Technical Standards

 Purpose

The University of Nebraska Medical Center (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 are the nonacademic admissions and enrollment criteria that are essential to participation in medical school. These standards must be achieved with or without reasonable accommodation. Additionally, Technical Standards are required for the accreditation of U.S. medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

These Technical Standards will apply to all applicants and matriculated students ("candidates") irrespective of their chosen career in the medical field. Candidates are required to review these technical standards and attest to their ability to satisfy them annually. The Technical Standards assure that candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation are able to participate in the entire course of study and required aspects of medical training while matriculating at UNMC. However, the Technical 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

The following are defined as Technical Standards and are requirements for admission, retention, promotion, and graduation:

Observational 

Candidates must be able to:

• Acquire and synthesize information in both the basic and clinical science experiences of the curriculum. 
• 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 

Candidates must be able to:

• Effectively communicate with patients, caregivers, families, and all members of the health care team in English via spoken, written, and electronic formats including but not limited to recording information accurately, maintain timely medical records, and obtaining a medical history.
• Receive both verbal and non-verbal communications.

Motor

Candidates must be able to:

• Possess the capacity to perform all 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).
  • Adhere to universal precaution measures and meet safety standards applicable to the educational and clinical environments.

Intellectual-Conceptual

Candidates must be able to:

• Have sufficient intellectual and conceptual skills to effectively interpret, assimilate, and understand complex information required to complete our medical curriculum.
• 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.
• Effectively participate in learning through computer based and simulation formats.

Cognitive

Candidates must be able to:

• Collect, memorize, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, integrate and synthesize complex medical information acquired from multiple sources and modalities.
• Recognize and draw conclusions about three dimensional spatial relationships.
• Problem solve using these skills in a timely fashion and in the best interest of patients.

Behavioral Attributes, Social Skills, and Professional Expectations

Candidates must be able to:

• Demonstrate maturity and emotional stability required for full utilization of their intellectual abilities, which includes, but is not limited to accepting responsibility for learning, exercising good judgment, and promptly completing all responsibilities as outlined in the medical curriculum.
• Contribute to a collaborative, constructive learning environment, accept formative feedback from others and take personal responsibility for making appropriate positive changes.
• Work effectively, as part of the health care team, - with patients, caregivers, and health care personnel in a courteous, professional, and respectful manner.
• The ability to handle the stressors of heavy workloads and uncertainties inherent in providing medical care.
• Exhibit and understand the legal and ethical aspects of practice of medicine and function within the law and ethical standards of the medical profession.
• Effectively adapt to changing educational and clinical environments.
• Demonstrate regular, reliable, and punctual attendance for classes and clinical responsibilities.
• Demonstrate 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.