Fourth Year Scheduling
Legend
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Mandatory Activity
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Student Deadline/Expectation
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Clinical Ed Deadline
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FYI/NOTE
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TIME LINE- Scheduling the Fourth Year - Class of 2027
TIMELINE IS SUBJECT
TO CHANGE!!! CHECK THIS SITE FOR
UPDATES.
12/1/2025
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6:00-7:00pm (Virtual)
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Class Meeting -MANDATORY- Office of Clinical Education -Introduction to Phase 3 - via Zoom |
12/5/2025
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DOCSS opens
Instructional Video
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Emergency Medicine lottery ranking opens - MANDATORY for all students - Instructional video will be posted for students - will only have to RANK |
12/15/2025
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5PM DEADLINE
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Emergency Medicine lottery ranking DUE 5PM |
1/9/2026
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8am posting
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Emergency Medicine lottery results will be posted by 8am |
1/15/2026
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3:00-7:00pm (Virtual)
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Class Meeting - MANDATORY - Overview of the 4th Year and meet with Pathway Directors (Clinical Education and Career Advising) |
TO DOs between 1/9 and 2/27: |
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2/2/2026
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DOCSS opens
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On-line course entry begins - Populate/rank
course selections in DOCSS |
| 2/26/2026 | by close of business | If desired, Submit Away Elective Approval Form OR Add/Drop Form for one elective to be added to schedule prior to lottery (max of one per student) |
3/2/2026
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8:00AM DEADLINE
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Deadline to populate and rank all DOCSS selections and indicate pathway is 8AM on Monday. Notification of an AVL regarding location placement from ODR is due. |
3/9/2026
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Noon posting
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Schedules posted on-line View Only. Instructions for next steps via email. |
3/9/2026 - |
Utilized by Clinical Education to resolve graduation requirement scheduling issues. |
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3/16/2026 - |
Online add/drop period through DOCSS for courses that are: |
4/6/2026
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8:00AM DEADLINE
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Grace period for adding or dropping "In lottery; post lottery by arrangement only" courses ends. After 4/6/2026, all add/drops must be consistent with guidelines in the catalog. |
4/6/2026 |
Initial confirmation with sites | |
NOTE: TIMELINE
IS SUBJECT TO CHANGE! CHECK THIS SITE FOR UPDATES.
Revised
20260220
REVISED 11/18/2025
A GUIDE TO SCHEDULING THE FOURTH YEAR
In addition to the written
guide/instructions below, there are two video presentations that you will find
most helpful. The Lottery presentation may help you navigate DOCSS.
Part 1: 4th Year General Information
Part 2: Away Rotations and DOCSS/Lottery Process - Robin
Smith
- Class of 2021 instructions; basic instructions are the same, dates have not been updated for 2027; Emergency Medicine lottery is new, Pathway forms for lottery are no longer required; Video for Class of 2027 is posted on WebCampus - See Archived Slides/Videos
This guide
provides an overview of required fourth year rotations, a guide to submitting
schedule preferences for the Drexel Online Curriculum Educational Scheduling
System (DOCSS), and an outline of policies for changing established schedules.
I. Overview of the Fourth Year
b. General Information About the
Pathways
II. Required Courses
III. Senior Elective Catalogue
V. The Drexel Online Curriculum Scheduling System (DOCSS)
b. Student Randomization and Scheduling Runs
c. Preparation of Your Worksheet
d. Entering Your DOCSS Scheduling Priorities On-Line
f. Viewing Your Schedule on the Web
VII. Deadlines
VIII. Special Needs and Special Requests
IX. Other
X. Schedule Change Policies and Procedures for the 4th Year
I. OVERVIEW OF THE FOURTH YEAR
During the
fourth year, each student must meet the posted graduation requirements in the
Drexel University College of Medicine Student Handbook: https://webcampus.med.drexel.edu/Content.aspx?p=/Content/Handbook/
Scheduling requirements will be detailed in the Medical Student Handbook.
Section 1. Academic Policies and Academic Progress
Guidelines for Promotion: From Year 4 to Graduation
(please note that Medical Student Handbook supersedes information below)
a. Further Explanation
- Required Courses (Emergency Medicine Subinternship and the required Subinternship as designated by your Pathway) must be completed at a "Home" site.
- Pathway-required course must be completed, in most instances, at a "Home" site. In special cases a Pathway-required course may be completed at an "Away" site. Please refer to the requirements of the Pathway while you and your Pathway Advisor and Student Affairs Advising Dean develop your proposed schedule.
- "Home" sites include Drexel's clinical educational affiliates (all rotations offered in the DUCOM Senior Electives Guide) (ex: Allegheny, Kaiser Bay Area).
- "Away" sites include other medical schools or clinical
settings other than our established educational sites (example: Penn, UCF, etc).
- No
more than a maximum of 16 weeks may be taken at "Away"
sites.
