Oversight of Evaluations, Assessments and Surveys

The Department of Medical Education (“the Department”) has oversight of course and program evaluations, student assessments, and surveys for the Doctor of Medicine program including but not limited to the Undergraduate Medical Education (UME) curriculum, Primary Care Program, and medical student research programs. The Department is also responsible for managing the surveys administered by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC).  All faculty, staff and students are required to seek approval from the Department of Medical Education before administering any instrument that collects data regarding students, teaching faculty, and services under the purview of the Department.  Requests can be submitted here:  https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cvyQRlhkA5ULGUR

Policy Statement

The Department is charged with overseeing the administration of data collection processes that:

1. follow the policies and procedures of the Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) Medical Education Curriculum Committee (MECC), the AAMC, and the standards of the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME);
2. meet sound and rigorous pedagogic assessment and evaluation practices;
3. provide the KSOM with important information needed to make curricular, program and services improvements.

Definitions

1. Evaluations are completed by the students as they provide feedback about courses, instructors, programs and services.
2. Assessments are tools (e.g., exams, observation checklists, rating forms) designed to measure student performance for formative or summative purposes.
3. Surveys are used to query individuals/groups for continuous quality improvement (CQI) and research purposes.

Policy Requirements

1. All KSOM medical education assessments, evaluations and surveys will be  developed and/or overseen, released, and maintained by the Department.
2. The Department will determine the format, availability (opening/closing), structure, implementation, and reporting of assessments, evaluations and surveys.
3. Assessments, evaluations and surveys will only be collected in the authorized system.

Completion of Student Assessments

Policy Requirements

1. Student assessments will be completed and submitted in accordance with the KSOM Final Grade and Reporting Policy.
2. Course/Clerkship Directors (with the exception of module directors) are ultimately responsible for the timely submission of student assessments.
3. Student assessments must be submitted through the authorized system. Each evaluator must have an account for the authorized system. Sharing of passwords to the system is prohibited.
4. Student assessments are due within 4 weeks of the conclusion of the course or clerkship.
5. Delinquent submission of student assessments will be reported to the MECC.
6. Once submitted, assessments are considered final.
7. Evaluators are required to maintain confidentiality of student assessments in accordance with KSOM policies and the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA).

Access, Analysis and Management of student assessment, evaluation and survey data

Policy Requirements

1. The Department is responsible for analysis and reporting of data collected for the purpose of conducting continuous process improvement in the curriculum, programs and services.
2. Access to data may be requested through the Medical Education Executive Council (MEEC) Data Request process.  https://usc.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cvyQRlhkA5ULGUR

Completion of Evaluations and Surveys by Students

Policy Requirements

1. No one is permitted to access information about the identity of an individual student who provides comments in an evaluation form.  Evaluation responses are confidential.
2. Unless otherwise approved by the MEEC, requests to survey KSOM students from people or entities not affiliated with KSOM will not be distributed.
3. Additional information can be found in the Student Evaluation Completion policy.

Opening, Re-opening and Closing of Course, Faculty and Lecture Evaluations

Policy Statement

KSOM course, faculty and lecture evaluations will open and close according to the timeline/deadlines established by the Department.

Opening, Re-opening and Closing of Student Assessments

Policy Statement

Student assessments, both summative and individual faculty/resident assessments of students will open and close at the timelines/deadlines established by the Department in accordance with the policies and procedures of the MECC. 

Policy Requirements

1. Once submitted, student assessments are considered final.
2. Assessments will be reopened by the Registrar or the designee only if the request complies with the Evaluation and Grade Appeal Policy.

Course/Clerkship Evaluation Reporting

Policy Statement

Reports from evaluation data will be aggregated and disseminated to the appropriate course directors, clerkship directors, discipline coordinators, and the Associate and Assistant Deans for Curriculum after a course ends and all student grades and evaluations have been submitted. Individual performance evaluation data is also distributed annually to all faculty and residents who received at least three teaching evaluations in a course and to appropriate department chairs and residency program directors, respectively.

Evaluation Development, Implementation and Changes

Policy Requirements

1. All evaluations, assessments, and surveys of courses, clerkships, learning events, student performance, and faculty teaching are developed and/or overseen and administered by the Department.
2. Any changes to current evaluations or assessments, or requests for new evaluations or assessments must be submitted to the Department who will oversee any changes and develop timelines for implementation.
3. Once an evaluation or assessment has been released, substantive changes are not permitted within the academic year.

Evaluation, Assessment and Survey Deactivation

Policy Requirements

1. Evaluations, Assessments and Surveys that are no longer in use will be deactivated by the Department.