About the College
The Augusta University Medical College of Georgia has the ninth largest freshman class and the 10th largest total enrollment in the nation. The Medical College of Georgia expanded its incoming class from 190 to 230 students for the Fall 2010 class – 190 study in Augusta and an additional 40 students matriculate at the four-year Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership campus in Athens.
The college’s new home, the J. Harold Harrison, MD, Education Commons, a 187,000-square-foot high-tech medical education building on the main campus that features a 26,620-square-foot simulation laboratory, two 300-seat auditoriums, two 150-seat classrooms, 13 learning communities, and 13 small-group classrooms, opened in 2014. Outside the classroom, MCG students have the opportunity to learn at GRHealth, which includes a 478-bed adult medical center facility ranked in the top 100 teaching hospitals nationwide, and the 154-bed Children’s Hospital of Georgia. Students also rotate at affiliated clinical sites throughout the state. Third- and fourth-year students can also live in learn at one of three regional campuses in Southwest (Albany), Southeast (Savannah/Brunswick), and Northwest (Rome) Georgia.
MCG students volunteer extensively in the community, including staffing an after-hours health care clinic for Augusta’s homeless and uninsured, tutoring disadvantaged youth, and running a farmer’s market that offers produce and ideas on healthy eating to inner-city residents.
Administration
Dean: Peter F. Buckley, MD
Vice Dean for Academic Affairs: Paul M. Wallach, MD
Interim Campus Dean, Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership: Leslie Petch Lee, PhD
Associate Dean for Regional Campus Coordination: Kathryn Martin, PhD, MPA
Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum: T. Andrew Albritton, MD
Associate Dean for Curriculum: Renee Page, MD
Associate Dean for Evaluation, Accreditation, and Continuous Quality Improvement: Andria M. Thomas, PhD
Interim Associate Dean for Faculty Development: Ralph A. Gillies, PhD, MS
Interim Associate Dean for Admissions: Kelli Braun, MD
Associate Dean for Office of Student and Multicultural Affairs: Kimberly Vess Loomer, EDD
Associate Dean for First Year Class: Lynnette Bauza, MD
Associate Dean for Second Year Class: Greer Falls, MD
Associate Dean for Third Year Class: Eric Lewkowiez, MD
Associate Dean for Fourth Year Class: Stewart Shevitz, MD
Campus Associate Dean for Student and Multicultural Affairs, Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership: John Francis, MD, PhD
Campus Associate Dean for Graduate Medical Education, Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership : Shelly A. Nuss, MD
Campus Associate Dean for Curriculum, Augusta University/University of Georgia Medical Partnership: W. Scott Richardson, MD
Campus Assistant Dean, Southwest Campus: C. Granville Simmons, MD
Campus Assistant Dean, Southwest Campus: Sandra C. Mobley, PhD, RN
Campus Assistant Dean for Curriculum, Southeast Campus: T. Wayne Rentz, MD
Campus Assistant Dean, Northwest Campus: Leonard D. Reeves Sr., MD
Admissions Requirements
Please see the Medical College of Georgia Admissions website for specific admissions information:
http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/admissions/application/procedures.php
Program Specific Requirements:
MD Program
Doctor of Medicine
Technical Standards for Admission are required. For further information visit http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/admissions/application/prerequisites.php.
MD/MBA Program
(offered in conjunction with Hull College of Business also offered at the Partnership Campus in conjunction with the UGA Terry College of Business)
MD/MBA Program
MD/PHD Program
(offered in conjunction with The Graduate School)
The combined M.D./Ph.D. degree program provides complete training in medicine and biomedical sciences required for careers in investigative medicine.
Students complete the academic requirements for the M.D. degree from the Medical College of Georgia and the Ph.D. degree from a degree-granting department of biomedical sciences in the University System of Georgia. Students may choose from eligible Ph.D. programs at Augusta University, the University of Georgia, Georgia Institute of Technology and Georgia State University. The degree can typically be completed in seven to eight years.