- No more than a maximum of 16 weeks may be taken in any one discipline or specialty [this INCLUDES any required Subinternship], with one exception: Medicine, in which a student may take a maximum of 24 weeks [this INCLUDES the required Medicine Subinternship].
- No more than a maximum of 6 weeks of virtual "away" electives may be counted toward graduation credit.
- Any approved research credit does count towards total weeks of Away rotations and in the total weeks in the discipline.
- Students
may not take the same rotation for more than 4
weeks without the approval of the Special Electives Committee (i.e., if
all of the characters of the course codes are the same it is the identical
course EX: MEDI8232S250 and MEDI8234S250 are the same course). The
"2" and "4" represent the weeks. 250 is the Site Code.
- Family
Medicine Guidelines: All
Family Medicine rotations must be arranged through the Department of
Family Medicine, Community and Preventive Medicine, regardless of the
student's Pathway.
- Students
are not permitted to perform clinical rotations under the supervision of
any individual when there may be a perception of a biased educational
experience or evaluation. The Dean's Office reserves the right to reassign
a student if a clinical rotation site has the potential of providing a
biased evaluation.
- Students
are not permitted to perform rotations at the same site on the same
discipline with a significant other. The Dean's Office reserves the
right to reassign a student if a scheduling conflict arises.
- Please keep in mind that Pathway requirements supersede the exceptions noted above and all Away rotations must be approved by your Pathway Director.
- All College of Medicine requirements must be met by all students.
b. General
Information About the Pathways:
- The Pathways were developed to provide students with an advising system. You will be meeting with your Advising Dean for initial advising on schedule planning. You will then be assigned to your Pathway Advisor and Yearlong Student Affairs Advising Dean based on your Pathway selection as you plan to move into your fourth year. You are strongly advised to keep in touch with your Pathway Director or their designee for guidance as you move through your fourth year.
- Pathway selection does NOT
increase your chances of obtaining Pathway specific required courses.
- You may change your Pathway
at any time prior to November 1 of your 4th year, with the sign off of
your current Pathway Director and the Pathway Director of the new Pathway
you are selecting. You must be able to complete the requirements of the
Pathway that you are in at the time of graduation.
- Senior students should have their schedules completed (i.e., full schedule of 32 weeks on the schedule) by February 1st of their graduation year in order for their schedules to be verified for graduation.
II. REQUIRED
EMERGENCY MEDICINE SUBINTERNSHIP AND REQUIRED SUBINTERNSHIP MENU AS DESIGNATED BY PATHWAY
Please see "Required Rotations List" for the list of
courses that will meet requirements.
III. SENIOR
ELECTIVE CATALOGUE
Course titles and numbers for all
courses approved and registered by the various departments at Drexel University
College of Medicine (including all clinical campuses) can be found
on-line in the Senior Elective Catalogue. The Guide will
be updated throughout the year.Contact
information, report times, etc are all included in
the catalogue. We strongly recommend that you use the Elective Catalogue as you can clearly see the details of an elective and when it is offered. Once you have this information, you are able to check for availability on DOCSS.
2026-2027 Senior Block Start Dates may be found here
Four-week rotations must start on a bolded date.
Two-week rotations can start on any date listed, provided the course is offered
on that date.
V. DREXEL
ONLINE CURRICULUM SCHEDULING SYSTEM (DOCSS)
The DOCSS is a computer program that
assigns students to their clinical rotations. The scheduler for the fourth year
is programmed with the following information: class roster, course offerings
and locations as listed in the Senior Elective Catalogue, rotation start
dates and start weeks and the number of available positions for each course and
site. The DOCSS is designed to allow
students to enter their preferred rotations in order of priority. The
DOCSS does not let students create their actual schedules; rather, it provides
students with an equal opportunity to achieve schedules closest to those they
desire.
a. General Information:
- Students must schedule the required Emergency Medicine Subinternship (EMMDI8504Sxxx) in the lottery. Students not submitting sufficient options for site and/or time will be assigned (force-scheduled) a site and time by DOCSS.
- It is strongly recommended that students also scheduled their required Subinternship. Students may also opt to
schedule their pathway-specific required course and as many additional
weeks in the lottery as they choose.
- Your original schedule
produced by DOCSS is unlikely to have a "full" schedule when
produced.
- Electives: Most
students choose to schedule the time and/or sites of only their most
important elective choices. If they do so, the DOCSS will schedule
those courses. Students will have open time slots for additional 4th year rotations to be scheduled as the year progresses.
- Students may choose to create
a list of priorities of variable complexity, ranking multiple sites and
times of year.
- Available spots for
Pathway-required courses for popular Pathways will fill up fast; we
encourage students to schedule those required courses in the lottery or
shortly after the posting of the scheduling results.
