Student Success Policy

Wright State University Boonshoft School of Medicine Student Success Policy

The WrightCurriculum is a Pass/Fail curriculum, with Honors/Pass/Fail in the core clerkships and a possibility of earning additional honors designations (Excellence in Foundations; Excellence Across Clerkships) in the Foundations Phase and Doctoring year, respectively.

  • Pass (≥70%)
  • Fail (<70%)

There is no rounding of grades. Students must achieve a 70.00% to pass.

The following sections include the objectives and policies for successful completion, appealing, and repeating of each component of the curriculum in accordance with Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Elements 9.9 and 10.3:

LCME Element 9.9 states that, "A medical school ensures that the medical education program has a single set of core standards for the advancement and graduation of all medical students across all locations."

LCME Element 10.3 states that, “the faculty of a medical school establish criteria for student selection and develop and implement effective policies and procedures regarding, and make decisions about, medical student application, selection, admission, assessment, promotion, graduation, and any disciplinary action. The medical school makes available to all interested parties its criteria, standards, policies, and procedures regarding these matters.”

BSOM Objectives in Foundations, Doctoring, and Advanced Doctoring

Students must meet or exceed all of the identified BSOM institutional program objectives in each module, clerkship, or elective to pass the module, clerkship, or elective.

  • Students may fail a module, clerkship, or elective for professionalism violations regardless of their academic and/or clinical performance
  • Students who fail a module, clerkship, or elective due to professionalism violations will be referred to Student Promotion Committee (SPC)

Policy for Pass/Failure of Module in Foundations Phase

For modules with final exams:

  • Students must have a cumulative passing score (≥70%) across all graded activities in the module to be eligible to sit for the final exam
    • Students who pass the final exam pass the module, and move on to the next module
    • Students who fail the final exam have one (1) opportunity to retake the final exam at a time to be determined by the Department of Medical Education (DME)
      • Students will move on to the next module while waiting to retake the final exam
      • Students who pass the retake final exam pass the module
        • Students who pass will receive the minimum passing grade, regardless of their actual score on the retake final exam
      • Students who fail the retake final exam fail the module, and will be referred to SPC
  • Students who do not have a cumulative passing score in the module (≥70%) are not eligible to sit for the final exam, and therefore fail the module and will be referred to SPC
  • In modules without an NBME final exam (currently Human Architecture 1 & 2), all students will be eligible to sit for the final exam, regardless of their scores in the module or on individual MCQ exams
  • A student who’s cumulative independent exam grades (including MCQs, lab practicals, SPEs, etc.), at any time during the module, falls below seventy percent (<70%) will be considered in monitoring status and be required to meet a member of the Academic Support Team (AST) to develop and implement a study plan to increase success in the module
    • Proctored exam review may substitute for one of these required meetings, as long as this is communicated with the AST in advance.
    • Students who fail to meet with a member of the Academic Support Team will be referred to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and Admissions; subsequent failure to meet may result in a referral to SPC
    • Students are highly encouraged to reduce their engagement in extracurricular activities during the time they are in monitoring status
    • Students will be notified via email, by the Vice Chair of Foundations, when they are in monitoring status

For modules without final exams, including longitudinal modules:

  • Students who have a cumulative passing score in the module pass the module
  • Students who do not have a cumulative passing score are eligible to address deficiencies as determined by the module director
    • Students who satisfactorily address the deficiencies pass the module
    • Students who fail to satisfactorily address the deficiencies fail the module, and will be referred to SPC

Due to their unique nature, there will be no option to complete repeat courses through other universities/colleges/medical schools to replace modules in the WrightCurriculum.

Students must successfully complete all curricular requirements including any retakes/repeats to participate in summer BSOM-approved activities, electives, certificate or dual-degree programs.

Policy for Honors/Pass/Failure in Doctoring Phase

To Pass a clerkship, students must:

  • Have a cumulative passing score (≥70%) in all graded activities
  • Receive no more than 10% “below expectations” on total evaluation items
  • Meet expectations for professional behavior during the clerkship
  • Satisfactorily complete all activities such as mandatory workshops or skills sessions
  • Satisfactorily complete the clerkship logging requirements

The final grade for a clerkship is assigned by the Clerkship Director.

Students who do not meet all of the passing criteria fail the clerkship and will be referred to SPC.

To be eligible to receive Honors for a clerkship, students must consistently exceed expectations for professional behavior and clinical performance during the clerkship.

To Pass Clinical Medicine Doctoring, students must:

  • Have a cumulative passing score (≥70%) in all graded activities
  • Have a cumulative score ≥70% on the three Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCE)
    • One Doctoring Bootcamp OSCE
    • Two mid-Doctoring year OSCEs
  • Meet expectations for professional behavior during the module
  • Satisfactorily complete all activities such as mandatory workshops or skills sessions

The final grade for the module is assigned by the Module Director(s).

Students who do not meet all of the passing criteria fail the module and will be referred to SPC.

