I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this Policy is to define parameters for the creation and dissemination of the Phase One (preclerkship curriculum) academic schedule(s).
II. POLICY
It is the policy of New York Medical College (NYMC) School of Medicine (SOM) to define parameters regarding the creation and dissemination of the academic schedule(s) in order to support the educational mission of the SOM undergraduate medical degree program. The academic schedule provides for an engaging and challenging curriculum which fosters student learning and the development of important self-directed and critical thinking skills, and is also mindful of student well-being.
III. SCOPE
This Policy applies to faculty, staff, and administrators who contribute to the scheduling of Phase 1 of the SOM curriculum.
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. Medical Student means a person enrolled in the SOM program at NYMC.
B. Faculty means a person involved in the NYMC SOM teaching program (whether MD, PhD, nurse, allied health professional, resident, fellow, or other) with an NYMC SOM faculty appointment.
C. Learning Management System (LMS) means a web-based system for curriculum management.
D. Module Director means SOM Faculty that are responsible for oversight of the curriculum, structure, and assessment of an assigned module during Phase One of the SOM scheduled program[AH1] .
E. Phase One Director means SOM Faculty that are responsible for the oversight and curriculum of Phase One of the SOM scheduled program.
F. Scheduled Hours means the amount of time an individual Medical Student is scheduled for educational activities; this calculation includes Scheduled Contact and Non-Contact hours, including Independent Learning and Self-Directed Learning but does not include assessment/examination hours, Mandatory Pre-Work hours, or Personal Study Time hours.
G. Active Learning means an educational approach where students are engaged in the learning process.
H. Contact Hours means in-person instructional activities, such as live lectures and interactive exercises.
I. Scheduled Non-Contact Hours means time scheduled during the weekly schedule of educational activities that may include, but are not necessarily limited to, assigned learning activities, such as review of pre-recorded videos, or open time to allow students to engage in Self-Directed Learning based upon their own needs.
J. Self-Directed Learning (Critical Reasoning Exercises) means learning experiences through which medical students develop lifelong learning skills by self-assessing their learning needs; independently identifying, analyzing, and synthesizing relevant information; appraising the credibility of information sources; and receiving feedback on these skills. See LCME Standard 7.6 in Section VI, References.
K. Mandatory Pre-work means educational materials or activities that students are required to complete outside of Scheduled Hours before, and in direct preparation for, a specific scheduled educational activity. Examples may include, but are not limited to, videos, readings, practice exercises, preparatory assignments, cases, quizzes, or other materials assigned by faculty to prepare students for participation in a scheduled session.
L. Independent Learning is dedicated time on a learner’s schedule to complete or advance specific learning activities, such as research projects, longitudinal assignments, clinical preparation, case-based learning activities, or other faculty-directed curricular work. Independent Learning is directed by the curriculum, instructor, or mentor, but is not necessarily completed immediately before or in direct preparation for a specific scheduled session.
M. Personal Study Time means student-initiated time spent studying, reviewing, practicing, preparing, or engaging in informal peer learning outside of Scheduled Hours and outside of required curricular activities. Examples may include, but are not limited to, reviewing course materials, reading textbooks or other educational resources, preparing independently for assessments, completing voluntary practice questions, or participating in informal peer discussions or study groups. Personal Study Time may occur during non-scheduled time within the weekly academic calendar, and/or evenings, weekends, or any other unscheduled periods.
V. PROCEDURES
A. Module Directors are responsible for the initial creation (draft) of their respective Module schedules and submission to the Phase One Directors and Assistant Dean for Basic Sciences (ADBS) within the time frame outlined in section V.D, below. In addition to consideration of pedagogical techniques and the interest of integration (both horizontal and vertical), Module Directors will create the schedule draft using the following resources:
1. Master (framework) annual calendar, which is provided in advance by the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education and includes:
a. holidays and early closings;
b. fixed start and end dates for courses and intersessions;
c. projected SOM exams (including National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) exams) and “no exam” days;
d. room locations across all years; and
e. protected special event days (including but not limited to dates/times related to the Medical Student research forum and white coat ceremony).
