The Icahn School of Medicine’s MD Program prepares students to be skilled physicians, in accordance with the standards outlined by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) the U.S. accrediting agency for medical schools. In order to reach these standards, we engage in a rigorous and thorough admissions process.
The technical standards outlined below are requirements for admission, retention, promotion, and graduation from the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai MD Program. Clearly defined technical standards are a requirement for the accreditation of U.S. Medical Schools by the LCME.
Students are accepted to the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai without regard to disability. The School expects that all students satisfactorily complete all parts of the curriculum within an appropriate timeframe to graduate (see student handbook). In addition to meeting academic standards, medical students must possess certain minimum physical and cognitive abilities and skills as outlined below, and demonstrate sufficient mental and emotional stability to ensure that the student is able to complete the entire course of study and participate fully in all aspects of medical training. Candidates for the medical degree must be able to perform in a reasonably independent manner with or without an accommodation.
Communication
You should be able to communicate with patients and/or their caregivers for the purposes of eliciting information, detecting changes in affect, physical functioning, and establishing an effective physician-patient relationship. You should be able to communicate effectively and sensitively with patients, caregivers and all members of the health care team in all manners of communication including face-to-face, telephonic and written. This skill requires you to possess English language proficiency and if required, the proper use of assistive devices to facilitate language interpretation.
Motor
You should possess the ability to perform a diagnostic evaluation of a patient including the performance of physical examination maneuvers. You should be able to execute specific motor movements required to provide general care to patients and provide or direct the provision of emergent and urgent evaluation and management of patients. Such actions require coordination of both gross and fine muscular movements, gait, balance and equilibrium.
Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative, and Quantitative Abilities
You should be able to assimilate detailed and complex information presented in both didactic and clinical coursework, and engage in problem solving. You are expected to possess the ability to measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and transmit information. In addition, you should be able to comprehend three dimensional relationships and to understand the spatial relationships of structures and to adapt to different learning environments and modalities
Behavioral and Social Attributes
You should possess the emotional health required for full utilization of your intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of all responsibilities attendant to the diagnosis and care of patients, and the development of mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients, family, caregivers, fellow students, faculty, and staff. You should be able to tolerate physically taxing workloads and to function effectively under stress. You should be able to adapt to changing environments, to display flexibility and learn to function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the clinical problems of many patients. Compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, professionalism, interest, and motivation are all personal qualities that are expected during the education processes.
Ethics and Professionalism
You should maintain and display ethical and moral behaviors commensurate with the role of a physician in all interactions with patients, family, caregivers, faculty, staff, students and the public. You are expected to understand the legal and ethical aspects of the practice of medicine and function within the law and ethical standards of the medical profession.
Candidates and current students who have questions regarding the technical standards or who believe they may need reasonable accommodation(s) in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact the Medical Student Disability Officer, Christine Low.