Policy on Formative Feedback (Pre-clerkship Curriculum)

Reviewed and Approved

  • Approved by the Curriculum Committee on December 15, 2021, for implementation effective January 3, 2022.

Scope

Policy applies to all students completing the pre-clerkship courses and modules.

Policy Statement

McGovern Medical School requires that all students receive regular formative feedback that will allow students to measure their progress with the material covered during the course/module. This policy is implemented with the intent of helping students reach their maximum potential, as well as with the intent of identifying students who may be struggling with a specific course or experiencing non-academic difficulties. Compliance with this policy is monitored by the Pre-clerkship Education Subcommittee and is centrally monitored by the Office of Educational Programs.

The formative feedback process is as follows:

  1. There will be a formative each week except for exam weeks.
  2. Credit for doing each formative is earned by a score >=70%.
  3. Credit will be added as a maximum of 3 points to the final grade for each course/module, regardless of length based on the number of formatives scoring over 70%.
  4. The formative assessment administered at the midpoint of each block or module is mandatory and will be structured to provide a more reliable benchmark for progress.
    • The midpoint assessment will be administered on Monday mornings
    • The midpoint assessment will contain 40 questions and students will be allowed 90 sec per question, for a total exam time of 60 minutes.
    • The midpoint assessment will be cumulative. For example, if the midpoint assessment falls after 3 weeks, then there will be 10 questions from Week 1, 10 from Week 2 and 20 from Week 3. The specific distribution will be communicated to students in advance. Scores < 70% will trigger interaction with a Learning Specialist. Students who do not submit the assessment at the scheduled time must contact the Office of Admissions and Students Affairs for remediation instructions. Students must complete the midpoint formative exam(s) in order to successfully complete the course.
    • Features of the midpoint assessment may be adjusted depending on specific circumstances, including student feedback, with advance notice to students.