Georgetown University School of Medicine
Encyclopedia
Georgetown University School of Medicine, a medical school opened in 1851, is one of Georgetown University's
five graduate schools. It is located on Reservoir Road in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, adjacent to the University's main campus. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive approach to medical education, "guided by the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis
, care of the whole person." The School of Medicine works in association with the 609-bed Georgetown University Hospital
, Washington Hospital Center
, and nine other affiliated federal and community hospitals in the Washington metropolitan area. Georgetown is the oldest Catholic medical school in the United States.
The School is part of the Georgetown University Medical Center
, which comprises roughly 80% of the research initiatives occurring at Georgetown University as a whole. It is the closest academic medical center in proximity to the National Institutes of Health
. Georgetown and the NIH offer a combined GU-NIH PhD program in biomedical research to foster direct collaboration between the neighboring institutions.
Technology leading to the introduction of the HPV vaccine
, the first ever vaccination for cancer
, was developed at Georgetown Medical Center by Dr. Richard Schlegel.
The founding of Georgetown's School of Medicine was the result of the progressive spirit of the University directors and professional rivalries of District of Columbia physicians. Some of the local doctors from Columbian, now George Washington University had monopolized the clinical facilities of the Washington Infirmary. Four of the excluded practitioners decided to improve their position by setting up a medical school and dispensary of their own. They asked Father James Ryder, the president of Georgetown College, to regard the new enterprise as the medical department of the Jesuit institution. The request was granted, and in May, 1851, the fledgling School opened its first classes.
In 1898 the Georgetown University Hospital
was established. It is currently a 609-licensed bed hospital. In 1930, classes moved to the main campus. In July 2000, Georgetown University and MedStar Health, a not-for-profit organization of seven Baltimore and Washington hospitals, entered into a clinical partnership to provide management of clinical care and clinical education at Georgetown University Hospital. In 2004, the School of Medicine opened the Integrated Learning Center (ILC), which supports the School of Medicine's emphasis on a patient-centered, competence-based curriculum and provides the latest methods of clinical teaching and evaluation.
Tuition is $41,356 for the 2007–2008 first year class while the total cost of attendance is roughly $71,000 a year, making Georgetown one of the priciest medical schools in the nation. In 2006–07, 85% of Georgetown medical students received financial aid. The MD/PhD program is one of the few in the United States that does not offer full tuition remission for the MD-portion of the program, although tuition and a competitive stipend are provided for the PhD-portion.
The relatively tight budget of the GU Medical Center, influenced by severe financial setbacks during the 1990s related to the advent of managed care, has resulted in impeded growth and a lack of facilities upgrades, hurting its national ranking (currently at #45 in Research according to US News & World Report's Top Medical Schools Ranking). Past issues, including falling hospital revenues and a financial partnership for a newly built research building having been made with a pharmaceutical company that ended up going bankrupt, threatened the school at one point. Georgetown's former Dental School was forced to shut down in the late 1980s. The situation is since improved dramatically, and ratings have been on a rebound trend since the Medical Center covered its financial losses by partnering its teaching hospital with MedStar Health
, a move orchestrated by John DeGioia, now the University's President.
The quality of the research and training at Georgetown Medical School has earned a strong reputation and the school continues to be in very high demand amongst prospective medical students. Georgetown received the third-largest number of medical school applications in the country during the 2008 application cycle, and had one of the lowest admission rates of 3.1%.
The residency placements of Georgetown medical students are very competitive against national standards. Some of the higher represented placements consistently include Johns Hopkins Hospital, Northwestern McGaw, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and UCLA. Generally, around 20% of students continue at Georgetown for residency training. From the MD/PhD program, the best represented residency placements are Georgetown (10), Harvard
-affiliated Hospitals (8), Duke
(6), and Johns Hopkins
(4).
The Georgetown University School of Medicine Faculty includes 1,638 faculty members from 8 basic science and 16 clinical departments, a Cancer Center, and two Interdisciplinary Training Program Grants funded by the NIH – one in Neuroscience, and one in Tumor Biology.
