Responsibilities

The Clinical Faculty Committee evaluates the progress of students in the clinical years and is responsible for the certification of students for the Doctor of Medicine degree. In evaluating the progress of students in the clinical curriculum, the overriding concerns of the Committee are the welfare and lives of patients. Decisions on termination of matriculation, repetition of a year, or part thereof, or delay in graduation are made only after thorough review of the student’s record and appraisal of the student’s professional behavior and potential for satisfactory performance.

Promotions

In order to be promoted to the elective curriculum, a student must pass all required clerkships of the Major Clinical Year.

Grades

All P&S courses in the clinical curriculum are rated on an honors-pass-fail system. On the course evaluation forms faculty are asked to describe the components of total performance and to do so with frankness. Common descriptive terminology is essential in the development of an informative and useful narrative record of student performance.

Readers of an academic record should be able to develop a clear picture of performance trends and levels. Critical in the student’s quest for post-graduate placement is the Dean’s letter, called the Medical Student Performance Evaluation, which is constructed from the complete academic record. The language of this record must be understandable to those writing letters in order that they may convey to program directors an accurate description of the student’s performance. The Committee encourages faculty to take all necessary steps to provide narrative evaluations which fulfill this purpose.

Failures

If a student fails a clerkship, the Committee will require repetition of that clerkship. If a student fails more than one clerkship, the Committee may declare a failure of the Major Clinical Year. Failure of a single clerkship in combination with a weak overall record may also lead to a failure of the Major Clinical Year.

Decisions of the Committee will be reached after a thorough consideration of the reasons for failing performance(s) and after a review of the student’s total academic record. The number and duration of clerkships failed will be important factors in the Committee’s considerations. If a student has failed the Major Clinical Year, the Committee may terminate the matriculation of the student or the Committee may permit repetition of the year. Students required to repeat a year of the curriculum must pay full tuition and fees.

Major Clinical Year/Marginal Performances

In the Major Clinical Year, the Committee reviews the evaluations of students whose performances reveal significant deficiencies in knowledge, attitudes and skills. Although a student may have received a Pass rating, the Committee may, upon recommendation of the concerned department, require advanced study of the discipline in the elective curriculum to insure the student’s acquisition of greater knowledge and skills.

Elective/Selective Curriculum

In the fourth year the Committee reviews all elective/selective course failures and weak elective/selective performances. If a student fails an elective/selective course, the Committee will require repetition of the same course or the undertaking of a comparable academic program. If a student fails two elective/selective courses, the Committee may declare the fourth year a failure. The Committee may terminate the student’s matriculation or delay graduation until the student has acquired requisite knowledge and skills in programs designed and monitored by the Committee. If a student fails an elective course which has been directed by the Committee for correction of deficiencies noted in a clerkship performance, the Committee may, after thorough consideration of the academic record, terminate the student’s matriculation or delay the student’s graduation.

Student Feedback

The Committee encourages course directors to provide students with clear statements of objectives and performance expectations in each required clerkship and in each elective course. Students should be advised in a clear and timely fashion of deficiencies in performance during the course of each academic program. Mid course feedback is required with signed acknowledgement by the student. Faculty should recommend the steps needed to strengthen performance and should assist students in the achievement of performance expectations. In the clinical curriculum, discussions between students, preceptors (attendings) and course directors should generally take the place of warning letters comparable to those sent in the basic science curriculum. If a student fails to appreciate the seriousness of his/her academic problems and fails to take the recommended steps to correct performance, the course director may elect to send the student an official warning letter.

United States Medical Licensing Examination, USMLE

In order to graduate P&S, students must pass USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 Clinical Knowledge Exams.  Step 2 Clinical Skills Exam must be taken, but students in the Class of 2007 will not be required to pass it in order to graduate.  The deadline for taking Step 2 Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills Exams is October 31.  The Clinical Faculty Committee will delay the graduation of any student who has failed to pass Steps 1 and 2 Clinical Knowledge.  The Committee will facilitate the student’s efforts in preparing for re-examination after failure on a United States Medical Licensing Examination.  If a student fails to pass one or more of these Steps on routine re-examinations, the Committee may terminate the student’s matriculation.  Students may have a maximum of three attempts on each part.  Failure of USMLE Step 1 or 2 CK on three attempts will result in termination of matriculation.  Students must pass Step 1 and 2, including CS, to be eligible for Step 3, which is taken during residency.

Graduation

Before certifying students for the Doctor of Medicine degree, the Committee must be assured that students have acquired the knowledge, skills, and attitudes essential for the safe assumption of responsibility for patient care in postgraduate education. The Committee will not certify for graduation any student whom it believes to be unsuited for the practice of medicine.

Appeal Mechanisms and Monitored Status

This is the same as above under First and Second Year Class Faculty Committees.