2. This Policy
3. NYMC SOM Policy on Phase One Examination Content and Scheduling
4. NYMC SOM Graduation Competencies and Medical Education Program Objectives
B. Phase One Directors and ADBS shall provide oversight and support to the Module Directors by reviewing the draft schedule to ensure compliance with SOM policies and requirements for the integrated preclinical educational program.
C. Following the above faculty-driven process that includes the review and approval by Phase One subcommittee of the Education and Curriculum Committee (ECC), the chair of the Phase One subcommittee of the ECC will present the draft module schedule, a summary of the schedule, and a confirmation of compliance with SOM policies and requirements, to the ECC for final review and approval.
D. Schedule for Review and Approval of Classes and Examinations
1. A draft of the module schedule must be finalized by the Module Directors and submitted to the Phase One Directors three (3) months prior to the start of the module.
2. The final module schedule must be submitted to the ECC for approval two (2) months prior to the start of the module.
3. Once approved, a PDF version of the schedule will be released to the relevant NYMC class of students and instructors via email and/or LMS.
4. The final ECC-approved schedule will be posted on the LMS calendar one month prior to the start of the module. Exceptions to this may include modules that start at the beginning of an academic year in Phase One, as schedules for those modules cannot be posted until the creation of student group assignments, which relies on the provision of a complete class roster by the Registrar’s office.
E. Schedule Guidelines
1. Scheduled Hours for educational activities (both Contact and Non-Contact) shall average no more than six (6) Scheduled Hours per day. In no case will a week have more than twenty-eight (28) Scheduled Hours.
a. The combination of Scheduled Hours and Mandatory Pre-work Hours shall not, on average, exceed 40 hours per week.
b. Regarding Mandatory Pre-work Hours, it is the responsibility of the Module Director to:
i. Know how many Mandatory Pre-work Hours are expected per week and how those Mandatory Pre-work Hours are distributed amongst the various disciplines within the Module Director’s integrated module.
ii. Provide transparency and clarity to students regarding Mandatory Pre-work Hour requirements on the LMS and/or in the module syllabus, or other appropriate means.
c. Students will expect to spend additional time in unscheduled Independent Learning outside of Scheduled Hours and Mandatory Pre-work Hours based on their own individual learning needs.
2. The schedule will clearly designate all educational activities that have mandatory attendance.
3. The school day hours, in general, are 8:00am-5:00pm, with a one (1) hour lunch break. Exceptions to this (including evening and weekend hours), may occur with the prior approval of the Dean for Medical Education, and are for scheduling students to attend other required educational activities, including standardized patient examinations/simulations, or to accommodate for unforeseen events (e.g., inclement weather, power outages).
4. Students will be given a minimum (on average) of one academic half day per full week of instruction that is free of scheduled activities allowing for protected, unscheduled time.
5. At least 50% of Scheduled Hours will utilize Active Learning techniques.
6. Back-to-back lecture sessions will include a 15-minute break between the lectures. No lecture shall extend beyond 1.5 hours in length.
7. Exam scheduling
a. Exam schedules will be created as described in the SOM Policy on Phase One Examination Content and Scheduling.
b. In general, no mandatory in-person activities will be scheduled before 10 AM the day after an examination.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, School of Medicine
VIII. REFERENCES
A. LCME Standard 7.6: Practice-Based Learning and Improvement: The faculty of a medical through its curriculum governance ensures that the medical education curriculum ensures that medical students learn, practicem and receive feedback on their progressive acquisition of the skills of self-directed learning, including the ability to self-identify critical gaps in knowledge or understanding and to find, analyze, synthesize, and appraise the credibility of relevant information to fill those gaps. The medical education curriculum also promotes medical students’ development of the ability to recognize the strengths, deficiencies, and limitations of their knowledge, skills, behaviors, and attitudes to support their progress in achieving personal professional learning and improvement goals.
B. LCME Standard 8.7: Monitoring Student Workload: The faculty committee responsible for the medical curriculum, together with the education program’s administration and leadership, ensures the development and implementation of effective policies and procedures regarding the amount of time medical students spend in required activities, including the total number of hours medical students are required to spend in clinical and other educational activities throughout the curriculum.
IX. RELATED POLICIES
A. Electronic Exam Software Policy and Procedure
B. NYMC SOM Attendance and Absence Policy
C. NYMC SOM Policy on Exam Scheduling
