Policy on Assessments

Assessment Start Time

For assessments taking place at CLI, students should arrive in the CLI lobby five minutes in advance of orientation start time. Clinical Skills/CLI staff will escort students to the orientation classroom. The assessment will begin with the start of the orientation PowerPoint video, and if the students arrive after the start of the orientation video the student will be considered late. 

Permitted Items in Hallway

• Student ID badge
• Student white coat
• Physical assessment equipment

Non-Permitted Items

Non-permitted items must be placed in the student ready-room or a proctor designated area.

• Student laptop computer and charger
• Laptop stand
• Food and beverages
• Large/bulky coats
• Backpacks, satchels, luggage or briefcases
• Reference materials (e.g., books, notes, papers) The exception to this is for formative Clinical Skills encounters during the CPR course, for which students may bring notes into the assessment rooms.
• Blank paper brought by student for taking notes (blank paper will be provided by the proctor- see below).
• Smart watches, beeping watches, calculator watches
• Electric timers of any kind
• Electronic devices that are capable of transmitting or recording information, including but not limited to: digital, tape or video recorders, or any device, including cellular/smart phones, pagers, cameras, tablets video recorders, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, electronic organizers, calculators, fitness tracking devices.
• Personal wired or wireless ear buds and headphones are not permitted, under any circumstances.
• Hats, baseball caps, and hoods (Students are only permitted to wear religious or cultural head attire, as long as it does not interfere with the assessment process).

Blank Paper 
Blank paper will be available for use during assessments and provided by the proctor. Students must return used paper to a proctor at the conclusion of an assessment.

Hallway and Student Ready Room Conduct
Students are not permitted to talk or use personal electronic devices in the clinical skills center hallway when an assessment is in progress.  Students are not permitted to talk about the assessment or use personal electronic devices in the student ready room when an assessment is in progress. 

Restroom Usage

To use the restroom during the assessment, students are required to sign out with the proctor. It is expected that all students abide by the Policy on Academic Honesty during assessment, and not discuss the assessment or attempt to obtain unauthorized information or materials during the assessment, even while outside of the testing environment for the purposes of using the restroom. 

Start Time

For all clinical skills assessments and simulation exercises, students should arrive at the designated site and assigned room at least five minutes in advance of the scheduled orientation time. The assessment will begin with the start of the orientation PowerPoint video. If students arrive after the start of the orientation video, they will be considered late.  

Permitted Items in Hallway

• Student ID badge
• Student white coat
• Physical assessment equipment
• Personal laptop computer and charger for any assessment including completion of post encounters

Non-Permitted Items

Non- permitted items must be placed in the student ready-room or a proctor designated area.

• Laptop stand
• Food and beverages
• Large/bulky coats
• Backpacks, satchels, luggage or briefcases
• Reference materials (e.g., books, notes, paper) The exception to this is for formative Clinical Skills encounters during the CPR course, for which students may bring notes into the assessment rooms.
• Blank paper brought by students for taking notes (blank paper will be provided by the proctor-see below).
• Smart watches, beeping watches, calculator watches
• Electric timers of any kind
• Electronic devices that are capable of transmitting or recording information, including but not limited to: digital, tape or video recorders, or any device, including cellular/smart phones, pagers, cameras, tablets video recorders, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, electronic organizers, calculators, fitness tracking devices.
• Personal wired or wireless ear buds and headphones are not permitted, under and circumstances.
• Hat, baseball caps, and hoods (Students are only permitted to wear religious or cultural head attire, as long as it does not interfere with the assessment process).

Blank Paper

Blank paper will be available for use during assessments and provided by the proctor. Students must return used paper to a proctor or dispose of the papers in the center hallway at the conclusion of an assessment.

Student Conduct

Students are not permitted to talk or use personal electronic devices in the clinical skills center when an assessment is in progress. It is expected that all students will abide by the Policy on Academic Honesty during assessments and not discuss the assessment or attempt to obtain unauthorized information or materials pertaining to the assessment at any time.

Restroom Usage

To use the restroom during the assessment, students are required to sign out with the proctor.

