This is true for experienced physicians as well as medical students making the transition from classroom to clinical medicine. We have tried to design a clerkship that reflects this balance, and thus allow your training as an MS-3 to serve as a paradigm for the practice of medicine throughout your career. Passing grades for both ward and exam performances are required to achieve a final passing course grade, and failure in either ward performance or the exam will result in a failing grade in the clerkship as a whole. A failing grade on either ward rotation requires repeating the full twelve weeks of Internal Medicine and retaking the test. Failure of the exam portion with satisfactory ward performance requires repeating six weeks of the clerkship and retaking the test.
Much effort is spent by our faculty in assessing student performance.
In addition, the attendings and residents provide detailed narrative comments on each student's knowledge, professionalism, and clinical competence that are available for incorporation into the Dean's letters sent to programs to which you apply for postgraduate training. Attending staff have the opportunity at this meeting to modify their initial assessments of performance in light of the opinions of other attending physicians, and the results of the NBME exam. Subsequent to this session, you will have access to all pertinent written evaluations and to your test performance. I will be available to discuss any questions which might arise, and also to facilitate discussions between you and your attending physicians, should the need arise. A minimum threshold score on the exam is required for attaining each grade level.