STUDENT ADVANCEMENT PROCEDURES AND DUE PROCESS

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Last updated: Jul 01, 2021 by David Anderson (Deactivated)

Advancement of Students with Satisfactory Performance and Graduation

Requirements for Advancement

a. Year 1 to Year 2: For promotion, a student must obtain a passing grade in all required Year 1 courses, the Year 1 comprehensive exam, and display appropriate professionalism.

b. Year 2 to Year 3: For promotion, a student must obtain a passing grade in all required Year 2 courses, the Comprehensive Basic Science Exam (CBSE) or equivalent (e.g., CBSSA) and display appropriate professionalism. Under ordinary circumstances, the student must take USMLE Step 1 no later than 2 weeks prior to the start of the Introduction to Clerkships course, unless explicitly granted permission to delay by the leave of absence committee, and approved by the APRC. The deadline for taking USMLE Step 1 will be communicated to students well in advance. For first-time USMLE Step 1 takers, the student may start the third year if they have taken USMLE Step 1 but have not yet received a score. However, for promotion to year 3, a student must successfully pass USMLE Step 1. If the student does not receive a passing score on USMLE Step 1 on the first attempt, the student may be allowed to continue their current clerkship at the discretion of the APRC but will have to stop any additional clinical course work until USMLE Step 1 is retaken. For students who do not receive a passing score on USMLE Step 1, the APRC will determine the next course of action and associated deadlines.

c. Year 3 to Year 4: A student must obtain a passing grade in all Year 3 required courses, the Comprehensive Clinical Practice Exam (CCPX), and display appropriate professionalism. The student may start the fourth year if they have taken the CCPX but do not have their score back. However, for promotion to year 3, a student must successfully pass the CCPX. If the student does not receive a passing score on CCPX on the first attempt, the student may be allowed to continue their current course at the discretion of the APRC but will have to stop any additional clinical course work until CCPX is retaken. For students who do not receive a passing score on CCPX, the APRC will determine the next course of action and associated deadlines.

d. Deadlines (specific dates) and guidance regarding USMLE Step examinations will be provided to students well in advance. Under ordinary circumstances and unless otherwise determined and approved by the APRC, students taking the USMLE Step exams for the first time are expected to comply with the following deadlines and guidance:

· Students must register for USMLE Step 1 before entering the Step 1 Prep course

· Students must take USMLE Step 1 at least two weeks before the start of the Introduction to the Clerkships course

· Students must register for and take USMLE Step 2 CK by mid-November of the MS4 year


The Six (6) Year Rule

Time Limitations for Completing Portions of the Curriculum

A student must complete all requirements of the MD degree for graduation within six years from the date of the first day of Year 1 classes. An exception (e.g., qualifying leaves of absence, students pursuing an additional degree or research) may be made on a case by case basis by the APRC. Under ordinary circumstances, a student must be eligible for promotion to Year 3 of the curriculum within four academic years from the start of Year 1 classes to allow sufficient time to complete the curriculum in six years. Students unable to meet these time limitations are subject to dismissal.

Grade Change Appeal Process

Basis for Appeal

A student may appeal a grade if the student has evidence that the grade was assigned in an erroneous manner. This is not a process for appeal of established course/clerkship grading policies. The following procedure provides guidelines for the appeal process. All persons concerned with this process should make every attempt to adhere to the time schedule outlined in the following description.


Appeal to the Course Director for Review of the Assigned Course Grade

a. Within five (5) business days after the receipt of the course grade, the student may appeal in writing to the course director regarding any assigned grade in dispute. The course director will review the course grading guidelines with the student to ensure that the process is understood and has been followed. If it is found that the assigned grade is incorrect in the judgment of the course director, the appropriate change will be initiated. If the change is made to the student’s satisfaction, at this point, the matter is concluded. The course director will respond in writing with the proposed resolution of the matter (in favor or not) to the student within five (5) business days of the student’s request for review.

b. If the course director is no longer with MCOM, the student should confer with the new course director (or the Assistant Dean for the Preclinical or Clinical Years depending on which is applicable if a replacement has not been identified) who will then make every effort to receive written input concerning the matter from the former course director. If it is not possible to receive information from the former course director regarding the grade, then the student may appeal the grade as described above and the new course director (or the Assistant Dean for the Preclinical or Clinical Years depending on which is applicable) will represent the interests of the course director who issued the grade.