In the event of extenuating circumstances, assessments may be administered and proctored remotely.  Remote assessments will adhere to the following:

Permitted Items
Items Allowed at your workspace:

• Student laptop computer and charger
• A laptop stand that does not obstruct the view of the surrounding room
• Blank paper for taking notes: students will be asked to hold up their scrap paper prior to launching the assessment to ensure it is blank and will also be asked to rip up their scrap paper on screen prior to exiting the assessment.
• Soft/foam ear plugs
• Bottle of water without label
• For Clinical Skills only: Headphones will be permitted for the patient encounter portion of the assessment only and must be removed before beginning your written documentation on ExamSoft

Non-Permitted Items

Non-permitted items must be placed outside of the testing room.

• All food and beverage items, with the exception of a water bottle without label
• Large/bulky coats
• Backpacks, satchels, luggage or briefcases
• Reference materials (e.g., books, notes, papers)
• Smart watches, beeping watches, calculator watches
• Electric timers of any kind
• Electronic devices that are capable of transmitting or recording information, including but not limited to: digital, tape or video recorders, or any device, including cellular/smart phones, smart watches, pagers, cameras, tablets video recorders, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, electronic organizers, calculators, fitness tracking devices.
• Personal wired or wireless ear buds and headphones are not permitted, under any circumstances for Final Essay and Structure. Clinical Skills permits headphones for the patient encounter portion as described above.
• Hats, baseball caps, and hoods (Students are only permitted to wear religious or cultural head attire, as long as it does not interfere with the assessment process).

Restroom Usage 
Restroom usage during any assessment given via ExamSoft will be permitted during built-in breaks, each hour, only. Breaks will be taken only after your assessment file has successfully uploaded. It is expected that all students will abide by the Policy on Academic Honesty during assessments, and not discuss the assessment or attempt to obtain unauthorized information or materials during the assessment, even while outside of the testing environment for the purposes of using the restroom. For Clinical Skills assessments remotely proctored, a restroom break is permitted between the patient encounter portion and the post-encounter portion, only.

Biometric Data
ExamMonitor proctoring software captures biometric data (inclusive of image scanning and voice recording) to validate your performance against the assessment rules. Biometric data is stored only during the period of time the assessments are under review (approximately 2-3 weeks). Students who have concerns regarding the capturing of their biometric data should reach out to the Office of Integrated Learning/ Office of Clinical Experiences (somcurriculum@hofstra.edu/somclinical@hofstra.edu) as soon as possible.

Assessment Start Time
The official start and end times of assessments at the School of Medicine is defined in the course calendar on One45 and/or in the official email communication sent from the Office of Integrated Learning/ Office of Clinical Experiences. Students will be allowed into the testing facility 30 minutes prior to the start of each assessment. The assessment will begin with the reading of instructions at the designated start time.

Permitted Items

Items Allowed on the Desktop:

• Bottle of water without label
• Student ID badge
• Student laptop computer and charger
• Laptop stand
• Provided green board, marker, and tissue
• Provided earplugs

Items Allowed on the Back of the Chair:

• A light jacket, sweater, or sweatshirt with empty pockets

Non-Permitted Items

Non-permitted items must be placed in a proctor designated area which may be inaccessible for the duration of the assessment.  

• All food and beverage items, with the exception of a water bottle without label
• Large/bulky coats
• Backpacks, satchels, luggage or briefcases
• Reference materials (e.g., books, notes, papers)
• Blank paper for taking notes
• Smart watches, beeping watches, calculator watches
• Electric timers of any kind
• Electronic devices that are capable of transmitting or recording information, including but not limited to: digital, tape or video recorders, or any device, including cellular/smart phones, pagers, cameras, tablets video recorders, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, electronic organizers, calculators, fitness tracking devices.
• Personal wired or wireless ear buds and headphones are not permitted, under any circumstances.
• Hats, baseball caps, and hoods (Students are only permitted to wear religious or cultural head attire, as long as it does not interfere with the assessment process).

Laptop Stands
Students who wish to use a laptop/tablet stand must sit in the back row of the testing room to ensure that the assessment is not visible to others. 

Ear Plugs, Tissues, and Scrap Paper 
Ear plugs, along with tissues, and green boards will be available for use during assessments and can be retrieved at the proctor station. Students must return their green board to the proctor station at the conclusion of an assessment.