Technical Standards for Admission are required. For further information visit http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/mdphd/admissions.php.
Admissions Recommendations: The average MCAT score for the class that matriculated August 2012 was 30.47. The average GPA was 3.7.
Phase 1 and 2 Course Policies and Procedures:
Please see the Academic Affairs website for the most up to date policies.
MCG Academic Affairs Policies
Academic and Professional Policies and Procedures (Faculty Senate Student Promotions Committee) see http://www.augusta.edu/mcg/students/documents/finalstudentpromotionspolicyprocedure772015.pdf
Promotions and Remediation
Student should access the Academic and Professionalism Policies and Procedures for specific questions about promotion or remediation.
Access to Student Records Policy (approved by COC July 7, 2015)
Student academic records are confidential documents. This policy outlines those who have a right to access the records and the procedures required to do so. MCG provides limitations on access to student records in compliance with FERPA. The following situations are those specified by FERPA that permit access to records without consent of the individual student.
- School officials with legitimate educational interest;
- Other schools to which a student is transferring;
- Specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
- Appropriate parties in connection with financial aid to a student;
- Organizations conducting certain studies for or on behalf of the school;
- Accrediting organizations;
- To comply with a judicial order or lawfully issued subpoena;
- Appropriate officials in cases of health and safety emergencies; and
- State and local authorities, within a juvenile justice system, pursuant to specific State law.
The following individuals may access student records at any time in the conduct of their administrative duties in the Medical College of Georgia:
- Assistant and Associate Deans for Student Affairs and Curriculum
- Associate Dean for Evaluation, CQI, and Accreditation
- Administrative Staff of the Office of Academic Affairs, MCG
- Dean and Vice Dean, MCG
The following individuals may have limited access to necessary student records in the conduct of their administrative duties in the Medical College of Georgia:
Campus deans (Campus Dean, Athens; Campus Associate Deans for the clinical campuses)
- Academic Advisors
- Promotions Committee
- Scholarship Committee
- Financial Aid Office
- Admissions Dean
Other members of the MCG faculty or administration may request permission within FERPA guidelines to review records by submitting a letter (or completing a designated form) to the Associate Dean for Evaluation, CQI, and Accreditation stating the reason for the request and the records requested. The Associate Dean will make a recommendation to the Vice Dean who will make a decision regarding the request.
Other individuals may access student records only with written consent and FERPA release of the student. Only those documents specifically indicated by the student will be released.
Definitions: Student records: student records are defined as the content of the student’s formal academic file including admissions information, official correspondence, consent forms, grades, evaluations, records of the Promotions committee, MSPE, residency match results, and any electronic files, databases, or applications containing these documents or information.
Excused Absence for Health Care Policy
(approved by COC on Dec. 2, 2014, revised by COC June 2015)
Medical students are encouraged to obtain health care and will be excused from course and clerkship activities to seek their own health care. As professionals, when possible, they should choose appointments that interfere the least with educational responsibilities. If such absences exceed 1 appointment per month, a formal medical excuse will need to be obtained.
Grade Appeal
Courses or Clerkship (for the most up to date policy, see augusta.edu/mcg/students/documents/finalstudentpromotionspolicyprocedure772015.pdf
Grade Appeal Process for a Module, Course, Clerkship, Elective, or Selective Grade or Narrative Report. If the student chooses to appeal a module, course, intercession, clerkship, elective, or selective grade, or narrative report, that appeal must be pursued according to the procedure outlined below. Once a final grade has been posted, a student may appeal a final grade in a course or clerkship if he/she thinks that their grade or evaluation is unjust by:
- Discuss a Concern: The student discusses the concern with the module, course, clerkship, elective, or selective “Director” first and not with any other faculty member (e.g., the student’s attending physician) who taught in the course. A violation of this step will result in a student forfeiting the right to officially appeal the grade.
