- 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: 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.
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.
