University of Virginia School of
Medicine
Curriculum Committee
Minutes
09.19.02
Pediatric Pathology Conference Room, 4:00 pm
Present (underlined) were: Reid Adams, Robert Bloodgood, Victoria
Camerini, Anita Clayton, Lisa Coray, Gene Corbett, Donald
Innes (Chair), Vern Juel, Howard Kutchai, Jerry
Short, Bill Wilson, Nikhil Rao, Debra Reed
(secretary)
- The following Evaluation/Grading Policy - Clerkships drafted
by Pearson, A. Innes, Short and D.Innes was discussed and endorsed by
the Curriculum Committee:
- Evaluation/Grading Policy - Clerkships
- Evaluation
- Evaluation of Students: The performance of
students on clerkships is evaluated by the 2002 evaluation instrument,
which includes narrative comments from faculty and residents, and
grades.
Summary of Evaluation Instrument (2002): A copy of the
evaluation summary must be completed for each students and sent to the
office for Student Affairs for inclusion in the permanent student
record. Clerkship directors are responsible for keeping supporting
documentation until a student graduates.
Performance Feedback: Clerkship Directors are
responsible for releasing feedback, i.e., evaluation and/or grades to
students. The method for releasing information is at the discretion of
the clerkship director. Feedback is a valuable part of the educational
process and must be provided in a timely manner
- Grading
- Grading Options: A+YF and incomplete; P/F
(Neurology). An "incomplete" may be assigned only for an excused
absence for health, personal or family reasons with approval of the
Office of Student Affairs.
Grade Determination: The weighting of individual
components (e.g., clinical evaluations, written and oral examinations,
etc.) used to determine the final grade is at the discretion of the
relevant department. Each clerkship should determine a minimum standard
for each component. These standards should reflect adequate knowledge,
clinical skills, and professionalism on the part of the student.
However, a student cannot pass (C- or better) a clerkship having failed
(D or F) a single component. The distribution of grades is left to the
department and should accurately reflect student relative
performance.
Recording of Grades: Grades must be reported to the
Office for Student Affairs within 5 weeks of the close of a Period.
Grade sheets must be signed and dated by the clerkship director. A
summary sheet must be provided for each student based on the 2002
evaluation instrument as well as a coherent narrative of the students
performance which accurately reflects and incorporates observations
from residents and attendings.
Grade Changes: Grades are not negotiable. Grade
changes needed because of human error can be submitted to the Office of
Student Affairs for processing. Grade correction forms will be handled
by the Office for Student Affairs in accordance with the guidelines set
by the University of Virginia Registrar.
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The Curriculum Committee expects that students who fail a required
clerkship oral examination, will be offered a second oral examination
by another faculty evaluator prior to assigning a grade for the
clerkship.
The Curriculum Committee endorses the use of UCMLE shelf examinations
in all clerkships if funding can be arranged. These tests should not
necessarily replace current in-house examinations but act as a
supplement. Comparisons with the national benchmark averages would be
beneficial to the School of Medicine.
The Committee stressed that grades must be reported to the Office for
Student Affairs within 5 weeks of the close of a Period. To adhere to
this policy, Course Directors and Chairs, if necessary, must contact
faculty who are delinquent in returning student evaluations. The 5 week
grace period to furnish grades to the Office for Student Affairs was
deemed reasonable by the Committee.
Grading instruments and grading assignment within clerkships must be
consistent at all sites. Grade distribution charts from all clerkships
are distributed to the Clerkship Directors for comparison by Dr.
Wilson. While grade assignment among the clerkships is variable in the
proportion of A's, B'c, etc., mandatory cross-clerkship assignment
proportions for each letter grade appears unfair to the students.
- Deans Innes and Short will hold open invitation meetings with
all second year students on 9/24/02 and all first year students on
Thursday, 9/26/02. These are arranged by Lisa Coray.
- Medical Instrument Sale. The Curriculum Committee was
advised of delays in delivery of the medical instruments to the first
year students this year. It was recommended to Dr. Short that alternate
vendors should be appraised prior to next year and a more standard
"kit" be recommended. He will pass this to Drs. Bargmann and
Gazewood.
- Agenda for October 26 1) review of the Cell & Tissue
(Bob Bloodgood) and 2) Pharmacology interim report (Carl
Creutz).
- -Don Innes
- -dmr
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