- Appeal a Grade: To appeal a grade, a student submits to the Director in writing within two weeks of the final grade being posted the reasons for the appeal and provide objective documentation, where appropriate, to support a change in a grade. Appeal letter specifies in detail why the student believes his/her grade or narrative report was not substantiated by evidence, or the student believes that important information related to his/her performance may not have been considered (e.g., an evaluation report from another supervisor was not included). The Director reviews the student’s appeal and may make a decision independently or may appoint an advisory ad hoc committee of at least three faculty members. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the Director. The Director then makes a decision about the appeal and notifies the student, in writing, (may be electronic) of the decision within two weeks of receipt of the student’s appeal.
- Appeal the Decision of the Director: The student may appeal the decision of the Director within one week of notice by the Director, by written request, to the Department Chair for a departmental course, or to the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum if the course in interdepartmental. The Chair or Senior Associate Dean may decide the appeal independently or may appoint an advisory ad hoc committee of at least three faculty members who have not served on the prior ad hoc committee listed under step B. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the Chair or the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum. The Chair or Senior Associate Dean of Curriculum decides the matter and provides notice, in writing, to the student within two weeks of the written request for appeal at this level.
- Appeal the Decision of the Departmental Chair or Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum: The student may appeal the decision of the departmental Chair or the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum, in writing, within one week of prior notice by the Chair or Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum to the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs. The Vice Dean for Academic Affairs may decide to appeal independently or appoint an advisory ad hoc committee comprised of at least three faculty members who have not previously participated in the appeal process. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the Vice Dean, who will then decide the matter. Typically, appeals at this level are for procedural concerns only. The student will be notified of the decision within two weeks of the request for appeal. This is the final level of appeal for a grade.
Grade Submission Deadline Policy
(approved by COC on Dec. 2, 2014)
All grades for modules and clerkships will be submitted within 6 weeks of the completion of the module or clerkship.
Narrative Assessment Policy
(approved by COC April 14, 2015)
A narrative description of a medical student’s performance, including his or her non-cognitive achievement, is included as a component of the assessment in each required course and clerkship of the medical education program whenever teacher-student interaction permits this form of assessment
Non-Involvement of Providers of Student Services in Student Academic Evaluations Policy
(approved by COC March 10, 2015)
- A health care provider who has provided care for a medical student will not serve in an evaluative capacity for the student or supervise educational activities where the faculty member evaluates the student.
- No professional serving as a provider of medical or psychological services for our students should be in an evaluative position for that student at any time.
- If a student is assigned to an educational environment where the supervising faculty member has previously provided health care to the student, the faculty member must advise the course/clerkship director of a need to re-assign the student (without disclosing why) to a different evaluating supervisor. It is the responsibility of the course/clerkship director to make sure that faculty are aware of this policy.
- If such professional happens to be a member of an evaluation or promotion’s committee at the time one of the students he(she) has rendered services to is being evaluated, he(she) will recuse from the committee until the evaluation of the student is completed.
- Evaluation forms will include an option for declining evaluation.
Student medical provider means any professional providing services for students in the role of physician, psychiatrist, counselor or therapist.
Reason for policy:
- To protect student’s privacy and confidentiality.
To assure student gets a fair process. Process/procedures:
- The professional involved recuses himself(herself) as soon as he(she)or the student, realizes the student being evaluated has been his(her) patient or client at any given time.
Phase 1 & 2 Work Hours Policy
(approved by COC Dec. 2, 2014)
Students will spend no more than 26 hours plus a half day of clinical activity per week averaged over the module in assigned learning activities during Phase 1 & 2. This includes both in-class activities and required activities assigned to be completed outside of scheduled class time. Monitoring of these hours will be done prospectively for each module. The effectiveness of the policy will be evaluated annually in the Phase 1 & 2 Curriculum Committee and the respective subcommittees to ensure that the set time students spend in these required activities is not surpassed.
