SOM Grading Policy for Phase 1 of MD Program

I. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to provide consistent guidelines for grading courses in the New York Medical College, School of Medicine (NYMC SOM) Phase 1.

II. Policy

It is the policy of NYMC SOM that at the end of each course, each student’s performance is evaluated and recorded.  All Phase I courses will be graded as Pass/Fail on the student's transcript.  Course grades are composed of summative evaluations in two (2) domains:  Medical Knowledge (MK) and Patient Care (PC).  Any medical student who fails any domain of a course (MK in any module and/or PC), regardless of the outcome of remediation, will be reviewed and monitored by the Student Academic Success Team (SAST). Any medical student who has two (2) course Conditional Passes (CPs) OR one (1) course Fail (F) regardless of the outcome of remediation in an academic year, will be discussed by the Student Advancement, Performance and Review Committee (SAPRC) to determine the outcome of promotions. See the Policy on Student Promotions for more details.  Professional behavior of the students is evaluated throughout the curriculum, separately, and monitored by the Professionalism and Integrity Committee (PIC) and the SAPRC.

III. Scope

This policy applies to all faculty, staff, and instructors who teach and assess, and medical students in Phase 1 of NYMC SOM curriculum.

IV. Definitions

Competency-based grading: assessment of student achievement using pre-defined standards.  Grade abbreviations are as follows:

“INC” =incomplete
“F” = Fail
“P” = Pass
“PR” = Pass with remediation
“CP” = Conditional Pass
“W” = Withdraw
“WF” = Withdraw Failing

SAPRC: Student Advancement, Promotions, and Review Committee
SAST: Student Academic Success Team
ECC: Education and Curriculum Committee
NBME: National Board of Medical Examiners

V. Procedures

1. Criteria and assessments utilized for assigning grades are established by faculty members with appropriate knowledge and expertise to set standards of achievement in each required learning experience in the medical education program. Criteria are reviewed and approved by the Education and Curriculum Committee (ECC). All criteria and assessments, as well as the associated grade composition/contribution for each course shall be described in the course syllabus. Course syllabi are made available to all students electronically throughout the duration of the course.
2.  Phase directors must post final course grades to the learning management system and submit them to the Office of the Registrar within 4 weeks of completion of a course.
3.  Students will receive regular, timely, and behaviorally specific feedback to help guide their individual learning and progressive development and achievement.
4.  Summative Assessment Measures
   1. Course Summative Assessments:
      1. End of course, and when applicable, mid-course/module written examination (NBME-style, short answer, and short essay)
      2. Laboratory practical exam (selected courses)
      3. Summative Clinical Skills Exam
      4. Final Community Engagement Presentation
      5. Preceptor Evaluations
5.  Grading: Each of the summative components of the final course grade are evaluated using a specific rubric. Grades of Pass/Fail are assigned for each component of the final course grade. Students must achieve a Pass in both the Medical Knowledge (MK) AND the Patient Care (PC) course grade domains in order to pass a course as follows:
   1. Medical Knowledge
      1. A variety of tools, including but not limited to: written assignments, presentations, written and practical lab exams are used to assess Medical Knowledge.
      2. The passing standard for this domain of the course grade is an average of “70%” (rounded to the nearest integer) for the entire course, together with a 70% or better for each individual module within the course.
      3. As an example, 69.5% will be considered meeting the required 70% benchmark for passing Medical Knowledge in a module or course.
   2. Patient Care
      1. The Patient Care domain is assessed using structured rubrics that evaluate the student’s skills in history taking, physical examination, communication, clinical reasoning, ethics, and/or interprofessional collaboration.
      2. The passing standard for this domain of the course grade is achieving a minimum competency on pertinent patient care assessments within the course as outlined in the course syllabus.
      3. Assessments may include but are not limited to: Clinical Skills Exams (CSE), written examinations, written assignments, presentations, observed encounters, reflections, community engagement projects, preceptor evaluations.
6.  Professionalism: Professionalism is assessed throughout the curriculum using specific tools that evaluate stated SOM objectives for the professionalism competency. Lapses in professional behaviors will be recorded for longitudinal monitoring and, as appropriate, amenable to structured remediation.
7.  Numeric grades for each performance assessment and the final Medical Knowledge average grade for each module will be posted to the learning management system by module directors. The class average and standard deviation for each assessment will also be provided to the students. Where appropriate (e.g., medical knowledge assessment via electronic assessment platform), medical students will receive individualized Strengths and Opportunity reports.
8.  Final letter AND numeric grades for the course will be posted to the learning management system and submitted to the Office of the Registrar by the Phase Directors at the completion of each course. Only letter grades will appear on the transcript.
   1. Application of letter grades will employ rounding of numerical grades to the nearest integer. As an example, 69.5% will be considered a Pass. The original numerical grade (to the nearest tenth) will be reported to the Registrar.
9.  Grades Other than Pass: A student may receive a course grade other than Pass, including:
   1. Fail (“F”): An F grade will be applied in the following situations:
      1. A student does not achieve the required benchmark threshold for both the MK AND PC domains in a course OR
      2. A student does not meet the requirements of a CP as stated below (5a).
   2.  Conditional Pass (“CP”): A grade of CP will be applied when:
      1. A student does not achieve the required benchmark threshold for ONLY 1 competency domain (MK or PC) in a course AND
      2. If the deficiency is in the MK domain:
         1. The overall MK grade in the course is 67% AND
         2. The MK deficiency only involves a single module in the course AND
         3. The individual MK module deficiency is NOT <64%.
      3. A “CP” grade must be converted to a final grade (“P” or “F”) within one year of its issuance and prior to any determination regarding the student’s promotion to the next phase. Following receipt of a CP grade and absence of other conflicting performance issues, the student will be provided with an opportunity to remediate the deficiency. Conversion of a CP to P will occur for a medical student who successfully remediates the deficiency to the standards set forth by the module and phase directors. Conversion of a CP to F will occur, however, for a medical student who does not successfully remediate the deficiency on first attempt. Further remediation may be provided based on a decision of the SAPRC; successful remediation in such a circumstance would result in a conversion of the F to a PR (pass with remediation).
   3. Pass-Remediation (“PR”): A grade of PR will be assigned to a medical student who has failed a course but was subsequently successful in an assigned remediation (i.e., Pass with remediation).
   4. Incomplete (“INC”): An INC grade will be assigned to a medical student who, for approved reasons, could not complete all course components within the confines of the course schedule and is granted a temporary extension by Phase Directors or Dean of Students or designee.
      1. An “INC” grade must be converted to a final grade (“P” or “F”) prior to any determination regarding the student’s promotion to the next phase. A student may not be eligible to sit for the appropriate USMLE until the “INC” has been resolved.
   5. Withdrawal (“W”): A W grade will be assigned to a medical student who withdraws from a course which is already in progress.
   6. Withdrawal due to Failure (“WF”): A WF grade will be assigned to a medical student who is failing a course at the time of withdrawal in accordance with policies established by the Office of the Registrar.

VI. Effective Date

This policy is effective immediately.

VII. Policy Management

Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Undergraduate Medical Education

VIII. References

LCME Standard 10.3: Policies Regarding Student Selection/Progress and Their Dissemination: The faculty of a medical school establish criteria for student selection and develop and implement effective policies and procedures regarding, and make decisions about, medical student application, selection, admission, assessment, promotion, graduation, and any disciplinary action. The medical school makes available to all interested parties its criteria, standards, policies, and procedures regarding these matters.