The School of Medicine offers an MD with a Research Track where MD students spend time in the laboratory and develop a research thesis in their specialty. This is different from the MD/PhD program, which is longer and requires a PhD thesis.
Georgetown's four-year curriculum combines departmentally based basic science courses and laboratory work, prescribed clinical clerkships, multidisciplinary courses and conferences, and electives that provide the student a well-rounded, comprehensive curriculum. The intent is to prepare students for not only the clinical and biomedical aspects of patient care, but also the social, ethical, and community-based challenges for effectively providing that care.
Courses in the first two years focus on the development of fundamental knowledge concerning the body's normal and altered structure and functions. Small-group teaching and problem-based presentations have replaced a portion of the large class lectures. These small groups and lectures are shared with students admitted to the GEMS program and Special Masters in Physiology students, bringing the effective class size during the first year to well over 300 students. Starting with the Class of 2012 there have been significant changes to both the first and second year curricula, including a shift toward systems-based learning. This sea-change in curriculum has been implemented over a very short period, with mixed success. Further development of the curriculum in anticipation of an accreditation review is underway. Exposure to patient assessment and care along with community service and advocacy opportunities begin in the first year, and continue throughout all four years.
In the third year, clinical clerkships stress the skills required to acquire and interpret patient-based data, while the fourth year further develops skills in patient management, including rotations in ambulatory care settings. Twenty-four weeks of electives are available during this final year.
Faculty/student review of the curriculum is an important continuing endeavor of the School of Medicine. Curriculum revisions occur each year in response to student and faculty evaluations. Additional task forces are looking at how best to develop longitudinal themes throughout the curriculum that will better prepare students for the challenges facing health care, and effective and equitable health care delivery in the 21st century.
Georgetown University Medical Center
comprises the School of Medicine, School of Nursing & Health Studies (founded in 1903), Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and its Biomedical Graduate Research Organization. In 2008, GUMC brought in $132 million in sponsored research funds, most of which was federally funded. Clinical care is provided at Georgetown University Hospital and satellite locations through a partnership with MedStar Health.
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
five graduate schools. It is located on Reservoir Road in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, DC, adjacent to the University's main campus. Its mission is to provide a comprehensive approach to medical education, "guided by the Jesuit tradition of cura personalis
Cura personalis
"Cura Personalis" is a Latin phrase that translates as "Care for the Entire Person". “Cura Personalis” suggests individualized attention to the needs of the other, distinct respect for his or her unique circumstances and concerns, and an appropriate appreciation for his or her particular gifts and...
, care of the whole person." The School of Medicine works in association with the 609-bed Georgetown University Hospital
Georgetown University Hospital
Georgetown University Hospital is one of the national capital area's oldest academic teaching hospitals and is affiliated with Georgetown University School of Medicine. GUH is a not-for-profit, acute-care teaching and research facility located in Northwest Washington, DC...
, Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center
Washington Hospital Center is the largest private hospital in Washington, D.C.. It serves as a teaching hospital for Georgetown University School of Medicine....
, and nine other affiliated federal and community hospitals in the Washington metropolitan area. Georgetown is the oldest Catholic medical school in the United States.
The School is part of the Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is the medical campus at Georgetown University. It is also a $225 million biomedical research and educational organization. The Medical Center contains over 80% of Georgetown University's sponsored research funding and is led by Howard J...
, which comprises roughly 80% of the research initiatives occurring at Georgetown University as a whole. It is the closest academic medical center in proximity to the National Institutes of Health
National Institutes of Health
The National Institutes of Health are an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services and are the primary agency of the United States government responsible for biomedical and health-related research. Its science and engineering counterpart is the National Science Foundation...
. Georgetown and the NIH offer a combined GU-NIH PhD program in biomedical research to foster direct collaboration between the neighboring institutions.
Technology leading to the introduction of the HPV vaccine
HPV vaccine
The human papilloma virus vaccine prevents infection with certain species of human papillomavirus associated with the development of cervical cancer, genital warts, and some less common cancers...