Separation of Academic Advising and Assessment Policy
(approved by COC July 2, 2015)
All enrolled students have an assigned academic advisor and have access to academic counseling from individuals who play no role in grading, assessment, or advancement decisions about them.
Additional Phase 1-2 Policies
Communications:
All official student communication from the Module and Component Directors is sent to the student’s official university E-mail address. When E-mailing the module or component directors, clearly identify your E-mail message in the subject line to avoid deletion of messages from “unknown” sources.
Grading Policy:
Phase 1 Augusta Grading Policy:
The grading policy has been determined by the Phase 1-2 Curriculum Committee and approved by the COC in compliance with the Policies of the Board of Regents. Each student’s grade is calculated based on the total number of points accumulated on examinations and other graded activities divided by the total number of possible points.
There is no rounding up of scores. In order to advance to Phase 2, students are required to pass each of the basic science modules and the ECM course with an average of 70% of total possible points. Grades for Phase 1 are reported to the registrar as either pass or fail.
The requirement for passing the Phase 1 Comprehensive Module is:
- Pass the NBME flexibly blueprinted exam (within 2 S.D. of the mean).
Phase 2 Augusta Grading Policy:
The grading policy has been determined by the Phase 1-2 Curriculum Committee and approved by the COC in compliance with the policies of the Board of Regents. Each student’s grade is calculated based on the total number of points achieved divided by the total number of possible points. There is no rounding up of scores when assigning the letter grade for the module.
The requirements for a passing grade for Modules and ECM2 are to meet expectations for all MCG competency based objectives and achieve 70% of total possible points. Letter grades is assigned as follows:
A = 90.00-100% of total possible points
B = 80.00 – 89.99% of total possible points
C = 70.00 – 79.99% of total possible points
D = 60.00 – 69.99% of total possible points
F = less than 60.00% of total possible points
The requirements for passing the Phase 2 Comprehensive Module (Module 8) (S/U) are:
- to take Comprehensive Basic Science Exam
- pass the NBME Phase 2 Customized exam (within 2 S.D. of the mean)
Phase 1 and 2 Athens Grading Policy:
The grading policy has been determined by the Phase 1-2 Curriculum Committee and approved by the COC in compliance with the Policies of the Board of Regents. Each student’s grade is calculated based on the total number of points accumulated on examinations and other graded activities divided by the total number of possible points. There is no rounding up of scores. In order to successfully complete the Phase 1 and 2 modules students are required to pass each of the modules’ final exams with a grade of 60% or above, and achieve a module final grade average of 70% or greater. Grades for Phase 1will be reported to the registrar as either pass or fail.
In order to satisfactorily complete the requirements for ECM 1, students must obtain a 70% or greater on the final ECM grade. In addition students are required to achieve a grade of 70% or greater in both the clinical skills component as a whole and the final physical exam check-out in clinical skills.
To successfully complete ECM 2 students must achieve a grade of 70% or greater on the final ECM 2 grade. In addition students are required to achieve a grade of 70% or greater in the applied clinical skills component of ECM 2.
Approved by the COC on August 4, 2015
Phase 3 Standard Policies and Procedures:
The third year of the curriculum is one of the most exciting years of medical education because it is the first real opportunity to be directly immersed in patient care. Caring for patients is one of the most rewarding aspects of our profession. Our goal is to provide students with the highest quality clinical experiences.
The following policies are to help guide students as health care professionals in providing patients the highest quality of care possible.
Attendance
Patient care teams are responsible to each other in order to provide high quality care and a good learning environment. Being absent or late, even for good reasons, may impact the team. Therefore, if a student is absent or late for any reason, s/he is required to contact the attending physician and/or resident for that rotation, and the clerkship director’s office that day to let them know of the absence or lateness.
