Policy 330: Academic Standing
Policy Number: 330
Date Approved: 01/22/2025
Executive Responsibility: Faculty Curriculum Committee
References: BSOM Professionalism Policy; LCME Element 11.1
330.1 Policy
Medical students are full-time students and are evaluated on their progress throughout the curriculum. Academic standing will be re-assessed at the end of each module/clerkship/elective. Students must pass each required module/clerkship/elective in the curriculum and all requirements for graduation.
A student is in Good Standing if they have a final passing grade in all modules/clerkships/electives and passed the appropriate step of the USMLE.
A student is on Probationary Status if they have a final failing grade in a module/clerkship/elective, and/or failed the appropriate step of the USMLE.
A student on Probationary Status may remain enrolled only as long as all of the following conditions are met:
- The student’s progress has been reviewed by Student Promotion Committee (SPC) and the student is following their recommendations, and
- The student is meeting regularly with a member of the academic support team and is following any applicable individual educational plan.
If any of the above conditions is not met, then the student will be referred back to SPC for further action.
To move from Probationary Status to Good Standing, a student must pass the failed module/clerkship/elective, and/or pass the failed appropriate step of the USMLE.
330.2 Monitoring Status
In accordance with LCME Element 11.1, BSOM “has an effective system of academic advising in place for medical students that integrates the efforts of faculty members, course and clerkship directors, and student affairs staff with its counseling and tutorial services and provides medical students academic counseling only from individual who have no role in making assessment or promotion decisions about them.”
In order to identify students experiencing academic difficulty or at risk for academic difficulty prior to receiving a failing final course/clerkship grade and going on probationary status, BSOM has developed the term Monitoring Status.
Students will be notified via email by the Vice Chair of Foundations or Doctoring when they are on Monitoring Status. Students on Monitoring Status remain in Good Standing if they have a final passing grade in all modules/clerkships/electives, and passed the appropriate step of the USMLE. The placement of a student on Monitoring Status is non-punitive and purely internal to BSOM and assists to proactively identify students at risk for academic difficulty.
Students on Monitoring Status are highly encouraged to reduce their engagement in extracurricular activities during the time they are on Monitoring Status and may not be eligible for participation in certain activities, per the activity requirements.
330.2.1 Foundations Phase Monitoring Status
A student is on Monitoring Status when their cumulative independent exam grades (including MCQs, lab practicals, SPEs, OSCEs, etc.), at any time during a module falls below 70% (<70%). The student will be required to meet weekly with 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 AST will be referred to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs & Admissions. Subsequent failure to meet may result in a referral to SPC.
330.2.2 Doctoring Phase Monitoring Status
A student is on Monitoring Status when identified by clerkship leadership by mid-rotation that they are experiencing or at risk for academic difficulty. Clerkship leadership will meet with the student to develop and implement an individualized plan to optimize clerkship success.