

- AMCAS Application
- Supplementary Application
- Letters of Evaluation
- Applications screened
- Applications reviewed by the Admissions Committee
- Invitation for Interview
- Interviews conducted
- Offers of admission

Required Documents:

The following documents (as required by the candidate’s chosen degree) are to be attached while students undergo the process:

- MCAT Score
- Supplementary Application
- Recent passport-style photo
- A $70 nonrefundable application fee
- Letters of Evaluation
- EITHER

Three individual letters:

Two academic references, one from a science instructor, one personal non-academic reference (employer, advisor, non-family) OR One letter from the Pre-Medical Advisory Committee at your undergraduate school

Important Dates:

Process	Dates
AMCAS Application	May 1–November 1
Supplementary Application	November 1–November 25
Letters of Evaluation	Due December 15
Interview offers made	Starting in August and ending in January
Interviews conducted	August–February
Offers of admission extended	October

Dr. Najeeb Lectures:

At any time during the curriculum, if a student faces problems in understanding any concepts, they should refer to Dr. Najeeb’s Lectures for help. Dr. Najeeb is a useful resource that helps students in their self-study. These lectures are capable of developing an understanding of students related to almost all topics in the current medical curriculum. His lectures are famous in the medical world, covering various concepts of Gross Anatomy, Neuro-anatomy, Embryology, Histology, Physiology, Biochemistry, Genetics, Pharmacology, Microbiology, Immunology, and Pathology, and so on. Students can visualize the procedures that are included in their books. Also, hand-drawn illustrations aid in the apprehension of difficult theories. Furthermore, one can get lifetime access to these lectures and even download the app to avail them anytime, anywhere. In the end, we would like to assure you that there are always ups and downs in life. Don’t lose hope, keep up with the hard work, and Good Luck! For more information, you can visit the site of East Carolina University Brody School of Medicine.