The clerkship director must excuse all absences. Personal illness and family emergencies are examples of absences that are excused. Residency Interviews, USLMLE Exams, and the Phase 3 OSCE are also considered excused absences during the 4th Year. Requests for absences should be made as soon as feasible. Recognizing the need to have sufficient time in the clinical learning environment, if approximately 15% of a rotation is missed by absence (3 days in 4 weeks, 5 days in 6 weeks, 6 days in 8 weeks) a decision is made by the clerkship director as to how best to facilitate the student’s learning so that there is adequate clinical exposure and time off can be made up. If time missed is significant, it may be best to repeat the rotation in its entirety. This policy applies to all rotations, including both on‐campus and off‐campus.
Students must meet with the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum prior to beginning Phase 3 if: (1) they need to be away from their clinical responsibilities on any required rotation for more than three days or three 26‐hour periods or if (2) they are required to be away for more than seven days or seven 26‐hour periods during an academic year. In such instances, the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum will work with the student to modify the curriculum to ensure the student meets the educational requirements for graduation.
Excused Absence for Health Care - Medical students are encouraged to obtain health care and will be excused from course and clerkship activities to seek their own health care. As professionals, when possible, they should choose appointments that interfere the least with educational responsibilities. If such absences exceed 1 appointment per month, a formal medical excuse will need to be obtained. (Approved by the COC on January 26, 2006)
Observance of Religious Holidays - As a culturally sensitive institution, MCG respects the desire of individuals to be absent for observance of major religious holidays that are personally observed.
Students must meet with the clerkship director (or designee if the clerkship director is not available) prior to the beginning of the rotation to make him/her aware of their religious obligations. The clerkship director notifies the attending physician that the student has permission to be away from their clinical responsibilities for the time the religious observance(s) take(s) place. In addition, students meet with their attending physician and resident to make arrangements for the care of their patients. If possible, students arrange for a colleague on the rotation to cover their patients. The time away from the rotation will not impact students’ evaluations. (If significant absence results (see Section 1) additional clinical time and experiences may be required) (Approved by the COC December 2, 2014)
Vacation and Holidays
- Vacation Schedule. Vacations begin and end on the following dates.
Thanksgiving Holiday: November 24 – November 27, 2016
Winter Holiday: December 18 - January 3, 2017
Spring Holidays: April 1 - 9, 2017
Independence Day: July 4, 2016
Labor Day: September 5, 2016
Martin Luther King Day: January 16, 2017
Memorial Day: May 29, 2017
Columbus Day (VA holiday only)
Veterans Day (VA holiday only)
President’s Day (VA holiday only)
Dress Code for Clinical Activities
In order to create an environment of professionalism for our patients and colleagues, students are required to dress professionally in appropriate attire and maintain a neat and clean appearance. Professional attire is a shirt and tie for men (unless instructed otherwise) and slacks/skirt with a blouse or dresses for women. As members of the medical community, all students engaged in patient care activities are required to wear a clean, short white coat (unless instructed otherwise by the attending physician) and have the required student identification visible. For safety reasons, no open‐toed shoes or sandals should be worn. Cologne, perfume, or after shave are not appropriate in the clinical environment as patients may be allergic. Students are to adhere to the professional dress standards of their assigned clinical sites. Appearances that have the potential to offend or distract patients must be avoided. Examples of these appearances include but are not limited to:
- Easily visible tattoos or body piercing (e.g., lip, eyebrow, tongue)
- Unusual hair coloring or style
- Casual clothing (e.g., jeans and shirts without collars for men.)
- Revealing or ill‑fitting clothing
- Unwashed or unkempt appearance
Policy on Student Clinical Duty Hours
In no cases are medical students to exceed ACGME requirements for residents. Specifically: (Revised and Approved by the COC on April 14, 2016)
- Duty hours must be limited to 80 hours per week, averaged over a 2-week period, inclusive of all in-house call activities.
- Medical students must have at least 10 hours, free of duty between scheduled duty periods.
- Students must have at least 1 day off per 7-day week averaged over a 4-week period.