Restroom Usage
To use the restroom during the assessment, students are required to sign out using the sheet available with the proctors. Using the restroom without signing out is considered a violation of testing procedures. One student per testing location will be permitted to use the bathroom at a time.  It is expected that all students will abide by the Policy on Academic Honesty during assessments, and not discuss the assessment or attempt to obtain unauthorized information or materials during the assessment, even while outside of the testing environment for the purposes of using the restroom.

Student Laptops
Student laptops are required for assessments and must be in good working order. There are a limited number of backup laptops available for major computer malfunctions during assessments. It is expected that students will abide by the Policy on Student Laptops to ensure that their laptops meet minimum requirements for assessment software.

In the event of extenuating circumstances, assessments may be administered and proctored remotely.  Remote assessments will adhere to the following:

Permitted Items
Items Allowed at your workspace:

• Student laptop computer and charger
• Bottle of water without label
• A laptop stand that does not obstruct the view of the surrounding room
• Blank paper for taking notes: students will be asked to hold up their scrap paper prior to launching the assessment to ensure it is blank and will also be asked to rip up their scrap paper on screen prior to exiting the assessment.
• Soft/foam ear plugs
• Your phone may be face down next to your workstation for purposes of troubleshooting technical issues or “signing in” and “signing out” of the restroom. If a student is seen using their phone for purposes other than that, their assessment will be ended immediately.

Non-Permitted Items
Non-permitted items must be placed outside the testing room.

• All food and beverage items, with the exception of a water bottle without label
• Large/bulky coats
• Backpacks, satchels, luggage or briefcases
• Reference materials (e.g., books, notes, papers)
• Smart watches, beeping watches, calculator watches
• Electric timers of any kind
• Electronic devices that are capable of transmitting or recording information, including but not limited to: digital, tape or video recorders, or any device, including cellular/smart phones, smart watches, pagers, cameras, tablets video recorders, iPads, iPods, MP3 players, electronic organizers, calculators, fitness tracking devices.
• Personal wired or wireless ear buds and headphones are not permitted, under any circumstances.
• Hats, baseball caps, and hoods (Students are only permitted to wear religious or cultural head attire, as long as it does not interfere with the assessment process.

Restroom Usage
In order to use the restroom during the assessment, students are required to “sign out” with the proctor by letting them know they will be stepping away from their computer. As per NBME guidelines while testing remotely, the student can do so by texting the proctor that they will be utilizing the restroom. If the student is seen using their phone or stepping away from their computer for purposes other than using the restroom, their assessment will be ended immediately.

Assessments are expected to be completed in their entirety once initiated on the scheduled assessment or reassessment date. In the event an assessment is not completed on the day the assessment is initiated due to an unforeseen circumstance, the assessment and/or portion completed may be scored as uploaded.

Lateness
A student who is not ready at the start of an assessment (i.e., seated, laptop open, non-permitted items stored in a proctor-designated location, and logged in to Exam Software at the designated assessment start time or arrives after the start of the orientation video during Clinical Skills Assessments) may have their assessment time shortened.  

If a student is aware that they are running late to an assessment, they should notify the SOM via phone at (516) 463-7575 prior to the start time of the assessment. If a student is not allowed to participate in the assessment due to lateness, they must contact the SOM to schedule a make-up time, which could be later that day or on a different day. The timing of the rescheduled assessment will be at the discretion of the Zucker School of Medicine on a case-by-case basis due to factors including, but not limited to, site availability, proctor availability, etc. Any instances of student lateness to an assessment will be noted in the student’s professionalism tracker.  

Absence from an Assessment or Formative/Summative activity
For FOW formative and summative assessments, including but not limited to Reflection, Integration and Assessment (RIA), a schedule of dates and times are provided in the course syllabus and listed on One45 at the start of the course. For SOW assessments, assessment dates and times are posted to One45 under "Handouts & Links." Dates for reassessment assessments will be provided by the Office of Integrated Learning/Office of Clinical Experiences.

Students are required to attend all formative and summative activites. Students are required to sit for assessments on their scheduled dates and times. A student who is unable to be present for an assessment due to extenuating circumstances should refer to the below for the appropriate course of action. 