To be eligible to receive Honors for this module, students must exceed expectations for professional behavior and clinical performance during the module.

For longitudinal modules within the Doctoring year:

  • Students who have a cumulative passing score in the module pass the module
  • Students who do not have a cumulative passing score are eligible to address deficiencies as determined by the module director
    • Students who satisfactorily address the deficiencies pass the module
    • Students who fail to satisfactorily address the deficiencies fail the module, and will be referred to SPC

 Excellence Across Clerkships in the Doctoring Year

  • Students who receive Honors in a clerkship/module will be submitted to the Director of Assessment by Doctoring clerkship/module directors at the end of each clerkship block/module
  • The Director of Assessment will compile a list of students who have been nominated for honors by one or more clerkships/modules, sorted by students who have been nominated by the most clerkships/modules
  • Doctoring year clerkship/module directors will meet at the end of Doctoring to review the students who have been nominated by multiple clerkships/modules
  • An ‘Excellence Across Clerkships’ designation for the Doctoring year will be awarded to students who demonstrate sustained superior performance in the Doctoring year
    • ‘Excellence Across Clerkships’ in the Doctoring year shall be awarded to no more than 25% of the class

Students who consistently perform below expectations in two or more clerkships may be referred by the clerkship/module directors of the Doctoring year to SPC to be considered for a repeat of the Doctoring year. Core areas of performance are knowledge, clinical skills, and/or professionalism as evaluated by clerkship evaluations, clerkship assessments, NBME Comprehensive Clinical Science Examination (CCSE), and/or OSCE.


Students must successfully complete all curricular requirements including any retakes/repeats to participate in summer BSOM-approved activities, electives, certificate or dual-degree programs.

Policy for Pass/Failure in Advanced Doctoring Year

Required clerkship and selective/elective requirements for Advanced Doctoring include:

  • 4 weeks of Advanced Doctoring bootcamp
  • 4 weeks Emergency Medicine clerkship
  • 4 weeks of a Sub-Internship in either Family Medicine, Internal Medicine, Pediatrics, Surgery, or Ob/Gyn
  • 30 weeks of electives, including:
    • Maximum of 1 longitudinal 4-week elective
    • Maximum 8 weeks (2 blocks) of non-clinical electives (this includes all online/virtual electives)*
    • Maximum 12 weeks (3 blocks) of identical electives
    • Maximum 20 weeks (5 blocks) of extramural electives

To Pass the Emergency Medicine clerkship, students must:

  • Receive no more than 10% “below expectations” on total evaluation items
  • Meet expectations for professional behavior during the clerkship
  • Satisfactorily complete all activities such as mandatory workshops or skills sessions
  • Satisfactorily complete the clerkship logging requirements

The final grade for a clerkship is assigned by the Clerkship Director.

Students who do not meet all of the passing criteria fail the clerkship and will be referred to SPC.

For electives within the Advanced Doctoring year:

  • To Pass, students must have a cumulative passing score in all components of the elective
  • Students who do not have a cumulative passing score in the elective fail, and will be referred to SPC

For longitudinal modules within the Advanced Doctoring year:

  • To Pass, students must have a cumulative passing score in all phase requirements for the longitudinal module
  • Students who do not have a cumulative passing score are eligible to address deficiencies as determined by the module director
    • Students who satisfactorily address the deficiencies pass the module
    • Students who fail to satisfactorily address the deficiencies fail the module, and will be referred to SPC

Students must successfully complete all curricular requirements including any retakes/repeats to participate in summer BSOM-approved activities, electives, certificate or dual-degree programs.

Appeal of Module, Clerkship, & Elective Grades

Grounds for appeal include: mathematical or clerical errors; arbitrariness, including discrimination based on race, gender, religion, age, physical disability, sexual orientation, national origin; and personal malice.

  • The first level of appeal of a module grade and/or written evaluation is to the chair of the Department of Medical Education (DME). The appeal must be submitted in writing and received within seven (7) business days of the grade distribution
    • In the event of a conflict of interest, the chair shall appoint their vice chair or designee to respond to the appeal
  • The first level of appeal of a clerkship/elective grade and/or written evaluation is to the department chair of the clerkship/elective being appealed. The appeal must be submitted in writing and received within seven (7) business days of the grade distribution
    • In the event of a conflict of interest, chair shall appoint their vice chair or designee to respond to the appeal
  • If evidence presented warrants a grade change, the chair will inform the student and DME of the change; if no change, the chair will inform the student in writing that the grade/evaluation stands
    • The response to the appeal must be submitted in writing and received within thirty (30) calendar days of the submitted appeal unless specific circumstances of the appeal dictate otherwise
  • The final level of appeal for all module/clerkship/elective grades is to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs. The appeal must be submitted in writing and received within seven (7) business days of the chair’s decision
    • In the event of a conflict of interest, the final level of appeal is to the Dean
  • After reviewing all relevant information, the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs will notify the student and DME of the decision; the decision is final
    • The response to the appeal must be submitted in writing and received within thirty (30) calendar days of the submitted appeal unless specific circumstances of the appeal dictate otherwise