Appeal to the Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medicine Education

a. If the appeal decision by the course director remains in dispute, the student may appeal in writing to the Associate Dean for UME (all required courses and interdisciplinary electives). This appeal must be made within five (5) business days following the initial course director decision. The student must include all relevant information relating to the grade appeal with the written appeal. After receiving such an appeal in writing from the student, the Associate Dean for UME will review the substance of the student’s appeal with the course director and seek to determine its validity.

b. If the Associate Dean for UME determines their judgment that the assigned grade is inappropriate, the Associate Dean for UME can authorize that the grade be changed. The Associate Dean for UME will notify the student in writing within five (5) business days of receipt of the appeal, whether or not the assigned grade will be changed. If the grade is changed to the student’s satisfaction, the matter is concluded. If the grade is not changed, the Associate Dean for UME will advise the student of the right to appeal to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs.

c. If the student elects to appeal to the Vice Dean, copies of all written communication mentioned above will be sent by the Associate Dean for UME to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs.

Appeal to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs

a. If the appeal decision by the Associate Dean for UME remains in dispute, the student may appeal the assigned grade, in writing, to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs. This appeal must occur within five (5) business days of receipt of the decision of the Associate Dean for UME. The student will prepare an appeal, in writing, which should be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs as to form and sufficiency (satisfactory structure). The Vice Dean for Educational Affairs may discuss the case with the student, the course director, the Associate Dean for UME, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Following these discussions and reviewing all available information relevant to the appeal, the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs can make a grade change determination. The Vice Dean for Educational Affairs may, if deemed necessary, appoint a hearing committee. The appeal will be handled as expeditiously as possible.

b. When the decision is made to establish a hearing committee to review an appeal, the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs will convene an ad hoc committee comprised of three senior members of the MCOM faculty not previously involved in issuing the grade or the appeal process, all of whom will have voting privileges. This hearing committee will elect a chairperson and hold a hearing concerning the appeal at a time acceptable to all participants. At this hearing, all material relevant to the appeal will be presented by the student, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, the course director originally issuing the grade, and the Associate Dean for UME. Others may be requested to assist the committee as necessary. The student may request to have a person of the student’s choosing present during committee meetings. This person of the student’s choosing is present to provide support and counsel to the student. This individual may not speak directly to the committee on the student’s behalf or act as the student’s attorney in the hearing.

c. The hearing committee will submit a written report containing a recommendation for a specific course of action regarding the student’s grade appeal to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs. If the committee cannot reach a conclusion, the written report will be submitted to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs who will consider the reason(s) why the committee failed to reach a decision.

d. The Vice Dean for Educational Affairs will then decide on a final determination, which may or may not contain some or all of the recommendations of the hearing committee. As delegated authority of the Dean, the decision of the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs is final in the matter.

Academic Performance Review Committee (APRC)

The following defines the composition, purpose, and the rules and guidelines under which the APRC carries out its responsibilities.


Purpose

The APRC will review the academic and clinical performance of each medical student and will make a determination regarding advancement, dismissal, readmission and graduation. It also acts directly to place students on probation and to design and approve remediation for academic deficiencies.


Composition

· The APRC is chaired by the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs, or their designee

· Thirteen voting members will be selected for one-year terms. All course/clerkship director members should have a voting role during any two to three-year cycle

· Voting member composition:

One (1) Year 1 course director, one (1) Year 2 course director, the Pre-Clerkship Faculty Curriculum Director, two (2) Year 3 clerkship directors from USF-Tampa, one (1)Year 3 clerkship directors from USF-Lehigh Valley, the chair of the Committee of Clerkship Directors from USF-Tampa, the chair of the Clerkship Council from USF-Lehigh Valley, one (1) SELECT program course director, three (3) non-course/clerkship director faculty members from USF-Tampa, one (1) non-course/clerkship director faculty member from USF-Lehigh Valley.

When a regular voting member is not present, an alternate from the same year of the curriculum, or campus site, will vote as designated. The Associate Dean for Undergraduate Medical Education and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will serve as ex-officio, non-voting members. All members, voting and non-voting, are expected to attend APRC meetings in order to contribute to discussion, to present information about students with a deficiency in their course/clerkship, and to maintain familiarity with committee proceedings.


