NYU Grossman School of Medicine selectives are one-month courses in specialty or subspecialty areas. To earn your MD degree, you must complete at least two selectives, which you take during stages three and four of the curriculum. Grades for selective courses include honors, high pass, pass, and fail.

Currently Offered Selectives

The selective courses listed here integrate basic and clinical sciences. Current students can access full descriptions of all selectives (a Kerberos ID is required for login). Selective courses are not available to visiting students.

The Office of Registration and Student Records provides information about participating in the selective lottery to determine your schedule.

Autism Spectrum and Related Disorders

Students participate in a unique four-week rotation across the Departments of Pediatrics, Neurology, and Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and the Neuroscience Institute that focuses on autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and other developmental disorders and related conditions. Physicians and researchers are encountering this patient population more frequently as rates of autism, and co-occurring developmental, psychiatric, and medical conditions continue to increase. You have the opportunity to observe and participate in the evaluation and treatment of autism and co-occurring conditions from the perspective of three clinical disciplines, as well as a basic science perspective. You gain an understanding of the varied presentations of autism, as well as the complex medical and social systems involved in care, and the collaborative work that is needed to provide interdisciplinary care for children and adolescents with autism.

Breast Surgery

Students participate in the preoperative and postoperative assessment of patients with breast cancer and other breast diseases. You assist in the operating room with a variety of procedures including mastectomy, lumpectomy, breast biopsy, percutaneous tissue sampling, and treatment of benign breast disease.

Cardiac System

Students get an overview of the prevention, diagnosis, and multidisciplinary treatment of cardiovascular disease, including experience in cardiac surgery.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry

Students evaluate and treat children with mental illness and address their families’ needs. You gain experience with a range of psychiatric conditions, such as affective disorders, psychotic disorders, and disruptive behavior disorders.

Tisch Endocrine Surgery/Surgical Oncology

Students perform preoperative and postoperative assessments of patients with thyroid cancer, other thyroid diseases, hyperparathyroidism, adrenal tumors, malignant melanoma, sarcomas, and other soft-tissue tumors. You assist in the operating room and gain experience performing thyroid and parathyroid ultrasound, ultrasound-guided fine-needle aspiration, fiber-optic laryngoscopy, and other tumor-related imaging services.

Geriatric Psychiatry

Students learn to perform comprehensive health assessments, diagnose and treat common geriatric mental illnesses, and differentiate between dementia, depression, and delirium. You also become familiar with the appropriate pharmacological management of older psychiatric patients and the risks associated with polypharmacy. In addition, you learn about medications that may cause or exacerbate cognitive problems.

Global Health—Surgery and Acute Care

Students learn about surgical and acute care conditions common in developing countries. You also acquire an understanding of the diagnostic capabilities within these countries and the systemic issues that influence access, availability, and quality of surgical and acute care throughout the developing world.

Global Health—Infectious Diseases, Noncommunicable Diseases, and Mental Health

Students delve into current research themes in global infectious diseases and their application in clinical settings with a special focus on addressing neglected tropical diseases, health disparities, and providing better healthcare to underserved populations around the world. You also are introduced to a sampling of issues related to noncommunicable disease and mental health within the global health arena, including trauma recovery and culturally sensitive communication in community-based healthcare. You participate in team-based learning workshops, simulations, case discussions, and interactive lessons in addition to gaining both inpatient and outpatient experience in infectious disease clinics.

Healthcare System Innovation and Policy

Students discover key features of the U.S. healthcare delivery and financing system and learn analytical concepts used to evaluate current health policy issues.

Musculoskeletal Medicine

Students learn how rheumatologists, rehabilitation medicine specialists, and orthopedic surgeons can pool their expertise to treat musculoskeletal complaints.

Palliative Care and Clinical Ethics

Students develop essential clinical and communication skills needed to address the physical, social, psychological, and spiritual needs of patients in hospice and palliative medicine settings. You learn how these needs vary depending on a patient’s age, disease, cultural background, and location of care.

Pediatric Surgery

Students gain experience in preoperative and postoperative pediatric surgical care through the management of common pediatric surgical problems. You perform focused pediatric physical exams, learn to recognize the major disease processes addressed in pediatric surgery, formulate differential diagnoses and treatment plans for pediatric patients, and calculate pediatric fluid requirements. You also learn to recognize major congenital anomalies.

Reproductive Psychiatry

Students learn to evaluate and treat women with psychiatric disorders associated with the pregnancy and the postpartum period. You develop an understanding of the differential diagnoses and evidence-based treatments for mood, anxiety, psychotic, and substance use disorders that present perinatally.

Transplantation Surgery

Students participate in all aspects of transplant care, including preoperative assessment of candidates for liver and kidney transplantation. You assist in the remote procurement of organs, implantation of organs in the operating room, and postoperative management of transplant recipients.

Vascular Surgery

Students care for patients with arterial and venous diseases in both inpatient and outpatient settings. You participate in preoperative and postoperative care and assist in surgery.

Women’s Cancers—A Multidisciplinary Approach

Students learn about malignancies of the cervix, uterus, ovary, and breast. Students participate in directed clinical experiences in the office, clinic, and operating room, and learn basic science concepts related to genetics, pharmacology, and pathology.