Students do not take call on the Wednesday night prior to the Thanksgiving Holiday and may leave that afternoon after all their patient care responsibilities have been completed. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
Students do not take call on the Friday PM prior to the Spring Holiday and may leave after all their patient care responsibilities have been completed. (Approved by the COC December 2, 2014)
Students do not take call the day prior to the NBME Subject Examination. Patient care responsibilities will conclude at 12 noon, and educational activities may continue until mid-afternoon; after that the students may leave. If traveling more than 2 hours to take the exam, the student is excused the entire day prior. (Approved by the COC April 14, 2016)
Administrative Issues
Supervision and Medical Student Scope and Practice
All medical students participating in required educational experiences are engaged in educational environments wherein they are supervised by members of the faculty, and/or where present, residents. Faculty and residents are prepared for their roles as educators, are aware of the educational program objectives, and the generally expected limitations of medical student ability by level. All medical students are expected to perform medical activities within their approved scope of practice and must seek assistance if faced with a medical circumstance that is beyond their skill level or comfort. Adherence to this policy will be monitored by the Phase 3 Committee and COC, reviewed on a biannual basis and modified as appropriate. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
Students Working with Family Members
Students during the 3rd and 4th year are not permitted to work in any setting as a part of a graded rotation where they would be supervised by a relative or any other members of that relative’s practice. For the purpose of this policy, relative refers to a parent, grandparent, aunt, uncle, sibling, or spouse. Exceptions to this policy are allowed under the following circumstances: (Approved by the COC on March 1, 2016)
- When the relative is a faculty member in a residency program, the student is permitted to rotate on the clinical service associated with that residency program provided that the student is not directly supervised or evaluated by the relative.
- When the relative is part of a large practice group, the student is permitted to rotate on the clinical service associated with that practice group provided that in the judgment of the Clerkship Director, Director of 3rd Year Curriculum, Director of 4th Year Curriculum, Associate Dean of Curriculum or Senior Associate Dean of Curriculum no reasonable alternative exists and that the student is not directly supervised or evaluated by the relative.
NBME Subject Exam
NBME subject examinations are usually given on the final Friday of each clerkship. Students will not be permitted to take examinations early. If a student, regardless of the reason, does not take the examination at that time, s/he may take the examination on a day when NBME subject examinations are administered. With the exception of the NW campus, students may not take two NBME subject examinations in one day. Documented personal illness, the death and funeral of a family member or close personal friend, and family emergencies, are examples of legitimate reasons for not being able to take a scheduled examination. Visits to family and friends or pre-purchased airline tickets, etc. are not acceptable reasons to reschedule an examination. Since the exam is timed and proctored, if late, a student will not receive additional time to complete the test. Failure to comply with any of the NBME test administration policies, may result in a zero on the NBME subject exam. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
Students must achieve at least the 5th percentile on each of the end‐of‐clerkship NBME subject examinations to pass the clerkship. If a student does not receive a passing score, s/he will receive a “D” for the clerkship regardless of the clinical grade. At a minimum, students will be required to remediate the deficiency by taking a four week period to prepare for retaking the examination. Longer periods of remediation may be required depending on the deficiencies of the student. During this time, students may not be on a core clerkship, selective, or elective. Scheduled vacations are not considered part of the remediation. Students must take the month of July in the senior year as vacation to remediate deficiencies if the end‐of‐clerkship exam was failed prior to the June rotation. A student failing an end‐of‐clerkship exam in June will be required to remediate the deficiency during the August rotation. Students may retake up to two failed NBME subject exams, with the potential of raising the grade to a C. If the score on the retake is at or above the 5th percentile nationally, the final grade will change from “D” to “C” without annotation. If the score is less than the 5th percentile nationally, the final grade will change from “D” to “F” and the student will be required to repeat the entire clerkship. Students must achieve at least the 30th percentile to be eligible for a “B” and the 70th percentile to be eligible for an “A” on each of the end‐of‐clerkship NBME subject examinations. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
NBME cutoffs for off‐cycle students in the first 3 months of their third year will be scored using the first quarter score sheet as would students who are not off cycle in July, August, and September. The criteria used for first quarter students will be used for students in their first quarter of clerkships, even if they are taking them later in the academic year. If a student has an elective in one of the first three months, the elective counts toward the first “quarter”.
(Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
MCG Retake Policy
If a student has no failing NBME end‐of‐clerkship exams (has passed all of them), s/he will be permitted to re‐take 1 subject exam with the possibility of raising the final grade by 1 letter grade if final overall score and NBME score justify such a change. This policy offers the students the opportunity to improve their performance. Academic Year national data is used to calculate cutoffs and conversion scores on the retake. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
Testing Accommodations
In order to assure that proper arrangements are made, any student requiring special testing conditions must notify the clerkship director or coordinator before the start of the clerkship or on the first day of the clerkship.
Grade Appeal: Phase 3
If a student has a concern regarding a clinical grade, s/he must discuss it with the clerkship director first and not the attending physician or residents. A violation of this policy will result in a student forfeiting the right to officially appeal the grade. (Approved by the COC on September 13, 2012)
Once a final grade is posted, students have two weeks to appeal a final grade in a course or clerkship if they think their evaluation is unjust by:
- Step 1: Discuss a Concern
- The student must discuss the concern with the clerkship director first and not with any other faculty member (e.g., the student’s attending physician) who taught in the clerkship. A violation of this step will result in a student forfeiting the right to officially appeal the grade.
- Step 2: Appeal a Grade
- To appeal a grade, a student must submit to the clerkship director in writing within 2 weeks of the final grade being posted the reasons for the appeal and provide objective documentation, where appropriate, to support a change in a grade. The clerkship director reviews the student’s appeal and may make a decision independently or may appoint an advisory ad hoc committee of at least three faculty members. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the clerkship director. The clerkship director then makes a decision about the appeal and notifies the student in writing (may be electronic) of the decision within 2 weeks of receipt of the student’s appeal.
- Step 3: Appeal the Decision of the Clerkship Director
- The student may appeal the decision of the clerkship director within one week of notice by the course/clerkship director by written request to the department chair for a departmental course or clerkship, or to the senior associate dean for curriculum if the course/clerkship is interdepartmental. The chair or senior associate dean may choose to decide the appeal independently or may appoint an advisory ad hoc committee of at least 3 faculty members who had not served on the prior ad hoc committee listed under step 2. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the chair or the senior associate dean for curriculum. The chair or senior associate dean for curriculum will then decide the matter and provide notice in writing to the student within 2 weeks of the written request for appeal at this level.
- Step 4: Appeal of the Decision of the Departmental Chair or Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum.
- If a student does not agree with the decision of the department chair or senior associate dean for curriculum, the student may appeal the decision in writing within one week of prior notice by the chair or senior associate dean for curriculum to the vice dean for academic affairs. The vice dean for academic affairs may decide the appeal independently or appoint an advisory ad hoc committee comprised of at least 3 faculty members who had not previously participated in this appeal process. The ad hoc committee makes a recommendation to the vice dean, who will then decide the matter. Typically, appeals at this level are for procedural concerns only. The student will be notified of the decision within 2 weeks of the request for appeal. This is the final level of appeal for a grade.
(Approved by the COC on September 13, 2012)
Clerkship Grades
Clerkship grades are based on the following scale.
A: 90-100
B: 80-89.99
C: 70-79.99
D: 60-69.99
F: Below 59.99
Final grades for the clerkships are not rounded up.
Grade Submission Deadline: All grades for modules and clerkships will be submitted within 6 weeks of the completion of the module or clerkship. (Approved by the COC on December 2, 2014)
Student Logging
For each of the clerkships, students must complete the Student Patient Encounter (SPEL) and procedure logs using one45 to fulfill the requirements for the clerkship.
