Keck School of Medicine MD Student Good Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Policy Statement

Progress toward the completion of the Doctor of Medicine degree is monitored by the Student Performance Committee. Good Standing and Satisfactory Academic Progress are defined by the criteria listed below.

Policy Requirement

Good Standing

1. A student has achieved a passing grade in all courses or is eligible to remediate any unsatisfactory grade.
2. A student has passed, or is eligible to retake, the appropriate Step examination of the USMLE by standard deadlines as determined by the MECC or other deadlines as defined by the SPC.
3. A student has maintained acceptable academic and professional behavior as defined by the policies of KSOM and the University of Southern California.
4. A student is making satisfactory academic progress towards degree completion.
5. A student is not on academic or professional behavior probation.
6. A student is not currently repeating a year for academic or professionalism reasons.

 Satisfactory Academic Progress

1. Students must maintain satisfactory academic progress toward their stated degree objective at all times. Progress is measured from the beginning of the first course at USC applied toward a specified degree, and all requirements for that degree must be completed within a specified time.
2. Satisfactory Academic Progress requires that a student adheres to the medical school schedule for degree completion which is a maximum of six years for the MD degree (including up to two years of approved leaves of absence). Leaves for an approved educational program (dual degree, MPH, MBA, PhD) extend this timeline as appropriate for the number of years needed to complete the approved educational program. Requests for exceptions to this policy are reviewed by the Student Performance Committee.
3. Students who have exceeded the time limit for completing their degree program will not be permitted any further registrations and an administrative withdrawal will be executed unless granted an extension of time by the Student Performance Committee.

Students receiving financial aid and KSOM scholarships must abide by the Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy (SAP) for Graduate Students.

Process

• For purposes of verifying student status to clinical affiliates and outside non-academic organizations or institutions (e.g., insurance, military), the KSOM registrar shall issue a standard Letter of Good Standing if applicable.

• A student who has lost good standing will be notified by the Student Performance Committee and may be placed on academic or professional behavior probation. The student will return to good standing upon completion of the required remediation.
• When not in good standing, students are ineligible to receive USC or KSOM awards and may not participate in USC- or KSOM-based activities, including but not limited to:
  • the Summer Research Fellowship program;
  • running for or holding a student leadership position;
  • hiring by the University as a student worker, peer counselor or academic coach;
  • away rotations or KSOM rotations at affiliate sites;
  • enrollment in a dual-degree program and/or engagement in certain extramural programs.

• The Associate Dean for Student Affairs may prohibit students in Good Standing from participation in specific USC- or KSOM-based activities if, based on the student’s documented history of academic performance and/or professional behavior, the Associate Dean believes that assuming such a role could be detrimental to either the student or KSOM. In addition to activities, students who are not in good standing will be restricted to clinical experiences to our primary teaching hospitals (LAC+USC Medical Center, Keck Hospitals and Children’s Hospital Los Angeles) where they will be under the supervision of full-time Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) faculty.

Reviewed and Approved:   Medical Education Executive Council

June 2, 2021