Policy for Repeating in the Foundations Phase

The Foundations phase consists of four (4) components:

  • Component 1
    • Origins
    • Human Architecture I
  • Component 2
    • Host & Defense
    • Staying Alive
  • Component 3
    • Human Architecture II
    • Beginning to End
    • Balance, Control & Repair
  • Component 4 – Longitudinal Components
    • Clinical Medicine
      • Clinical Skills
      • Professional Skills
      • Upstream Medicine
    • Interprofessional Engagement (IPE)
    • Physician Cultural Responsibility
    • Scholarship in Medicine
    • Service Learning

Students must pass all modules within a component to pass the component.

A student who fails a module will be referred to SPC. SPC may:

  • Allow a student to repeat the entire component containing the failed module,
  • Allow a student to repeat the entire academic year containing the failed module, or
  • Recommend a student for dismissal to the Dean of Medicine

For repeating Foundations components:

  • Requires approval by SPC
  • Students will have a maximum of one (1) opportunity to repeat an entire component or module 
  • Students who successfully repeat a component or module will receive the minimum passing grade in each module and final (if applicable), regardless of their actual scores 
  • Students repeating a module may have up to three total attempts at the final examinations, with no more than 2 final exam attempts per module attempt (for example, 2 tries in attempt 1 and 1 try in attempt 2 OR 1 try in attempt 1 and 2 attempts in try 2). *This opportunity is only available to students who are repeating a module.  

Students must complete all required Foundations components within three (3) academic calendar years

  • Students who are unable to meet this requirement will be referred to SPC

After successful completion of a repeat Foundations component:

  • Students who fail another module, necessitating a repeat of a second component, will be referred to SPC, as students would be unable to complete the required Foundations Phase in three academic calendar years

Due to the unique nature of each module, there will be no option to complete courses through other universities or colleges to replace modules in the WrightCurriculum.

Policy for Repeating in the Doctoring Phase

A student who fails a module, clerkship, elective, or longitudinal module requirements in the Doctoring phase will be referred to SPC. SPC may:

  • Allow a student to repeat the module, clerkship, elective, or longitudinal requirements,
  • Allow a student to repeat the entire academic year, or
  • Recommend a student for dismissal to the Dean of Medicine

For repeating Doctoring modules, clerkships, and longitudinal module requirements:

  • Requires approval by SPC
  • Students will have a maximum of one (1) opportunity to repeat an individual clerkship, module, or longitudinal module requirements
  • Students who successfully repeat an individual clerkship, module, or longitudinal module requirements will receive the minimum passing grade in each clerkship or module, regardless of their actual scores
  • Students will not be eligible to receive Excellence Across Clerkships

Students must complete all required Doctoring phase components within three (3) academic calendar years

  • Students who are unable to meet this requirement will be referred to SPC

Policy for Promotion

Students must receive a passing grade in all required modules, clerkships, and/or electives to be eligible for promotion to the subsequent phase.

Students must:

  • Pass all Foundations components, Foundations phase BSOM Objectives, and USMLE Step 1 before advancing to the Doctoring year
  • Pass all Doctoring year clerkships, electives, and longitudinal module requirements before advancing to the Advanced Doctoring year
  • Pass all Advanced Doctoring year clerkship and electives, longitudinal module requirements, Doctoring phase BSOM Objectives, and USMLE Step 2 CK to be eligible for graduation

All non-dual degree medical student curricular/graduation requirements must be completed within six (6) years of the student’s date of matriculation.

  • This timeframe includes any personal, academic or medical leaves of absence
  • Failure to successfully complete curricular/graduation requirements within six years after matriculation will result in a referral to the Dean of BSOM

Students are required to take a first administration of the NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination (CBSE) in December of Year 2 of Foundations. The initial score received will be used for the class quartile calculation.

The second administration of the CBSE will be administered 2 weeks following the Balance, Control & Repair final examination at the end of Year 2 of Foundations. The initial score received will be used for the class quartile calculation. Minimum score will be determined by the Department of Medical Education, in consultation with the NBME, and communicated to the students prior to the administration of the CBSE.

  • Students who do not reach this minimum score will be required to retake the CBSE two weeks later. If a student does not meet the minimum score on the second attempt, they will be referred to the Associate Deans of Medical Education and Student Affairs & Admissions for review of the academic record to be considered to delay taking Step 1
    • Students who wish to delay taking Step 1 are also required to retake the CBSE

To be eligible for graduation, students must pass all:

  • Foundations requirements  
  • Doctoring and Advanced Doctoring requirements
  • BSOM WrightCurriculum Objectives for each phase
  • USMLE Step 1
  • USMLE Step 2 CK

The Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree is conferred on students who successfully complete all requirements. To participate in commencement, students need not have completed all requirements but must be scheduled to complete all Advanced Doctoring Year requirements by June 30th.

 

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