The focus of the clinical experience in years 3 and 4 is patient care and interaction. One hundred percent attendance is, therefore, required to be sure that continuity of care is maintained. It is understood that certain situations may arise that will result in an absence from required daily participation. In such instances, the following policies will be observed:
- Absences for any reason must be approved by both by both the Preceptor and the Department of Clinical Education leadership (e.g. Clerkship Director, Clinical Dean).
- Preplanned absences - Submit the MCOM Clinical Education Excused Absence Request form in iNet for preplanned absence as soon as event dates and details are known.
- Emergency absences - Submit the MCOM Clinical Education Excused Absence Request form in iNet the same day as any emergency absence
Engaged Learning Sessions
- Attendance is required unless approved by the Clerkship Director.
- Absences or partial attendance must be directly related to rotation requirements, illness or accident, or another emergency to be approved by the Clerkship Director.
- Requests for absences or partial attendance should be submitted before the Engaged Learning Session or as soon as possible after the session when prior notification is not practicable.
Core, Required, Selective, and Elective Clerkship Grading
Grades for the six core and required clinical clerkships are determined from the Clinical Faculty Evaluation of Medical Student Performance, the student’s score on the corresponding NBME Subject Examination (shelf exam). and Professionalism/Communication. Additional details and grading components are provided in the Department of Clinical Education "Grading Policy for Core/Required/Selective Clerkships."
Elective clerkship grades are determined from the Clinical Faculty Evaluation of Medical Student Performance and additional grading components as outlined in the course syllabi.
Final course grades are determined and approved by the Clerkship Director based on student performance in the clinical clerkship using the NBME Subject Exam, Clinical Clerkship Faculty Assessment of Student Doctors on Clinical Rotation, and curricular participation with Engaged Learning Sessions (ELS), Asynchronous Didactics, Clinical Experience Learning Logs and SMART goals. Qualitative comments from evaluations are not scored in calculating final grades and are incorporated in the MSPE/recommendation letters. Transcript designations are:
H: Honors
HP: High Pass
P: Pass
F: Fail
Px: Pass with Remediation
- Honors: Exceptional performance in all areas, demonstrating outstanding clinical knowledge, technical skills, and professional behavior. Students show leadership and initiative. Performance exceeds 80% of peers.
- High Pass: Above-average performance with strong clinical knowledge and skills, though not at the Honors level. Students meet or exceed expectations consistently. Performance exceeds 60% of peers.
- Pass: Satisfactory competency, meeting minimum expectations for clinical knowledge, skills, and behavior. Students are competent but have areas for improvement. Up to 60% will receive Pass.
- Fail: Insufficient proficiency in clinical knowledge, skills, or professional behavior, signaling the need for significant improvement.
- Px: Pass with Remediation.
Incomplete Coursework
A course grade of "Incomplete" will only be granted when approved by the Clerkship Director and/or Dean of Clinical Education. Incomplete grades must be completed within the designated timeframe, or they will result in a course failure.
Poor attendance, repeated tardiness, unapproved absence(s), or absences in excess of 3 days may result in a grade of incomplete, and the student may be required to repeat the entire Clinical Education Clerkship.
Class Rank
Class rank for each student will be reported by quintiles based on accumulated total quality points in the following manner:
- For OMS I and II, quality points are earned in core curriculum courses for which an Honors, Pass, or Fail grade is assigned.
- For OMS III, class ranking is calculated based pro-rate calculation of quality points per credit hour of required and core clerkship courses for which an Honors, High Pass, Pass, or Fail grade is assigned.
Cumulative ranking will be reported on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE). The MSPE that is made available to ERAS will have the cumulative OMS I, II, and III ranking, with each year contributing 1/3rd to the total rank. All rankings will be reported by quintile, unless required by a military or scholarship program, or for which students have given explicit permission.
The MSPE that is made available to ERAS will have two rankings. One will be the combined OMS I and OMS II rankings (weighted equally) and the other will be the OMS III ranking. Each ranking will be reported by quintile, unless required by a military or scholarship program, or for which students have given explicit permission.
Academic Grievances Policy (Grade Appeal)
Matters regarding grading disputes of assessments within a specific course or other requirement shall include all concerns related to specific grades received or the processes by which grades are determined.
Except under unusual circumstances, all grades (including the final grade for cumulative course performance) will be determined by the Clerkship Director. When extraordinary circumstances bring a student to seek an appeal of a decision regarding a course grade, the student must seek solutions through the following administrative channels, entering at the appropriate level and proceeding in the order stated below. All appeals and decisions must be in writing.
- Clerkship Director(s);
- Dean of Clinical Education (Final Appeal)
A student seeking to resolve a grading concern through the administrative channels above must initiate formal action in writing within ten business days from the date that the course grade has been finalized. The written appeal must state the circumstances surrounding the grade dispute, with specificity. Review of the student problem and complaint at each administrative level will be carried out as expediently as possible. If the student is not satisfied with the decision, he or she may appeal to the next administrative level. If the student chooses to continue the appeal, this must be done in writing within five business days of the date the decision was rendered at each level of the appeal (excluding weekends and official school holidays).