- DOCSS will not allow any student to schedule a required course more than once. This will have to be overriden post lottery (i.e., if you wish to take an OB subI and GYN ONC subI or two Surgery SubIs.)
- For students who are out of
phase with their class and who must complete 3rd year rotations
as well as senior rotations during the upcoming academic year, we have the
following suggestions:
- Students with fewer than 16 weeks of 3rd year work to complete and who are planning to go through the residency match for a position in July 2026 should follow the recommendation above and schedule required 4th year courses. All third year clerkships must be completed before a student takes 4th year courses.
- Students who will not
complete degree requirements in time to begin residency in July 2026 or
who will be joining the Class of 2027 for graduation and residency match
will defer scheduling their 4th year courses at
this time. Once Student Affairs advises that a student is ready to begin scheduling 4th year, the Office of Clinical Education
(clinicaleducation@drexel.edu) will work to get you scheduled.
The DOCSS student-randomization and priority-based Scheduler Rounds
described below provide each student with a comparable opportunity to get a schedule
closest to that desired.
b. Student
Randomization and Scheduling Runs
The program matches students'
requests with available spaces in the following manner. The list of
participating student names is shuffled into a random sequence. The
computer then goes through the list of names in that sequence, enrolling each
student into one course before it goes on to the next student. The DOCSS
will attempt to schedule each student into one course before any student is
scheduled into a second. One pass through the class roster is a
"Scheduler Round." During the Scheduler Round the computer will look
for a student's highest priority choice (lowest number - see
below). If the computer can schedule the student into that course, it
does so and moves on to the next student. If the student's highest
priority course is not available, the scheduler moves to the student's next
priority listing. The scheduler goes down a student's list, by priority,
until it can schedule a rotation. Once it does so, it moves on to the
next student.
After a Scheduler Round is
completed, for each ensuing Scheduler Round the computer reshuffles the
students into a new random sequence. It proceeds through each student's
priority list in the same manner as it did for the previous round.
If you don't get scheduled into
one of your choices, it is due to one of the following reasons:
- The maximum number of
students had already been assigned to the time or site slot.
- You were already scheduled
into a rotation during that time slot.
- You were already scheduled
for that particular rotation.
- The minimum number of
students (if defined) for your choice site and time could not be met.
c. Preparation of entries for Scheduling Rotations
and Sites
Strategies and Hints
Establish a step-by-step approach.
- Print out the list of start
dates and start weeks. They are linked above in this document.
- Determine, in general, the
times and order in which you would like to be scheduled for the rotations.
- Define what is the absolutely most important thing to you, e.g.,
having a certain rotation only at a certain time or site.
- Determine which of those is
of utmost importance to you - time or place.
- Assign priority
numbers.
- If timing of a rotation is
most important to you, increase your location options.
- If the site is of overriding
importance to you, list all the dates
- See the Timeline for when the lottery will open and close.
d. Entering Your
DOCSS Scheduling Priorities On-Line
Entering your DOCSS Scheduling priorities on-line via the web -
- Students must enter their
course choices on-line. The DOCSS can be accessed using
docss.med.drexel.edu. Staff of the Division of Clinical Education are
available to assist you. The Drexel Help Desk, IT, Library staff,
Student Affairs, etc. are not familiar with DOCSS.
- You may reach the web site
for the DOCSS by going to https://docss.drexelmed.edu/ and then select Log on to DOCSS.
- Enter your user name and password
- Then you must select the year (you select to be an MS-Phase 3)
- For Stage 1 of the 4th Year lottery (Emergency Medicine lottery), all options will already be entered for you, you will simply drag and drop them into your order of preference and click on UPDATE.
- For Stage 2 of the 4th Year lottery
- First you must select your Pathway ("Update your track"). This is found under Announcements.
- Then you must select the year (you select to be an MS-Phase 3)
- You then select Department in the drop down and "Search" - this will yield a list of available course within the Department
- From this screen you may click on "Course Title" to get detailed information OR "Add" to enter a course into your lottery selections
- To ADD a course, click "Add"
- From the next screen you will click on any dates you wish to enter and select "Add Selected Courses"
- From the "Lottery Selections" Tab you may see everything that you have entered - on this screen there are instructions for modifying entries
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- Some courses will indicate they have no offerings as they are by arrangement only post lottery.
e. Viewing Your Schedule on the Web
When completed, student schedules will be posted on-line (after the lottery has been run). You may view and print your schedule from the web. Go to the web site. Log on with your user name and password and click on the Schedule Tab.
If you need assistance, the staff
in the Division of Clinical Education is available. Please remember that
Library and Student Affairs personnel are not familiar with DOCSS.
VI. DECLARING YOUR PATHWAY
You "declare" your pathway by
selecting your Pathway ("Update your track") found under
Announcements. During Stage 2 of the lottery, when you
log on to DOCSS you will select your Pathway. At the time the lottery is run, the list of Pathway students will be
matched up "Track" selected in DOCSS.
