College of Medicine rolls out enhanced scholarly concentrations












EMET info



Incoming medical students can apply to participate in the following EMETs:

  • Aging and integrated medicine;
  • Auto-immune diseases;
  • Comprehensive HIV medicine;
  • Preventive medicine; and
  • Underserved health care.

More information about the EMETs is available by following the “prospective students” link from the College of Medicine home page.

Faculty interested in creating an additional track can complete a proposal form available here.

Contact Hugh Stoddard, Ph.D., at hstoddard@unmc.edu or 559-7837 for more information.




Advanced scholarly concentrations in fields such as aging, HIV medicine and treatment for underserved populations will be offered in the College of Medicine starting with this fall’s incoming class of first-year medical students.

The concentrations, called Enhanced Medical Education Tracks (EMETs), will allow select medical students to perform in depth studies of interdisciplinary fields while they also complete the required medical school curriculum.

EMETs will not extend the time needed to graduate from medical school.

“The tracks are challenging for students and address specific topics in greater depth than is available through the required curriculum,” said Hugh Stoddard, Ph.D., director of curriculum development in the College of Medicine.

Incoming students can apply to participate in the following EMETs:

  • Aging and integrated medicine;
  • Auto-immune diseases;
  • Comprehensive HIV medicine;
  • Preventive medicine; and
  • Underserved health care.

More concentrations may be offered in the future, Dr. Stoddard said.

UNMC is one of just a handful of medical schools around the nation to offer the advanced concentrations. Jeff Hill, M.D., professor and associate dean in the College of Medicine, said the tracks will help UNMC recruit a motivated brand of student who wishes to go beyond the standard medical school curriculum.

“These tracks will help students individualize their medical school training so they can focus on specialty areas that they are truly interested in,” Dr. Hill said.

Gerald Moore, M.D., senior associate dean for academic affairs in the College of Medicine, said the enhanced concentrations will help prepare participants to confront some of the more pressing health care issues they will face in their careers.

“These tracks are focused on high-impact areas of medicine,” Dr. Moore said. “They are, and are going to remain, major points of emphasis in health care for some time. Students who participate in these tracks will receive special training and insight that will help them confront these issues.”

The aging and integrated medicine track, for example, will train future physicians to better confront the growing population of elderly they will face during their careers, said Edward Vandenberg, M.D., an assistant professor of geriatrics who will direct the aging EMET.

“There’s no question that we’re going to need experts in geriatrics,” Dr. Vandenberg said. “One way increase the number of geriatric experts is through early encouragement in terms of academics and research.”







“These tracks will help students individualize their medical school training so they can focus on specialty areas that they are truly interested in.”



Jeff Hill, M.D.



Although EMET participants are required to maintain good academic standing, Dr. Stoddard said participants will be selected based on their interest in the topic and their motivation to complete work above and beyond the basic M.D. curriculum.

Interested students apply to a track during the second semester of their M1 year. Participants will then complete the designated EMET activities such as seminars, preceptorships or research, throughout their M1, M2 and M3 years.

During the M4 year, participants will produce a capstone project such as a poster or conference presentation with the help of their mentors.

Successful completion of EMETs will be noted in students’ performance evaluations, transcripts and also during the college’s annual awards convocation.

Additional information about the EMETs is available by following the “prospective students” link from the College of Medicine home page.

Faculty interested in creating an additional track can complete a proposal form available here.

Contact Dr. Stoddard at hstoddard@unmc.edu or 559-7837 for more information.