Academic Success

 

Standards for Advancement

Students will be assessed by faculty on the basis of their total performance. Student performance will be graded in courses and clinical rotations taught or supervised by the faculty of the University of Vermont College of Medicine on the basis of honors, pass, marginal pass, or fail; other courses or clinical rotations will be graded on the basis of pass or fail.

The Committee on Advancement will review the total performance of each student at least twice within each curricular segment (Foundations, Clerkship Year and Advanced Integration) on the basis of grades and narrative comments by the course and rotation directors.

• Students must fulfill all requirements of Foundations. Those who have satisfactorily completed the work of Foundations will be advanced to the Clerkship Year by the Committee on Advancement.
• Students must fulfill all requirements of the Clerkship Year. The nature of such requirements will be clearly communicated in writing at the beginning of the Clerkship Year. Students must pass the End of Clerkship Level Clinical Skills Examination (CSE) in order to graduate. To be eligible to take the CSE, all required work of the Clerkship Year must be completed successfully. Students who have satisfactorily completed the work of the Clerkship Year will be advanced to Advanced Integration by the Committee on Advancement.
• Students must fulfill all requirements of Advanced Integration. The nature of such requirements will be clearly communicated in writing at the beginning of Advanced Integration. The degree of Doctor of Medicine is granted by the Board of Trustees of the University of Vermont to candidates only upon recommendation of the Committee on Advancement and faculty of the College of Medicine to the University Senate. The Committee on Advancement will initiate these recommendations for all students who satisfactorily complete Advanced Integration.

For more detailed information view Assessment of Student Performance and Rules and Procedures Governing the Advancement and Fitness Committees section in the Student Handbook (PDF).

Graduation Requirements

The degree of Doctor of Medicine is granted by the Board of Trustees of the University of Vermont to candidates by recommendation of the Committee on Advancement and faculty of the College of Medicine to the University Senate.

In addition to the advancement standards outlined for each level of the Vermont Integrated Curriculum, graduation requirements include passing USMLE Step 1, Step 2 CK (Clinical Knowledge) and Step 2 CS (Clinical Skills).

USMLE Step 1 must be passed to advance to the Clerkship Level; Step 2 CK must be passed before January of the graduation year; and Step 2 CS must be passed before May of the graduation year.

Each year the specific date by which USMLE Step 1 must be taken before beginning clerkships will be disseminated to the students. USMLE Step 2 CS must be taken early enough so that scores are available when the Committee on Advancement meets to recommend conferral of degrees in mid-May, although it is recommended that the exam be taken well in advance of that.

For more detailed information view Assessment of Student Performance and Rules and Procedures Governing the Advancement and Fitness Committees section in the Student Handbook (PDF).

Academic Support Services

A variety of support programs are available for medical students, including:

• peer mentoring
• learning style assessments
• assistance with study techniques
• test taking skills and stress management strategies
• Myers-Briggs interpretation
• USME Steps 1 and 2 exam preparation
• referrals for diagnostic testing for learning disabilities

For more information about academic support programs, contact Laurey Burris, M.Ed., Director of Student Success, 656-0718.

Last modified March 22 2013 05:19 PM