, the first ever vaccination for cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, was developed at Georgetown Medical Center by Dr. Richard Schlegel.
History
In 1898 the Georgetown University Hospital
Georgetown University Hospital
Georgetown University Hospital is one of the national capital area's oldest academic teaching hospitals and is affiliated with Georgetown University School of Medicine. GUH is a not-for-profit, acute-care teaching and research facility located in Northwest Washington, DC...
was established. It is currently a 609-licensed bed hospital. In 1930, classes moved to the main campus. In July 2000, Georgetown University and MedStar Health, a not-for-profit organization of seven Baltimore and Washington hospitals, entered into a clinical partnership to provide management of clinical care and clinical education at Georgetown University Hospital. In 2004, the School of Medicine opened the Integrated Learning Center (ILC), which supports the School of Medicine's emphasis on a patient-centered, competence-based curriculum and provides the latest methods of clinical teaching and evaluation.
Admission & Ranking
Admission to the School of Medicine is the most competitive of Georgetown University's programs. It is home to the fifth most selective medical school student body in the United States. For the MD class entering in 2008, 1,107 of the 11,228 applicants were invited to interview, and 376 were accepted to fill 194 spots, an acceptance rate of 3.1%. Students had an average science GPA of 3.66, and a mean MCAT score of 32. The School of Medicine and the Graduate School of Arts & Sciences cooperate to offer a combined-degree program that leads to an MD and a PhD in a chosen concentration. A spot is reserved in this program each year for one student interested in pursuing a Philosophy & Bioethics PhD; all other spots are undifferentiated but must be directed toward a scientific specialty. Research at Georgetown is especially strong in the areas of cancer and the neurosciences. Students in the MD/PhD program have average admissions statistics of: GPA 3.75, MCAT score 34, GRE subscore 716. Other combined degree programs include BA/MD (early selection route for Georgetown University undergraduates), MD/MBA, and MD/MS.Tuition is $41,356 for the 2007–2008 first year class while the total cost of attendance is roughly $71,000 a year, making Georgetown one of the priciest medical schools in the nation. In 2006–07, 85% of Georgetown medical students received financial aid. The MD/PhD program is one of the few in the United States that does not offer full tuition remission for the MD-portion of the program, although tuition and a competitive stipend are provided for the PhD-portion.
The relatively tight budget of the GU Medical Center, influenced by severe financial setbacks during the 1990s related to the advent of managed care, has resulted in impeded growth and a lack of facilities upgrades, hurting its national ranking (currently at #45 in Research according to US News & World Report's Top Medical Schools Ranking). Past issues, including falling hospital revenues and a financial partnership for a newly built research building having been made with a pharmaceutical company that ended up going bankrupt, threatened the school at one point. Georgetown's former Dental School was forced to shut down in the late 1980s. The situation is since improved dramatically, and ratings have been on a rebound trend since the Medical Center covered its financial losses by partnering its teaching hospital with MedStar Health
MedStar Health
MedStar Health is a $3.9 billion not-for-profit healthcare organization. It operates more than 40 entities, including nine hospitals in the Maryland and Washington, D.C., region of the United States...
, a move orchestrated by John DeGioia, now the University's President.
The quality of the research and training at Georgetown Medical School has earned a strong reputation and the school continues to be in very high demand amongst prospective medical students. Georgetown received the third-largest number of medical school applications in the country during the 2008 application cycle, and had one of the lowest admission rates of 3.1%.
The residency placements of Georgetown medical students are very competitive against national standards. Some of the higher represented placements consistently include Johns Hopkins Hospital, Northwestern McGaw, New York Presbyterian Hospital, and UCLA. Generally, around 20% of students continue at Georgetown for residency training. From the MD/PhD program, the best represented residency placements are Georgetown (10), Harvard
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School is the graduate medical school of Harvard University. It is located in the Longwood Medical Area of the Mission Hill neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts....