An assessment postponement may be granted due to:

• Serious health issue at the time of the assessment. The student is required to provide a medical note within 24 hours from a physician stating an acute health issue at the time of the assessment.
• Compelling family circumstance (acute major life event or emergency). The student may be required to provide documentation
• Religious observance

Wellness / Life Maintenance days cannot be taken during RIA weeks and/or during formative or summative assessments.

Anticipated Absence:
A student is required to formally request an assessment postponement in writing, and attach any supporting documentation, to the appropriate curricular dean, either the associate dean for medical education (Dr. Petrizzo for FOW assessments) or the associate dean for the advanced clinical experience (Dr. Pawelczak for ACE assessments), no later than 10 business days prior to the scheduled assessment/activity. If approved, a make-up will be permitted on a date established by the SOM. The student will be notified of the make-up date and time within 5 business days via a written communication from the SOM. For formative assessments and assessments in the FOW, a make-up assignment will be determined by the course directors. 

Unanticipated Absence:
In the case of an acute health issue or emergency during an assessment week, a student must notify the Office of Integrated Learning/Office of Clinical Experiences via phone (516) 463-7575 prior to the start time of the assessment. The student must formally request a make-up assessment in writing, and attach any supporting documentation, to the appropriate curricular dean, either the associate dean for medical education (Dr. Petrizzo for FOW assessments) or the associate dean for the advanced clinical experience (Dr. Pawelczak for ACE assessments) before a make-up may be scheduled/assigned.

Failure to follow this procedure may result in the inability to schedule a make-up summative assessment which will result in a Does not meet Expectations or grade of Fail for the assessment missed. 

For formative assessments and assessments in the FOW, failure to follow this procedure will result in a referral to the Professionalism Committee. 

For the FOW, make up assignments for missed formative assessments will be assigned by the Course Directors. For the FOW CPR, BI, FTB, IE, and HMI courses, make-up assessments and assignments must be completed within the first two weeks of the start of the subsequent course. For the FOW HOM and HC courses, make-up assessments and assignments must be completed within two weeks immediately following RIA week (ZSOM scheduling permitting). 

Make-up assessments during third year must be completed within two weeks immediately following RIA week. If a student does not sit for the make-up assessment(s) as scheduled, the student may earn a designation of DNM (Does Not Meet Expectations) for the assessment.

Notable patterns of repeated assessment absences may result in the inability to schedule a make-up assessment(s) and/or referral to the Professionalism Committee.

Disruptive Behavior
A student engaging in disruptive behavior, defined as behavior that interferes with the testing environment of other students, will receive a verbal warning from a proctor. If the disruptive behavior continues, the student will be removed from the testing area and referred to the Office of Student Affairs. Any instances of disruptive behavior during an assessment will be referred to the Professionalism Committee. 
 
Irregular Behavior
Irregular behavior includes all actions or attempted actions on the part of a student that would or could subvert the assessment process. Examples of irregular behavior include, but are not limited to:

• Failing to comply with any testing policy, procedure, rule, and/or instruction of a proctor
• Obtaining unauthorized information concerning an assessment and/or giving such information to another student;
• Communicating with anyone, other than a designated proctor, during an assessment;
• Impersonating a student or engaging a proxy to take an assessment;
• Helping another person to cheat on an assessment;
• Reading or copying another student’s responses during an assessment;
• Possessing and/or consulting unauthorized materials or tools during an assessment;
• Making notes of any kind during the assessment except on permitted materials;
• Taking photos or recording of test materials;
• Reconstruction of assessment content through memorization;
• Altering or misrepresenting assessment scores;
• Without proper authorization, beginning an assessment before the prescribed time or continuing to work on the assessment after time the prescribed time;
• Failing to submit all assessment materials at the conclusion of the assessment or removing assessment materials from the room without proper authorization;
• Submitting work produced with unauthorized collaboration or assistance.

A student observed or reported to have engaged in irregular behavior during an assessment will receive a warning from a proctor. Continued irregular behavior may result in the termination of the assessment and/or a failure for the assessment. Any student observed or reported to have engaged in irregular behavior during an assessment will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs. The assistant dean for clinical skills and professionalism in consultation with the associate dean for student affairs, associate dean for medical education, and associate dean for the advanced clinical experience will be responsible for investigating and deciding appropriate next steps for a student who has engaged in irregular behavior during an assessment and may be at risk for adverse academic action.