I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to ensure that all students in the New York Medical College (NYMC) School of Medicine (SOM) receive Formative Feedback on their performance during any course/clerkship. The goal of Formative Feedback is to monitor student learning to provide ongoing feedback that can be used by instructors to improve their teaching and by students to improve their learning.
II. POLICY
It is the policy of the NYMC SOM that all courses or clerkships must provide students with formal Formative Feedback early enough during each required course or clerkship four or more weeks in length to allow sufficient time for remediation. Any course or clerkship less than four weeks in length will provide alternate means by which a medical student can measure their progress in learning.
III. SCOPE
This Policy applies to course and clerkship directors; teaching faculty (including graduate students, residents and fellows who participate in the teaching and evaluation of medical students); and NYMC SOM students.
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. Formative Feedback: Information communicated orally or in writing to a medical student in a timely manner that is intended to modify the student’s thinking or behavior to improve subsequent learning and performance in the medical curriculum.
B. Comprehensive Basic Science Examination: a 5½ hour national examination covering material learned in the basic science curriculum and reflecting Step 1 content
V. PROCEDURES
A. Formative Feedback may be provided by module directors, phase directors, clerkship directors, teaching faculty, and/or advisory deans.
B. In Phase One, Formative Feedback will be provided at least midway through the course, and no more than three weeks into a module for modules longer than four weeks. Such feedback may include:
1. direct verbal or written feedback;
2. internally developed practice questions;
3. audience response systems;
4. formative feedback clinical skills sessions;
5. practice clinical notes;
6. practice presentations;
7. written assignments;
8. Comprehensive Basic Science Examination; and
9. other external question banks
C. In Phase Two and Phase Three, Formative Feedback will be given at least at the midpoint of the clerkship. Such feedback may include:
1. direct verbal or written feedback;
2. midclerkship feedback session and form;
3. workplace-based assessments;
4. formative feedback clinical skills sessions; and
5. directly observed history and physical examinations
D. The Student Academic Success Team (SAST) may recommend early intervention when assessments indicate a student may be struggling.
E. Module/clerkship directors directly monitor the provision of Formative Feedback in the curriculum.
F. The Education and Curriculum Committee has final authority and oversight for ensuring compliance with Formative Feedback requirements. This is done proactively at the time when a module schedule is reviewed and approved, and retroactively through the course/clerkship review process.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This Policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Undergraduate Medical Education
VIII. REFERENCE
LCME Standard 9: Teaching, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety
A medical school ensures that its medical education program includes a comprehensive, fair, and uniform system of formative and summative medical student assessment and protects medical students' and patients' safety by ensuring that all persons who teach, supervise, and/or assess medical students are adequately prepared for those responsibilities.
LCME Element 9.7: Formative Assessment and Feedback
The medical school's curricular governance committee ensures that each medical student is assessed and provided with formal formative feedback early enough during each required course or clerkship to allow sufficient time for remediation. Formal feedback occurs at least at the midpoint of the course or clerkship. A course or clerkship less than four weeks in length provides alternate means by which medical students can measure their progress in learning
