University of Kentucky College of Medicine

The University of Kentucky College of Medicine is a medical school found in the University of Kentucky's Chandler Medical Center in Lexington, KY.

History
The Kentucky General Assembly approved the construction of the University of Kentucky Medical Center and accompanying medical school in 1956. William R. Willard directed the planning and development of the University of Kentucky Medical Center and subsequently was appointed Vice President of the Medical Center and Dean of the College of Medicine. The Medical Sciences Building was completed in 1960, and four years later the College of Medicine graduated its first class of 32 students. Since then, 3,391 medical students have earned M.D. degrees from the institution. The current Dean is Jay Perman, overseeing 1,810 full-time and temporary staff members, 408 medical students, 426 graduate students, and 474 residents as of 2006.

Curriculum
The school offers a four-year M.D. program including two years of basic science instruction and two years of clinical rotations. In addition, the College supports combined degree programs that allow students to earn MBA, MPH, or Ph.D. degrees while pursuing the M.D.

Classes are arranged around a loose block schedule, beginning and ending intermittently throughout the academic year. In the first two years, classes often adjourn by noon, leaving students free to pursue independent study or extra-curricular activities. Since the early 1990s, the college has been part of a model program to integrate early clinical experiences in among the traditional science classes of the first two years.

Students are active in the community, running a clinic affiliated with the Salvation Army, organizing an annual Hispanic Health Fair, undertaking rural medicine externships in surrounding counties, and volunteering independently.