-affiliated Hospitals (8), Duke
Duke University Hospital
Duke University Medical Center is a 924-bed academic tertiary care facility located in Durham, North Carolina. Since its establishment in 1930, the hospital has grown from a small regional hospital to an academic medical center...
(6), and Johns Hopkins
Johns Hopkins Hospital
The Johns Hopkins Hospital is the teaching hospital and biomedical research facility of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, located in Baltimore, Maryland . It was founded using money from a bequest by philanthropist Johns Hopkins...
(4).
Curriculum
The School of Medicine offers an MD with a Research Track where MD students spend time in the laboratory and develop a research thesis in their specialty. This is different from the MD/PhD program, which is longer and requires a PhD thesis.
Georgetown's four-year curriculum combines departmentally based basic science courses and laboratory work, prescribed clinical clerkships, multidisciplinary courses and conferences, and electives that provide the student a well-rounded, comprehensive curriculum. The intent is to prepare students for not only the clinical and biomedical aspects of patient care, but also the social, ethical, and community-based challenges for effectively providing that care.
Courses in the first two years focus on the development of fundamental knowledge concerning the body's normal and altered structure and functions. Small-group teaching and problem-based presentations have replaced a portion of the large class lectures. These small groups and lectures are shared with students admitted to the GEMS program and Special Masters in Physiology students, bringing the effective class size during the first year to well over 300 students. Starting with the Class of 2012 there have been significant changes to both the first and second year curricula, including a shift toward systems-based learning. This sea-change in curriculum has been implemented over a very short period, with mixed success. Further development of the curriculum in anticipation of an accreditation review is underway. Exposure to patient assessment and care along with community service and advocacy opportunities begin in the first year, and continue throughout all four years.
In the third year, clinical clerkships stress the skills required to acquire and interpret patient-based data, while the fourth year further develops skills in patient management, including rotations in ambulatory care settings. Twenty-four weeks of electives are available during this final year.
Faculty/student review of the curriculum is an important continuing endeavor of the School of Medicine. Curriculum revisions occur each year in response to student and faculty evaluations. Additional task forces are looking at how best to develop longitudinal themes throughout the curriculum that will better prepare students for the challenges facing health care, and effective and equitable health care delivery in the 21st century.
Programs
- AnesthesiaAnesthesiaAnesthesia, or anaesthesia , traditionally meant the condition of having sensation blocked or temporarily taken away...
- BiochemistryBiochemistryBiochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
& Molecular BiologyMolecular biologyMolecular biology is the branch of biology that deals with the molecular basis of biological activity. This field overlaps with other areas of biology and chemistry, particularly genetics and biochemistry... - Biomathematics & StatisticsStatisticsStatistics is the study of the collection, organization, analysis, and interpretation of data. It deals with all aspects of this, including the planning of data collection in terms of the design of surveys and experiments....
- Cell BiologyCell biologyCell biology is a scientific discipline that studies cells – their physiological properties, their structure, the organelles they contain, interactions with their environment, their life cycle, division and death. This is done both on a microscopic and molecular level...
- DermatologyDermatologyDermatology is the branch of medicine dealing with the skin and its diseases, a unique specialty with both medical and surgical aspects. A dermatologist takes care of diseases, in the widest sense, and some cosmetic problems of the skin, scalp, hair, and nails....
- Emergency MedicineEmergency medicineEmergency medicine is a medical specialty in which physicians care for patients with acute illnesses or injuries which require immediate medical attention. While not usually providing long-term or continuing care, emergency medicine physicians diagnose a variety of illnesses and undertake acute...
- Family MedicineFamily medicineFamily medicine is a medical specialty devoted to comprehensive health care for people of all ages. It is a division of primary care that provides continuing and comprehensive health care for the individual and family across all ages, sexes, diseases, and parts of the body...
- Graduate Biomedical Education
- MedicineMedicineMedicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
- MicrobiologyMicrobiologyMicrobiology is the study of microorganisms, which are defined as any microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters or no cell at all . This includes eukaryotes, such as fungi and protists, and prokaryotes...