Confidentiality

Proceedings and deliberations of the APRC or any appointed subcommittees are confidential. Except as specified in this handbook, the meetings will be closed to persons other than university representatives authorized by the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs. Those attending the APRC meetings will be apprised of the confidential nature of the information presented as well as the meeting’s deliberations.


Committee Process

a. The Vice Dean for Educational Affairs, or designee, will serve as chair of the APRC for regular and called meetings.

b. A quorum for regular or called meetings of the APRC is defined as more than half of the voting members.

c. All actions of the APRC will require a simple majority of those voting members in attendance.

d. On occasion, voting may occur via electronic ballot and the same quorum and voting rules apply.

e. Written notification of APRC action(s) will be sent to the student in writing by the APRC chair. In addition, the student is typically required to meet with the Associate/Assistant Dean for Student Affairs to discuss the APRC actions to ensure understanding.


Roles and Responsibilities of the Academic Performance Review Committee

Each student will be considered individually with an emphasis on quality of performance. The APRC may recommend continued pursuit of medical studies for any student capable of completing the requirements for the MD degree within the time limits outlined in Time Limitations for Completing Portions of the Curriculum


The APRC determines:

1. The promotion of a student from one year’s study to the next, including whether a student should repeat all or part of a year’s work.

2. The placement of a student, when necessary, on a leave of absence due to academic performance issues and reviews all notices of intent to return.

3. The non-academic requirements and academic sanctions for unethical and/or unprofessional behavior or other misconduct, when required.

4. Other remediation as may be required during the course of the educational program.

5. The certification of a student’s eligibility for the NRMP Match.

6. The certification of a student as qualified to graduate.

7. The dismissal of a student from MCOM for academic and/or non-academic reasons.


The APRC has the authority to take action in the following areas:

1. The formulation and approval of a remediation plan. The recommendations concerning remediation of the respective course director will be the primary consideration for requirements. Remediation plans may include, but are not limited to:

i. Requiring a student to be re-examined or re-evaluated in a course, with or without a period of additional, defined study.

ii. Requiring a student to receive academic advising and/or tutoring.

iii. Requiring a student to repeat all or part of an academic year.

2. Placing a student on, and removing from, academic warning and probation.

3. Reviewing and making determinations regarding a suitable course of study following an APRC recommended leave of absence.

4. Other actions as may be referred to the APRC for an individual student and not falling under Roles and Responsibilities of the APRC.


Petition for Reconsideration Mechanism for Disciplinary Action or Dismissal from the MD Program

A student may petition the APRC to reconsider a prior decision (e.g., a remediation plan for a course failure or a requirement to repeat an academic year) or a dismissal from the MD program. If the APRC action was to dismiss the student from the MD program, the student must appear in person (or via VTC for students at the USF-Lehigh Valley campus) before the APRC at the time of the reconsideration.


Petition for Reconsideration of APRC Actions

Once an action is taken by the APRC, a letter is written to the student by the APRC chair. The student has five (5) business days after receipt of the letter (typically sent via DocuSign) to accept or request reconsideration of the APRC action. This letter is reviewed with the student by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (USF Tampa campus) or the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs (USF Lehigh Valley campus) to ensure understanding of the APRC action. Student requests for reconsideration will be formally presented at the APRC’s next scheduled or a specially called session. This is the only venue for modification of a remediation or reversal of a requirement to repeat a year. If the contested decision is a dismissal action, the student has an additional level of appeal to the MCOM dean. In such cases, the dean may elect to appoint a committee of senior faculty members and medical students to hear the appeal and make a recommendation to the dean, who makes the final decision.


Petition for Reconsideration of APRC Decision Hearing

The reconsideration hearing will address evidence of the student’s performance and/or professional behavior. The student has the right to be present for the reconsideration hearing and may be accompanied by a person of the student’s choosing to provide support and counsel. The person may not act as the student’s attorney in the hearing. Immediately following the hearing, the APRC will make a determination as to the reconsideration petition. If the APRC’s determination is to uphold its original decision, the chair of the APRC will forward this information to the MCOM dean. The APRC will inform the dean (or a designee) at the earliest time possible and no more than five (5) business days after the determination has been made.


