The incoming UF MD-PhD Scholars arrive two weeks prior to the Medical Student Orientation in the second week of July. This orientation is standardly two weeks in length, with four parts:

1. Overview of the eight-year Program Plan with UF MD-PhD Milestones Checklist (please see Appendix in the MD-PhD Handbook);
2. Participation in a summer course: GMS7093 – Introduction to Clinical/Translational Research (ICTR);
3. Initiation of a Practicum in Patient-Oriented Research; and
4. Introduction to the Leadership Curriculum (please see the MD-PhD Handbook).

A major activity of the Orientation is the course, GMS 7093: Introduction to Clinical/Translational Research, sponsored by the UF CTSA and directed by Ronald Shorr, MD, MPH. This course is convened from 2:00-5:00 p.m. daily, for eleven days, featuring 2-4 didactic lectures per day on topics related to clinical and translational research, plus a one-hour small group activity, including development of a mock research protocol.

An important aspect of the ICTR course is its inclusion of trainees from all over the UF HSC, including other graduate students, post-doctoral fellows, Career Development Awardees (K series), and faculty newly arriving at UF HSC. This provides Scholars the opportunity for early exposure to other biomedical scientists.