University of Virginia School of
Medicine
Principles of Medicine Committee
Minutes 01.17.01
January 17, 2001, 1:30 p.m., Jordan 1-17.
Present were: Eve Bargmann, Robert Bloodgood, Bruce Cohen,
Alfred Connors, Claudette Dalton, Carl Creutz, John
Gazewood, Wendy Golden, Barry Hinton, William Hobbs,
Joel Hockensmith, Donald Innes (Chair), Robert Kadner,
Howard Kutchai, Heidi Scrable, Jennifer McClune, Darci
Lieb, David Moyer, Lucia Smerage, Virginia Taylor,
Brian Wispelwey, Marcia Childress, Karen Grandage, William
Petri, Allison Innes, Richard Pearson, Jerry
Short, Eugene Corbett, William Wilson, Gary Owens, Susan
Squillace, Mariecken Verspoor, Vinay Chandrasekhara, Atul
Gupta, Joey Dubose
- 2001-02 1st and 2nd Year Schedule. ICM's request to move
exams from week 8 to week 9 in the first semester was approved by
Pharmacology and Pathology, providing the exam schedule remains
unchanged.
- 1st and 2nd Year Exam Schedule. Microbiology in the 2nd Year
and Anatomy in the 1st year have three "out of period" exams in the
Fall semester. Attendance in all classes has fallen off sharply this
year prior to these "out of period" exams. Microbiology would prefer to
continue with the three exam schedule, but only if the other second
year classes do likewise.
Anatomy would prefer to continue with the three exam periods. Anatomy
proposed adding one week to the Fall schedule and having all the other
1st year courses conform to the three exam period schedule (weeks 6,
12, and 18). Anatomy believes the material is better tested in smaller,
more manageable blocks. The committee discussed whether three exam
periods could be managed without adding a week onto the schedule by
having exams Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday with classes resuming on
Thursday and Friday of the exam weeks.
A second proposal was for a combined quiz (from all the 1st or 2nd year
courses) to be given every other Friday for a total of about 6 quizzes
per semester. The midterm examination would be eliminated and the final
examination comprehensive.
>From an educational standpoint, this proposal has many advantages -
Student Affairs would have early data on students who are in trouble;
multiple assessments of the student make for more reliable data. The
hours of study should level off (less cramming); motivation should be
enhanced; more frequent quizzes should improve student retention of
material. With only 2 exams, recovery is difficult if a student has a
failing grade on one; combined quizzes prepare the students for the
Board exams.
The question of whether this proposal puts more emphasis on grades
(student comment: constantly studying for a test mode if every two
weeks) or if the information is tested in small enough packets does the
focus on grades disappear was explored. Whether this proposal would
increase or decrease "student stress" was discussed. ICM already has a
set of problems students are responsible for due each Friday that is
graded as a quiz. Path, Pharm and ICM had discussed previously
including Path and Pharm questions on the ICM weekly problem sets. The
possibility of creating web based quizzes that would be available to
the students Friday afternoon and must be completed by Monday morning
was discussed.
Minutes submitted by: Donald J. Innes, Jr.,M.D. Date: 01/19/01
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