Admission Following Dismissal

A student who has been dismissed from MCOM MD program and who is no longer enrolled may re-apply for admission to MCOM MD program after a one-year or longer hiatus from the dismissal. In such cases, the actions of the APRC will be available to the Medical Student Selection Committee.


Academic Failure, Academic Warning, Academic Probation, and Dismissal

Academic Failure

1. One Deficiency in an Academic Course

A student who has one deficiency (R, U, or F) in an academic year will be required to remediate the course grade successfully prior to promotion to the next year. When reporting a deficient grade, the course director will also submit a recommendation as to how the student should remediate any course deficiency. The plan may include, but is not limited to, additional study time and taking a make-up exam(s), and/or repeating all or part of the course. The recommendation is submitted to the APRC for action. If the student fails to prove competency or successfully remediate, the student will receive a U/F in the course and further remediation, if allowed, must be by repetition of the course. Students are allowed to repeat a course only once. A second failure in the same course ordinarily results in dismissal.

2. Two or More Deficiencies in an Academic Year

A student who has more than one deficiency (R, U, or F) in an academic year may be placed on a leave of absence and be required to repeat the entire year or a part of the year. The determination of a plan to resolve the deficiencies will be developed by the APRC.

3. Multiple Deficiencies during the MD Program

i. A student who has more than one deficiency (R, U, or F) during enrollment will be assessed for the severity of the overall problem. Consistency of performance is also evaluated. The determination of a plan to resolve the deficiencies will be developed by the APRC. Any student who records two or more deficiencies (R, U, or F) throughout their enrollment in MCOM will be reviewed continually by the APRC and may be subject to further APRC action.

ii. A student who has more than one U or F grade during the course of the MD program is subject to dismissal or other academic action(s) as deemed appropriate by the APRC.


Academic Warning and Probation

A student who has one deficient grade (R, U, or F) at any given time will be placed on Academic Warning by the APRC. The status of Academic Warning will remain in place until the deficiency is corrected and is then removed by action of the APRC. Once a student has been placed in Academic Warning status, any further academic deficiency will result in the student being placed on Academic Probation by the APRC. Other actions may be taken by the APRC as deemed appropriate.

1. A student who has more than one deficient grade (R, U, or F) at any given time will be placed on Academic Probation.

2. The requirement to repeat a year will be accompanied by the student being placed on Academic Probation.

3. A student who Withdraws Failing from an academic year, leading to a leave of absence, will be placed on Academic Probation.

4. A student who has been placed on Academic Probation will remain in probationary status until all deficiencies are successfully remediated. During this period, the APRC will routinely review the student’s performance. If any new deficiencies are recorded during this time, the APRC may take further action. Transition from Academic Probation to that of Academic Good Standing will occur only when all deficiencies are removed. If Academic Good Standing is not achieved after further review, the student may be subject to dismissal.


Dismissal

1. A student will be subject to dismissal if he/she has more than one F or U grade at any time, fails a course while on Academic Probation, receives a deficient grade for a course for a second time, fails to meet the requirements of remediation, or upon any other evidence of poor academic performance or unprofessional behavior as determined by the APRC.

2. A student whose performance, though passing, is marginal or poor in several courses will be subject to dismissal if the APRC determines that the student does not meet the competency standards of MCOM. Similarly, a student whose performance though passing, consistently demonstrates multiple deficiencies or failures with subsequent remediation, will be subject to APRC review and dismissal.

3. Under ordinary circumstances, a student in good standing will be sponsored by MCOM for the USMLE Step 1 and 2 examinations for a maximum of 3 attempts. Following a second unsuccessful attempt, the student is subject to dismissal at the discretion of the APRC. A student will need to petition the APRC to request a third attempt.

4. A student is subject to dismissal when in violation of established ethics and professionalism standards or when the student’s presence in the medical school is considered detrimental to the student in question, members of the MCOM learning communities (including affiliate clinical settings), and/or patient populations.


Referrals for Academic or Health Care Support Services

The APRC may require a student be referred for evaluation of academic or heath care services. Students are responsible for initiating and engaging referral services. Verification that the student has engaged referral services is typically required, including a written summary and/or recommendation from the referral provider to the APRC chair (or Associate Dean for Student Affairs) specific to the student’s referral circumstances.