Medical Student Feedback Policy

All courses and clerkships will provide summative feedback on student performance at the conclusion of each course/clerkship.  Assessments will be chosen based on the learning objectives of each course/clerkship.

All required course/clerkships must assess and provide formal, mid-course/clerkship feedback to each student, to allow sufficient opportunity for improvement or remediation. Courses or clerkships that are of a short duration (two or less weeks) may not have time for a structured formative assessment; however, another form of feedback that allows students to self-assess and improve must occur.

Formative feedback in Courses

• Courses are allowed to determine the format and scheduling for formal mid-course feedback.
• The format in which feedback will be provided must be explicitly listed (e.g., quizzes, mid-term exam, face-to-face meeting, narrative) in the syllabus.
• The course director should review aggregate data available.
• The collaborative learning group (CLG) leader provides formative feedback, mentoring, coaching, and advising. CLG leaders do not assign grades.
• Documentation of the feedback must be provided to the student either electronically or on paper.

Formative feedback in Clerkships

• Clerkships are allowed to determine the format and scheduling for the formal, mid-clerkship feedback.
• The syllabus should explicitly state at what point the mid-clerkship feedback will be provided.
• The format in which feedback will be provided must be explicitly stated in the syllabus.
• The clerkship director should review aggregate feedback provided during each rotation.
• Documentation of the feedback must be provided to the student either electronically or on paper.

The course/clerkship director is responsible for ensuring that mid-course/clerkship feedback occurs.  In addition, the Committee on Program Evaluation and Student Assessment will ensure that mid-course/clerkship feedback occurs as part of the formal course/clerkship review.  If appropriate feedback does not occur, the Associate Dean of Medical Education (ADME) will be informed.  The ADME will meet with the course/clerkship director to ensure that appropriate implementation of the policy occurs.

Narrative description of medical student performance

• A narrative description of the student’s performance must be included as a component of all required clerkship student final assessments.
• CLG leaders will provide narrative assessments of student’s performance during fall and spring semesters of the first two years across the six competencies, as appropriate.
• All courses are encouraged to provide narrative descriptions of students’ performance, as appropriate.

Grades

Student performance in academic course work is evaluated by the level of competency achieved and, secondarily, by letter grades A through E or Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory ratings in pass/fail courses. Final grades are expected to be provided to students within 2 weeks of the end of a course and prior to 6 weeks of the end of a clerkship.  Only final grades are forwarded to the registrar for posting on the official transcript. The course director determines the final grade in Phase 1 courses. A grading committee determines the final grade in required clerkships. If a grade committee member evaluated a student on the clerkship, the evaluation should be considered without supplemental information from the faculty member unless it is the committee’s practice to contact all evaluators for further input when questions arise. Grade committee members are not to serve as student advocates in the grading process.

Grading System

A or A- (Exemplary): The student has performed consistently in a manner judged as truly outstanding. The performance is worthy as a model.

B+, B or B- (Superior): The student has performed consistently in a manner judged to be clearly above average competency. The performance may occasionally be exemplary but not consistently so.

C+, C or C- (Competent): The student has performed consistently in a manner judged to be at or above the minimum level of competency. The performance may occasionally be superior, but not consistently so. No significant portion of the performance has been below the minimum level of competency.

D (Unsatisfactory): The student has performed in a manner judged as marginal in relation to the minimal level of competency. In some aspects, performance may have been above the minimum level, but in other aspects, or at other times, performance has been below the minimum level.  The student has not demonstrated adequate mastery of the pertinent competency. REMEDIATION IS REQUIRED.

E (Failure): The student has performed in a manner judged to be below the minimum level of competency.  While the student’s performance may occasionally meet or even exceed the minimum acceptable level, but this is the exception rather than the rule. REPEATING COURSEWORK IS GENERALLY REQUIRED.

I (Incomplete): This grade is to be used for students who have failed to complete all required components of a course or clerkship. The grade of “I” must be remediated before a student progresses to the next academic year, unless an extension is granted by the ASC. “Incompletes” change to “E” grades if the remediation is not completed in a satisfactory manner. The deadline for completion of “incompletes” does not apply while a student is on an approved leave of absence. The “incomplete” will be replaced on the transcript when a final grade has been assigned. All “incomplete” grades must be resolved before a student is eligible for graduation.

N* (No Grade): The grade of “N*” may be given when a student is unable to complete coursework due to serious illness or some other extenuating circumstance. The grade does not convert automatically to an “E” at the end of the next semester. The rules on the removal of the “N*” are the same as the “I.” An “N*” grade must be replaced by a passing grade before a student is allowed to progress to the next level of training or graduate.