Clerkship Grading / Evaluation Policy

Students are evaluated by their preceptors and clerkship directors based on student performance in the following areas of competency:

• Medical Knowledge
• Patient Care
• Interpersonal and Communication Skills
• Continuous Personal Learning and Improvement
• Professionalism
• Practicing Medicine in a Complex Health Care System

Grades are assigned by each clerkship based on the results of evaluations by preceptors, exams, projects and other assignments given by the clerkship director. Individual clerkship evaluation and grading policies are found in each clerkship section of this Clerkship Guide.

Clerkships, subinternships and electives in Years 3 and 4 are graded on an Honors—High Pass—Pass—Fail basis, with Honors reserved as a grade of distinction.

Grade Appeals

If a student disagrees with the grade assigned, s/he has the option of appealing the grade. In brief, this is a process that may have up to three steps:

1. First is an appeal to the clerkship director for a review of the evaluations and the grade assigned.
2. If the student is not satisfied with the results of the appeal to the clerkship director, the student may then ask the department chair for a review.
3. If still not satisfied, an appeal may then be made to the Assistant Dean for Clinical Education, whose role is largely one of insuring that all appropriate information was considered in the grade determination, and that the clerkship followed its grading policy

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