Student Assessment

Your tutors and your clinical supervisors (interns, residents, fellows, and attending physicians) will complete written evaluations of your performance. We will send them an e-mail that links to a web-based evaluation form that is then submitted to us.

The major areas of evaluation include your demonstration of:

• Knowledge
  Basic science, clinical application, clinical reasoning, problem solving, analysis and synthesis
  
  
• History and Physical Examination
  Student takes full, accurate history; performs complete, accurate physical examination
  
  
• Communication Skills
  Communication with patients; oral case presentations; case write-ups; admission and progress notes; clarity, organization
  
  
• Professionalism and Professional attributes
  Relationships with patients, peers, staff, faculty; works hard; punctual; team player; takes responsibility
  
  

A copy of the form used by teachers to assess student performance may be found at the following link.


Final Examination

The written examination takes place on the last Friday of the clerkship. The examination follows a multiple choice format, using clinical case vignettes to assess the student’s knowledge regarding physical diagnosis, differential diagnosis, clinical reasoning, diagnostic process, and management.

Sample questions may be found on the following link.


Grading

Components in grading. Grading in the Medicine Clerkship represents a synthesis of three components:

• Assessment of work in tutor groups by tutors
• Assessment of clinical work by housestaff and attendings
• Final written examination

What the grades mean.Grades are determined according to the degree to which the student, in the judgment of the faculty, has fulfilled the goals and objectives of the course. Specifically, we assess the student’s performance in the three areas of knowledge, skills, and professional attitudes. To receive a grade of Pass or higher, the student must successfully complete all goals and objectives of the course. Grades and their interpretations are as follows:

• Honors: The student has met all the goals and objectives of the course. Consistently outstanding performance in each of the three areas.
  
  
• High Pass: The student has met all the goals and objectives of the course. Consistently excellent performance in at least two of the three areas. No below-average performance in any area.
  
  
• Pass: The student has met all the goals and objectives of the course. May be excellent or outstanding in one or more areas, but not consistently so in all areas.
  
  
• Marginal: T: The student has met most, but not all, of the goals and objectives of the course. For example, a student who fails the final examination but performs satisfactorily in other areas may receive a grade of Marginal. Marginal is a temporary grade that requires remediation. If remediation is successful, the grade becomes Pass. If remediation is not successful, the grade becomes Fail.
  
  
• Incomplete: The student has not yet completed all of the course requirements. This would ordinarily apply to a student who missed parts of the clerkship due to personal or family emergency. In contrast, a student who did not submit written assignments in a timely manner would receive a grade of Marginal or Fail, not Incomplete. If a student’s incomplete work is not completed in a timely manner, the grade of Incomplete is changed to Fail.
  
  
• Fail: The student has not met the goals and objectives of the course. Either performance is marginal in two or more areas, or performance is far below satisfactory in a single area. A failing grade in a clerkship requires the student to repeat the entire course.
  
  

How is the grade determined? There is no set formula that determines the grade, and no preset proportion of students who will receive each grade. The course and site directors assess the individual components and form a consensus interpretation of overall performance, weighing the degree to which the evaluator has accurately observed and reported the student’s performance.

What Happens if a Student receives a non-passing grade? If a student receives a grade of Marginal, Incomplete or Fail, the student must arrange to meet immediately with the course director. This should occur within one week of receiving the grade. Further action depends on the grade:

• Marginal: The student must complete remediation. The remediation and its timeframe are individualized for each student and are determined by the course director. If the student successfully completes the remediation, the grade becomes Pass. If the student does not successfully complete the remediation, the grade becomes Fail.
  
  
• Incomplete: The student must complete any outstanding work. The timeframe is individualized for each student and is determined by the course director. If the student successfully submits the incomplete work, the grade is determined by the student’s overall performance in the course. If the student does not successfully submit the incomplete work in the specified timeframe, the grade becomes Fail.
  
  
• Fail: The student must repeat the entire course.
  
  

May a student appeal the grade? A student may schedule an appointment to meet with the course director if he/she believes that an observation does not accurately represent his/her performance, or that his/her performance has not been interpreted accurately. If the student wishes to appeal the grade further, he/she may submit a written appeal to the Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs. The decision of this appeal is final.

How many students receive each grade? During the ten academic years 1997-2008, the distribution of grades in the Medicine Clerkship has been as follows.

Grade Number Percent Honors 342 31.3 High Pass 564 51.6 Pass 178 16.3 Marginal 9 0.8 Fail 1 0.1       Total 1094 100

Course Evaluation

Students are required to complete an on-line course evaluation questionnaire at the completion of the course. You will receive e-mail notification at the end of the course that describes how to complete the questionnaire. We use these data to provide feedback to teachers and to improve the course.