Keck School of Medicine Policy on Medical Student Promotion

Policy Statement:

The Keck School of Medicine has a single standard for progression and promotion for each curricular phase. Students who are ineligible for promotion may be considered for dismissal from the Keck School of Medicine.

Policy Requirement:

The Student Performance Committee (SPC) makes one (or more) of the following decisions on promotion for each student on at least an annual basis:

1. Satisfactory progress is being made;
2. Promotion to the clerkship phase
3. Promotion to the post clerkship phase
4. Eligibility for graduation
5. Requires remediation to make up a deficiency
6. Must repeat part, or the entirety of, a year of instruction (this may include a repeat of systems, modules, courses or clerkships in which the performance was satisfactory)
7. Placement on Academic or Professional Behavior Probation
8. Placement on Administrative or Academic Remediation Leave of Absence
9. Dismissal
10. Other action, as indicated by a student’s circumstances

Procedure:

Promotion to Semester III of the Pre-Clerkship Phase

For promotion to Semester III of the Pre-Clerkship Phase, students must:

1. Pass all courses in year one of the pre-clerkship phase.
2. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the standards for professionalism.
3. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the Essential Technical Standards

Promotion to the Clerkship Phase

For promotion to the Clerkship Phase, students must:

1. Pass all courses in the Pre-Clerkship Phase.
2. Take the USMLE Step 1 examination.
3. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the standards for professionalism.
4. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the Essential Technical Standards

Promotion to the Post-Clerkship Phase

For promotion to the Post-Clerkship Phase, students must:

1. Pass all required courses and clerkships in the Clerkship Phase
2. Pass the USMLE Step 1 Examination.
3. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the standards for professionalism.
4. Demonstrate continued satisfactory fulfillment of the Essential Technical Standards

Eligible for Graduation

To be eligible for graduation, students must:

1. Satisfactorily complete all degree requirements in each curricular phase, including achieving passing scores on the CPX exam and the USMLE Step 2 CK exam.

Limits to Remedial Work

When the SPC determines that a student has failed to demonstrate sufficient progress, the committee may recommend remedial work, repeating the year of instruction in part, or in its entirety, dismissal, administrative leave of absence, or other action. The SPC considers each student’s situation on an individual basis but it is anticipated that students who reach the limits outlined below will be ineligible for remediation, retaking of examinations and promotion.

Pre-Clerkship Phase

• If a Year 1 student fails three or more final summative course exams on the first attempt, the student will be ineligible for further retake exams and will not be eligible for promotion to Year 2 (Semester III of the Pre-Clerkship Phase).
• If a Year 2 student in the Pre-Clerkship Phase fails two or more final summative course exams on the first attempt, the student will be ineligible for further retake exams and will not be eligible for promotion to the Clerkship Phase.
• ICM, EPIC and HJSC must be passed for the student to be eligible for promotion. These courses are considered independently and are not part of the limits to remedial work criteria listed above.

Clerkship Phase

If a student in the Clerkship Phase fails two or more required clerkships the student will not be eligible for promotion to the post-clerkship phase.

Appeal Process for a Promotion Decision

Reviewed and Approved:  July 7, 2021

Medical Education Executive Council