Policy Number: CU.09.04.170815
Applies to: All WSU Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine medical students and faculty
Date: 05/07/2024
1.0 Policy Statement
It is the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine policy that assessment of medical students will align with learning objectives and milestones, and grading will be fair and consistent with established WSU assessment and progression policies.
2.0 Definitions
Targeted Skills Development
An academic activity to help students meet competency requirements. Targeted skills development is used to focus learning and assessment activities on specific skills gaps and may occur before, during, or after a course. Targeted Skills Development represents opportunities for course correction.
Remediation
An academic activity to help students meet one or more competency requirements. The term remediation is used only when the academic activities required to meet competency requirements occur after a student was unsuccessful on a Targeted Skills Development attempt.
Grading Panels
A panel of faculty charged with reviewing individual medical student assessment information, including both formative and summative assessment information, and recommending final course grades to course directors and the Student Evaluation, Promotion, and Awards Committee (SEPAC). Grading panels may also recommend targeted skills development and remediation. Grading panels used in the pre-clerkship are Skills Development Panels, in Year 3 are Clinical Competence Panels and in Year 4 are Grading panels.
Portfolio Coaches
Faculty who work with students on an individual basis to provide the support students need to interpret and integrate feedback, self-assess, and understand progression, and excel academically and professionally in the program. Portfolio coaches do not assess students.
Grade – Satisfactory
A grade that indicates that the student has successfully met the requirements for all assessment elements of the course.
Grade – Incomplete
A grade that indicates that the student was unable to meet the requirements of the course, including extenuating circumstances, e.g. illness or emergency, the student works with Student Affairs, the Associate Dean for Curriculum, the Associate Dean for Assessment, Evaluation, and Curriculum Management, and the Course Director(s) to develop a suitable schedule for fulfilling course requirements.
Grade – X
A grade that indicates a student has yet to complete all the requirements of a course but are still being given the opportunity to finish the course requirements at a later date.
Fail
A grade that indicates that the student was unsuccessful with remediation and therefore has not met the expectations of the course.
Assessment Method/Artifact
An individual assessment or assignment.
Assessment Modality
A category of assessment, e.g. the College of Medicine uses categories for components such as: written exams, work-place based assessments (narrative), various types clinical assessments, course-based assignments, and portfolio-based assessments.
3.0 Responsibilities
Associate Dean for Assessment, Evaluation, and Curriculum Management
4.0 Procedures
Feedback
- Some form of feedback must be provided on all assessments in all required courses in the MD program.
- Feedback is intended to provide specific guidance to students about their progress in achieving the goals of the course, future courses, and the overall MD program.
- Narrative feedback is a required element in all required courses and must be provided on all workplace-based assessments, simulation-based assessments, OSCEs, and course assignments.
- Students must receive narrative feedback ~ every 4 weeks in the pre-clerkship curriculum, every 2-weeks in the LIC, and at least at the mid-point of all year 4 courses. In the pre-clerkship phase of the curriculum, narrative feedback must be provided in all settings where faculty work with students for 3 or more sessions. This feedback may be provided through a workplace-based assessments or assignments. In the clerkship phase of the curriculum, narrative feedback must be provided on all workplace-based assessments and other clinical assessments.
Grading
- Grades of satisfactory/fail are used in the pre-clerkship years and grades of honors/near honors/satisfactory/fail are used in the clerkship years. The specific grades eligible can be found in the respective Assessment Packages associated with each course.
- The following assessment components are used to inform end of course grades for courses in the College of Medicine MD program: written exams (multiple choice exams, short answer, practical lab examinations (pin tests), clinical assessments (assessments in the clinical workspace), standardized clinical skills exams (e.g., OSCEs), course- based assignments, and portfolio-based assignments.
- Course performance will be discussed in the context of a student’s overall academic performance.
Criteria For Assessment and Grading
To pass any course within the College of Medicine MD program, students must meet all of the following:
- Attend and participate in required sessions unless an approved absence is granted in accordance with the Attendance Policy. Complete all scheduled course assignments on time. Late and/or incomplete required deliverables or activities are considered a professionalism concern and will be reported to the Assessment Unit. Targeted Skills Development may be offered. All missed requirements must be completed to be assigned a grade.
- Demonstrate professional interactions in class and with patients, peers, and faculty as outlined in the Assessment Framework and Packages
- Students must pass each assessment modality and meet the requirements for each competency at the specific program level to pass the course. Failure to meet the requirements in any one or more assessment modalities may result in failure of the course.
Students Who Are Having Difficulty
If a student is not making satisfactory progress with skills, fails to complete any of the course requirements, and/or is accumulating a significant number of professionalism concerns, the student will be connected with support. This support may include but is not limited to portfolio coach, a member of the Student Learning Center, or a content-specialist (faculty).
When appropriate, concerns about academic performance may be communicated to the SEPAC. If the student is considered at risk of not meeting expectations in a course, clear expectations of student performance may be formally delineated in a Letter of Expectations issued from the SEPAC.
5.0 Related Policies
- Policy Title: Medical Student Promotion, Dismissal, and Graduation Policy Number: SE.09.02.170808
- Tuition Refund Policy Number: EC.12.01.170425
- The Assessment of Medical Student Performance Policy
6.0 Key Search Words
Grading, assessment, remediation, satisfactory, fail, incomplete.
7.0 Revision History
Original Approval: 8/15/2017
Policy Number: CU.09.04.170815
Review/Revision: 2/21/2020, 05/07/24