R/UOP III - 3

Fulfill your III requirement as part of a R/UOP experience

Students can complete their SOM Independent Investigative Inquiry Option 3 (III-3) by integrating a community medicine project into their R/UOP experience.

  • Students should plan 6 weeks to complete their RUOP III-3 option -4 continuous weeks in the field and 2 additional weeks to complete assignments.
  • Please plan on waiting at least two weeks after completing end-of-quarter/semester exams before starting at your RUOP site, and completing your field experience no later than one week prior to orientation, to allow time for III-3 assignments.
  • Students will use a community-centered approach to asses their community's need, identify a health issue and implement a solution. The curriculum is challenging and fast paced.
  • An orientation is required for all R/UOP and III-3 students before going to the field. You will receive email information about this orientation in the spring.

      All assignments are completed independently and uploaded to III-3 faculty via the internet.

      • Students do not identify a project until they arrive on site.
      • Students complete a two-part community assessment both before and after arriving on site.
      • With community input, each student identifies a public health problem and develops an intervention project using the Community Oriented Primary Care (COPC) method.
      • Each student has a III-3 faculty mentor to guide them through the process. They access each other through a special web interface.
      • Students submit journals about their learning experiences via the internet and III-3 faculty mentor respond.
      • Students develop an academic poster of their work and present it at the Annual Medical Student Poster Session on the UW campus in the fall.

        See III-3 Assignments for more specific information.