Pass/Fail Policy
The UCLA School of Medicine has a pure Pass/Fail grading system for all four years.
Each required clerkship has a clinical and a final exam component. The clinical component is comprised of evaluations submitted by the residents/faculty to the Course Chair, who decides the clinical component. Students must pass both components in order to pass the required clerkship. The Course Chair will notify the student in writing if she/he fails a component of a clerkship. Students must pass both components of all required clerkships before beginning fourth year electives.
- If a student passes both the clinical and final exam component the first time, the student will receive a “Pass.”
- If a student fails the clinical portion of a clerkship, the student will receive a grade of “Fail” and must remediate by repeating the clerkship or additional clinical work (decided by the Course Chair and Progress and Promotion Committee) and retake the exam.
- If a student fails the final exam, the student will receive a grade of "Fail" and must retake the final exam as outlined below.
- If a student passes the clinical component and final exam after remediation, the student will receive a “*Pass,” indicating a “Repeat.”
- If a student does not complete all of the required assignments, all of the clinical coursework (weeks, etc.), or take the final exam, OSCE, etc. at the end of the clerkship-- the student will receive an “Incomplete.”
Retaking an Exam
A student must retake and pass a failed clerkship final/exam. The student must have at least two weeks of unscheduled time (cannot be on any rotation) to study for the exam. There will be a make-up exam day the last day of Winter break and the last day of Spring break. This will give the student a full two weeks to study for the exam. If the results of a “Failed” required clerkship is not know until after the beginning of the fourth year, the student will be withdrawn from fourth elective until the “Fail” is resolved.
- If the student retakes the exam and passes, their grade will be changed to a "Pass."
- If the student fails the exam a second time, then the student receives a “Fail” for the clerkship and must remediate, as determined by the clerkship, and retake the exam.
All failed required clerkships must be made up prior to starting fourth year electives. A student may take their College Foundations prior to making up the “Fail” because College Foundations is only offered once a year.
Remediation of Coursework
- Content and length of the remediation is to be determined by the Course Chair and the Progress and Promotion Committee. The remediation must be clinical and the duration must be at least two weeks and up to the length of the rotation. For example, the student may be required to repeat the entire clerkship, a portion of the clerkship or a clinical elective. Coursework used for remediation will not count towards the graduation requirement.
- At the end of the remedial weeks, the student must retake the clerkship final exam and pass it in order to pass the clerkship. A “Repeat” will be indicated on the student’s transcript.
- If the student fails the final exam a third time or the clinical portion of remediation, then the student must meet with the Dean of Student Affairs and the Progress and Promotions Committee to discuss remediation or dismal.
Incompletes
Incompletes must be resolved in the time specified by the Clerkship Chair and Progress and Promotion Committee or the “Incomplete’ will become a “Fail”. All Incompletes must be resolved before stating fourth year electives.
Letters of Distinction
The Letter of Distinction is an opportunity for faculty members to recognize a student who has distinguished himself/herself by demonstrating extraordinary performance in any of the required core clinical clerkships. Only truly remarkable performance will be recognized; merely performing ahead of peers and being the best competitor should not suffice.
Letters of Distinction will be awarded only in required clerkships of three weeks’ duration or longer. These Letters should be as specific as possible regarding the nature of the student’s accomplishment. Letters of Distinction may be cited in the Dean’s Letter accompanying internship and residency applications, but will be excluded from the medical school transcript.
There is no minimum or maximum number of Letters awarded in any given clerkship (i.e., several letters or none may be awarded).
Decisions on awarding Letters of Distinction will be made by clerkship committees. Responsibility for writing the Letters of Distinction rests with the Course Chair or Site Director, who will consult with other faculty as appropriate.
Feedback to Students
Clerkship Chairs are responsible for providing students with meaningful written descriptions evaluating performance in the clerkship. Narrative descriptions will be prepared for all students by the clinical clerkships.
In the case of failing or marginally passing performance, written and verbal feedback is required. A description of the nature of the concern must be reported to the student and to the Student Affairs Office. Students should be informed by their course instructors of difficulties as soon as they arise, so that they have an opportunity to improve their performance. Clerkship Site Directors should meet with students whose performance is marginal or failing. In these meetings, the student’s problems should be discussed and plans for improvement developed.
All performance descriptions must be provided to the Student Affairs Office within six weeks of the conclusion of the clerkship. However, the Student Affairs Office will be notified within one week in the case of students whose clinical performance is failing or marginally passing. Evaluations may be reviewed in the SAO. Evaluations may not be removed from the office.
If students experience academic difficulty on a clerkship, this information will be relayed to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who in turn may notify course chairs or site directors on future rotations when appropriate. It is expected that the course chairs and site directors will treat this information with appropriate discretion.
Medical Student Performance Evaluation
UCLA has a strictly pass/fail evaluation system. Therefore, much more importance is placed on the comments that faculty and residents write concerning the student’s performance. An example of the evaluation form used is included. Comments may be used in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation for applying to internships and residencies.
Evaluations from Students
Medical students are responsible for providing evaluation as requested through the School of Medicine standardized evaluation program. The data collected is used in the aggregate to evaluate courses, curricula, and faculty and the data are reported back to Course Chairs for use in improving teaching and rotations. The time and tools should be provided to the student for critiquing the instructional program, and it is incumbent on the student to provide the information for assessment. Constructive criticisms as well as positive recognition will be appreciated. Contact Gary Diener for questions regarding course and faculty evaluations.