& ImmunologyImmunologyImmunology is a broad branch of biomedical science that covers the study of all aspects of the immune system in all organisms. It deals with the physiological functioning of the immune system in states of both health and diseases; malfunctions of the immune system in immunological disorders ; the... - NeurologyNeurologyNeurology is a medical specialty dealing with disorders of the nervous system. Specifically, it deals with the diagnosis and treatment of all categories of disease involving the central, peripheral, and autonomic nervous systems, including their coverings, blood vessels, and all effector tissue,...
- NeurosurgeryNeurosurgeryNeurosurgery is the medical specialty concerned with the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of disorders which affect any portion of the nervous system including the brain, spine, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and extra-cranial cerebrovascular system.-In the United States:In...
- ObstetricsObstetricsObstetrics is the medical specialty dealing with the care of all women's reproductive tracts and their children during pregnancy , childbirth and the postnatal period...
& Gynecology - OncologyOncologyOncology is a branch of medicine that deals with cancer...
- OphthalmologyOphthalmologyOphthalmology is the branch of medicine that deals with the anatomy, physiology and diseases of the eye. An ophthalmologist is a specialist in medical and surgical eye problems...
- Orthopaedic Surgery
- OtolaryngologyOtolaryngologyOtolaryngology or ENT is the branch of medicine and surgery that specializes in the diagnosis and treatment of ear, nose, throat, and head and neck disorders....
- PathologyPathologyPathology is the precise study and diagnosis of disease. The word pathology is from Ancient Greek , pathos, "feeling, suffering"; and , -logia, "the study of". Pathologization, to pathologize, refers to the process of defining a condition or behavior as pathological, e.g. pathological gambling....
- PediatricsPediatricsPediatrics or paediatrics is the branch of medicine that deals with the medical care of infants, children, and adolescents. A medical practitioner who specializes in this area is known as a pediatrician or paediatrician...
- PharmacologyPharmacologyPharmacology is the branch of medicine and biology concerned with the study of drug action. More specifically, it is the study of the interactions that occur between a living organism and chemicals that affect normal or abnormal biochemical function...
- PhysiologyPhysiologyPhysiology is the science of the function of living systems. This includes how organisms, organ systems, organs, cells, and bio-molecules carry out the chemical or physical functions that exist in a living system. The highest honor awarded in physiology is the Nobel Prize in Physiology or...
& BiophysicsBiophysicsBiophysics is an interdisciplinary science that uses the methods of physical science to study biological systems. Studies included under the branches of biophysics span all levels of biological organization, from the molecular scale to whole organisms and ecosystems... - PsychiatryPsychiatryPsychiatry is the medical specialty devoted to the study and treatment of mental disorders. These mental disorders include various affective, behavioural, cognitive and perceptual abnormalities...
- Radiation Medicine
- RadiologyRadiologyRadiology is a medical specialty that employs the use of imaging to both diagnose and treat disease visualized within the human body. Radiologists use an array of imaging technologies to diagnose or treat diseases...
- SurgerySurgerySurgery is an ancient medical specialty that uses operative manual and instrumental techniques on a patient to investigate and/or treat a pathological condition such as disease or injury, or to help improve bodily function or appearance.An act of performing surgery may be called a surgical...
- UrologyUrologyUrology is the medical and surgical specialty that focuses on the urinary tracts of males and females, and on the reproductive system of males. Medical professionals specializing in the field of urology are called urologists and are trained to diagnose, treat, and manage patients with urological...
Campus
Georgetown University Medical Center
Georgetown University Medical Center is the medical campus at Georgetown University. It is also a $225 million biomedical research and educational organization. The Medical Center contains over 80% of Georgetown University's sponsored research funding and is led by Howard J...
comprises the School of Medicine, School of Nursing & Health Studies (founded in 1903), Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center and its Biomedical Graduate Research Organization. In 2008, GUMC brought in $132 million in sponsored research funds, most of which was federally funded. Clinical care is provided at Georgetown University Hospital and satellite locations through a partnership with MedStar Health.