Mid-Rotation Feedback Policy
MCG has policies to ensure that students receive mid-rotation feedback. Mid‐rotation student evaluation forms are required to be filled out by student and faculty approximately at the mid-point of all clinical clerkship rotations of four weeks or more. The process begins with student initiation and is completed by faculty. As this is considered very important, if a student does not initiate the process, it will lead to an incomplete grade in the clerkship.
(Approved by the COC on March 10, 2015)
Evaluations by Students
Student evaluations of the educational program are important for each of the clerkships. Students must submit an evaluation on the faculty, residents, and clerkship to fulfill the clerkship requirements. A student’s grade will not be posted until the evaluations have been submitted to Evaluation Services. Student evaluations are not released to faculty or departments until grades are submitted.
Communication
Official electronic communication will be via email to the student’s gru.edu account. Students are responsible for all information sent via email. All students should routinely check their e‐mail regarding clerkship announcements and information.
Name Changes
If a student has had a recent name change, s/he must notify the Registrar and the Curriculum Office before the start of the clerkship or on the first day of the clerkship.
Clerkship Site Assignment Changes
Initial clerkship site assignments are part of the third year lottery. Students may request a change in site assignment at least 4 weeks before the start of a clerkship. If a student wants to request a change in site assignment, s/he must contact the clerkship director’s office to make the request. If there is an available site and all relevant parties are in agreement, the student may change sites.
Blood & Body Fluid Exposure Protocol
Within 30 Minutes of Augusta
- Cleanse wound with soap and water, or irrigate splash areas (i.e., eyes, mucous membranes) with normal saline or water.
- Notify attending/nurse supervisor to order lab from source patient.
- Fill out hospital incident report. Please record source’s name and pertinent demographics. (KEEP COPY)
- Report to Student Health Services (706-721-3448), located in Pavilion II, Monday‐Friday, 8:30 AM ‐ 5:00 PM. If closed, report to GR Health ER (706-721-4951) within 3 hours of injury.
- For questions, call Pepline at 1-888-448-4911.
Outside the Augusta Area
- Cleanse wound with soap and water, or irrigate splash areas (i.e., eyes, mucous membranes) with normal saline or water.
- Notify attending/nurse supervisor to order lab from source patient.
- Fill out hospital incident report. Please record source’s name and pertinent demographics. (KEEP COPY).
- Report to facility Occupational Health or Emergency Department for lab and assessment for HIV prophylaxis (within 3 hours of injury)
- For questions, call Pepline at 1-888-448-4911
- Follow-up at Student Health Services or designated clinic as indicated.
Students must notify the attending physician and clerkship coordinator and/or director of the incident. The clerkship coordinator or director notifies the class associate dean for student affairs of the occurrence.
Information for M4 students:
The 4th year is ten months in length. Students must complete two clerkships and two selectives. All students must complete an adult ambulatory clerkship, an emergency medicine clerkship, an acting internship selective, and a critical care selective. The remainder of the fourth year consists of at least three electives. Students may take additional electives during the academic year. Of these three required electives, one must be at an MCG‐affiliated site.
- Only one international experience may fulfill the elective requirements for graduation.
- Students may only receive graduation credit for one research elective regardless of the length of the experience. A student may do research electives in different areas of interest; however, only one of these electives fulfills the elective requirements for graduation.
- If a student did not complete a third year elective, s/he must do a total of four electives in the fourth year to fulfill the requirements for graduation. Two of the four electives must be on‐campus.
- The Curriculum Office must approve off‐campus electives for graduation credit.
- According to institutional policy, students may not receive retroactive credit for electives that were not approved by the Curriculum Office
Acceptance of Visiting Medical Students in Electives
In order to ensure that there is sufficient time for MCG students to plan their 4th year, no visiting medical students will be accepted in any elective or selective before April 1st for the upcoming academic year.
(Approved by the COC on February 2, 2016)