Please refer to the Timeline for all deadlines: Timeline for Scheduling Year 4
VIII. SPECIAL NEEDS AND SPECIAL REQUESTS
Some students have special needs
regarding the timing or locations of their rotations per the Office of
Disability Resources. A Deans Committee will evaluate Special Needs
Requests in order to assist with student scheduling. Special
consideration regarding timing and sites of rotations will be granted for
students with AVLs from the Office of
Disability Resources or Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. It is imperative that students with AVLs or letters from ODEI confirm that Student Affairs is in receipt of this documenation prior to February 28th, 2026. Please recognize that students self-schedule in the 4th year.
Requests due to disability must be
accompanied by the Accommodation Verification Letter issued by the Drexel
University Office
of Disability Resources or Office of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. For additional information regarding
requests due to a disability, go to: https://drexel.edu/disability-resources/support-accommodations/student-family-resources/accommodations
a. Viewing
Your Transcript on the Web
Check Banner on the web at http://one.drexel.edu/ to see submitted/recorded grades. Do not call the Division of Clinical
Education for evaluations/grades.
b. Scheduling Away, International and Other
Special Electives
Students may complete a maximum 16
weeks at other medical schools or clinical sites away from DUCOM and its
educational affiliates. Information on how to gather information about
and to schedule away and international rotations is also on the web under Electives.
c. Validating Graduation Requirements
In order to facilitate Drexel
University College of Medicine's validating that you will have met degree
requirements before graduating and beginning residency training, WE REQUIRE
THAT A FULL YEAR'S SCHEDULE BE COMPLETED WITH THE DIVISION OF CLINICAL
EDUCATION NO LATER THAN FEBRUARY 1 OF THE YEAR OF GRADUATION.
X. SCHEDULE CHANGE
POLICIES AND PROCEDURES FOR THE 4th YEAR
- 4th year ADD/DROP requests
are completed on-line via DOCSS
- TRADE requests must be
submitted on an Add/Drop/Trade form and submitted directly to the Division
of Clinical Education. The Division of Clinical Education can make a
change only if it is possible within departmentally defined minimum and maximum
numbers of students at each site and time.
- Trade and Schedule Change
Forms are available on line for downloading/printing at Add-Dropform.pdf
- Each rotation at an
institution must have the minimum number of students assigned in order to
assure a quality educational experience, especially for the required 4th year rotations. If an institution is at its minimum, changes cannot
be made. There may be rare exceptions for true emergencies.
- Schedule
changes require 6 weeks notice prior to the
course start date.
The Division of Clinical Education and the Clinical
Departments reserve the right to change schedules at any time it becomes
necessary due to circumstances beyond their control that would result in
inadequate educational experiences for participating students.
Revised 2/4/2026
REVISED 1/30/2026
REQUIRED EMERGENCY MEDICINE SUBINTERNSHIP AND REQUIRED SUBINTERNSHIP MENU
2026-2027
Please note that not all Subinternships are available to schedule through the lottery. Several rotations are by arrangement only and the site must be contacted post lottery.
No Subinternships may be taken in Block 11 by graduating students.
Only the courses listed below will be accepted as the REQUIRED Subinternship in Emergency Medicine or the medical school required Subinternship. No substitutions are permitted.
| The Emergency Medicine Subinternship is required
for all 4th year students.
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COURSE
AND SITE
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COURSE
NUMBER
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EMERGENCY MEDICINE SUBINTERNSHIP |
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EMMD8504S200 |
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| COURSE
AND SITE
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COURSE NUMBER
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MEDICINE SUBINTERNSHIP
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# you must apply to site; not available in lottery - will be substitued as the Required rotation if you are accepted by site for Medicine SubI slot (follow site instructions for application) #Kaiser Permanente - San Francisco (MEDI8504S770) #Kaiser Permanente - Santa Clara (MEDI8504S752) |
MEDI8504S200 |
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| COURSE
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COURSE NUMBER
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OB/GYN SUBINTERNSHIP
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Gynecology Subinternship # Obstetrical Subinternship # # you must apply to site; not in lottery - follow site instructions for application |
OBGY8214S170 OBGY8264S420 OBGY8274S950
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| COURSE | COURSE NUMBER
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PEDIATRIC SUBINTERNSHIP
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+speak to Dr. Nicholas Kuzma at SCHC prior to registering |
PEDS8504S500 |
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| COURSE | COURSE NUMBER
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SURGERY SUBINTERNSHIP
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Breast Surgery Pediatric Surgery Subinternship in Surgery # Tranplant Surgery Trauma/Critical Care Vascular Surgery Burn Trauma #
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SURG8734S200 PEDS8554S650 SURG8504S170 SURG9024S200 SURG9014S200 SURG8844S200 |
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