Technical Standards

  Introduction

The University of Nebraska Medical College (UNMC) offers an undifferentiated MD degree, affirming the importance of general knowledge and skills to function in a broad variety of clinical situations. Technical standards (TS) are criteria that have many important uses and functions. Health sciences programs use TS to assess the nonacademic qualifications of applicants and matriculating students. Additionally, TS are required for the accreditation of U.S. medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). TS contain the essential abilities and characteristics required of all students for the completion of the MD degree. UNMC is committed to diversity and to attracting and educating students who will make the population of health care workers reflective of regional and national populations. A student may satisfy the TS with or without the use of accommodations. Students needing accommodations are not treated differently than those without. These standards assure that candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation are able to complete the entire course of study and fully participate in all aspects of medical training while matriculating at UNMC.

These standards will apply to all applicants and matriculated students irrespective of their chosen career in the medical field. However, these standards do not apply to residency choices, residency applications, or residency selections, nor do they guarantee a successful residency match. Additionally, these standards do not apply to off-campus clerkships, electives, or activities that are not a part of the medical school curriculum.

Technical Standards Defined

Subject to the information below regarding reasonable accommodations, the following abilities and characteristics are defined as TS and are requirements for admission, retention, promotion, and graduation:

Observational Skills

Candidates for admission and matriculating students must be able to acquire and synthesize information in both the basic and clinical science experiences of the curriculum. This acquisition of information necessitates the functional use of visual, auditory, and somatic sensation or functional equivalent. In any case where a candidate’s ability to observe or acquire information through these sensory modalities is compromised, the candidate must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to acquire essential observational information. All students must have the ability to:

• Acquire information from demonstrations (e.g. cadaver dissection, microscopic and macroscopic analysis along with surgical and pathological specimen identification).
• Accurately observe and interview a patient to acquire relevant health, medical, and social information.
• Accurately review written documents and all forms of digital and computerized medical record information.
• Interpret radiographic and digital images to include physiological data (e.g. ECG, rhythm strips, and birth monitoring information).

Communication Skills

Candidates for admission and matriculating students must possess:

• Proficiency in the English language including the ability to effectively communicate in both oral and written forms with patients, caregivers, families, and all members of the health care team.
• The ability to receive both verbal and non-verbal communications.

Motor Skills

Candidates for admission and matriculating students must possess:

• Motor skills necessary to complete integral components of the basic science curriculum (e.g. gross anatomy dissection) and integral components of the clinical curriculum (e.g. complete and interpret physical examinations, participate in surgical procedures, provide and/or direct emergency care for a patient, and provide and/or direct the provision of emergency treatment for a patient).
  • These skills include both gross and fine muscular movements, equilibrium, and a functional use of the sense of touch. In any case where a candidate’s ability to complete and interpret physical findings because of motor skills is compromised, the candidate must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to retrieve these physical findings.

Intellectual-Conceptual Skills

Candidates for admission and matriculating students must exhibit:

• The requisite intellectual and conceptual skills to effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand complex information required to complete our medical curriculum.
• The ability to effectively participate in classroom, small group, and collaborative learning environments in both the basic science and clinical portions of the curriculum, along with patient care environments.
• The ability to participate in learning through computer based and simulation formats.

Cognitive Skills

Candidates for admission and matriculating students must exhibit problem solving skills by exhibiting:

• The ability to collect, memorize, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize complex medical information acquired from multiple sources and modalities.
• The ability to recognize and draw conclusions about three dimensional spatial relationships.
• The ability to problem solve using these skills in a timely fashion.

Behavioral Attributes, Social Skills, and Professional Expectations

Candidates for admission and matriculating students are expected to demonstrate the requisite behavioral attributes, social skills, and professional expectations to successfully complete the required medical curriculum. Candidates for admission and matriculating students must possess:

• The ability to exercise sound judgment in order to provide prompt completion of all duties as outlined in the medical curriculum.
• The ability to develop mature and effective relationships with patients, caregivers, and members of the health care team.
• The ability to handle the stressors of heavy workloads and uncertainties inherent in providing medical care.
• The ability to effectively adapt to changing educational and clinical environments.
• A respectful and effective demeanor toward all individuals. This expectation is regardless of race, color, ethnicity, national origin, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, disability, age, genetic information, veteran status, marital status, and/or political affiliation, though this list is not meant to be comprehensive.