Policy on Grading for the Core Clerkships in the Second 100 Weeks

Following the Reflection, Integration, and Assessment (RIA) week, students earn a final grade of HonorsHigh PassPass or Fail or a temporary designation of Conditional Pass in each of the six core clerkships (“courses”) (Psychiatry, Neurology, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pediatrics, Medicine, and Surgery) of the Advanced Clinical Experience (ACE). There are five grading elements in each course, as described below.

Students earn a grade of Honors, High Pass, Pass, or Fail for each grading element according to pre-set standards.

  1. ACE Rounds* 
  2. Clinical Reasoning Assessment (Admission Notes/Write-ups/Written Exam)*
  3. Clinical Assessment of Student
  4. NBME Clinical Subject "Shelf" Exam
  5. Clinical Skills Exam (CSE), when feasible, or Alternate Assessment of Clinical Skills

*Please note: The ACE Rounds and Admission Note/Write-up grading elements may be combined to result in an overall Facilitator Feedback grading element.

A final grade of Honors, High Pass, or Pass is determined by standards pre-specified by the standard setting committee.

If a student earns a grade of Fail on one or more grading element(s) in the course but the student does not meet criteria to fail the course, as set by the standard setting committee, the student will earn a temporary designation of Conditional Pass and will be required to reassess the grading elements that did not meet the passing standard to be eligible for advancement or graduation. For more information on reassessment requirements and procedures, please refer to the Policy on Reassessment.

If a student earns a temporary designation of Conditional Pass in more than two clerkships, the student may be reviewed by the Student Advancement Committee for required remediation of those clerkships. 

 

In the first attempt of a course, if a student earns a grade of Fail on one or more grading element(s) in the course and the student meets criteria to fail the course, the student will earn a final course grade of Fail and will be required to remediate (repeat and pass) the course to advance to the next year of training. The opportunity to remediate will be subject to the decision of the Student Advancement Committee. In the second attempt of a course, if a student earns a grade of Fail on one or more grading elements, the student will earn a final course grade of Fail and the school's expectation is that the student will be dismissed from the MD program, pending the Student Advancement Committee's recommendation.

If a student earns a final grade of Fail for two core clerkships in the same trimester, the student will be considered for dismissal by the Student Advancement Committee.

If a student earns a final grade of Fail or a temporary designation of Conditional Pass on more than two clerkships, the student may be reviewed by the Student Advancement Committee for required remediation of those clerkships and may be considered for dismissal from the MD program.