Notable alumni
| Name | Degree and year received | Accomplishments |
|---|---|---|
| Mark R. Dybul Mark R. Dybul Ambassador Mark R. Dybul served as the United States Global AIDS Coordinator, leading the implementation of the President's Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief during the presidency of George W. Bush.-Biography:... |
C 1985, M 1992 | United States Global AIDS Coordinator Global AIDS Coordinator (U.S.) The Global AIDS Coordinator at the U.S. State Department is the official responsible for overseeing U.S.-sponsored humanitarian aid programs to combat the AIDS epidemic in Africa and Asia. The office was previously held by Ambassador Mark R. Dybul, , until June 23, 2009 when Ambassador Eric Goosby... , U.S. Department of State, 2006–2008 |
| Susan Hockfield Susan Hockfield Susan Hockfield is the sixteenth and current president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Hockfield's appointment was publicly announced on August 26, 2004, and she formally took office December 6, 2004, succeeding Charles M. Vest. Hockfield's official inauguration celebrations took... |
Med Ph.D – 1979 | Neuroscientist; President, MIT Massachusetts Institute of Technology The Massachusetts Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts. MIT has five schools and one college, containing a total of 32 academic departments, with a strong emphasis on scientific and technological education and research.Founded in 1861 in... , 2004–present; Provost, Yale University Yale University Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States... , 2003–04; Dean, Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences, 1998–2000; |
| Kevin C. Kiley Kevin C. Kiley Major General Kevin C. Kiley was the 41st Surgeon General of the United States Army and commander of the U.S. Army Medical Command, Fort Sam Houston, Texas. He was commander of Walter Reed Army Medical Center and North Atlantic Regional Medical Command twice, from 2002 to 2004, and as acting... |
M 1976 | Lt. Gen. Kiley is the 41st Surgeon General of the Army and Commander, U.S. Army Medical Command, 2004–2007 |
| Antonia Novello Antonia Novello Antonia Coello Novello, M.D., is a Puerto Rican physician and public health administrator. She was a vice admiral in the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and served as fourteenth Surgeon General of the United States from 1990 to 1993... |
Hospital Fellow 1975 | Surgeon General of the United States Surgeon General of the United States The Surgeon General of the United States is the operational head of the Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and thus the leading spokesperson on matters of public health in the federal government... , 1990–93 |
| Esam Omeish Esam Omeish Esam S. Omeish is a Libyan-born American physician and chief of the Division of General Surgery at Inova Alexandria Hospital since 2006... |
C 1989, M 1993 | former President of the Muslim American Society Muslim American Society The Muslim American Society is a nonprofit organization founded in 1993 that describes itself as an Islamic revival and reform movement.... |
| Thomas Parran, Jr. Thomas Parran, Jr. Thomas Parran, Jr. was an American physician and Public Health Service officer. He was appointed the sixth Surgeon General of the United States from 1936 to 1948.-Early years :... |
M 1915 | Surgeon General of the United States, 1936–48 |
| John J. Ring | C 1949, M 1953 | former President, American Medical Association American Medical Association The American Medical Association , founded in 1847 and incorporated in 1897, is the largest association of medical doctors and medical students in the United States.-Scope and operations:... |
| Solomon Snyder | C 1959, M 1962 | Neuroscientist |
| Andrew von Eschenbach Andrew von Eschenbach Andrew C. von Eschenbach was the Commissioner of the United States Food and Drug Administration from 2006–2009. He became acting Commissioner on September 26, 2005, after the resignation of his predecessor Lester Crawford, and was confirmed as Commissioner by the Senate on December 7, 2006... |
M 1967 | Director, Food and Drug Administration Food and Drug Administration The Food and Drug Administration is an agency of the United States Department of Health and Human Services, one of the United States federal executive departments... , 2006–present; Director, National Cancer Institute National Cancer Institute The National Cancer Institute is part of the National Institutes of Health , which is one of 11 agencies that are part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The NCI coordinates the U.S... , 2002–05 |