Grading Policy

MSUCOM PA Medicine employs the P-N (Pass-No Grade) grading system for preclinical and clinical courses. The issuance of a P or N grade is in accordance with university policy. Grading on the P-N system may be postponed through use of a Conditional grade (I-Incomplete or ET-Extension) in accordance with university definition and policy and as approved by the University Committee on Curriculum.

On the official MSU transcript, the following grades may be noted:

• P grades received in any course are permanently recorded.
• N grades received in any course are permanently recorded and will not be removed even if the course is subsequently successfully remediated or repeated.
• An I grade assigned in any course will be recorded on the student’s official MSU transcript until all requirements of the course are completed, at which time it will be permanently changed to an I/P or an I/N grade, as appropriate.
• An ET grade assigned in any course will be recorded on the student’s official MSU transcript until all requirements of the course are completed at which time it will be permanently changed to a P or N grade, as appropriate.

Each course in the preclinical and clinical curriculum is required to have a syllabus distributed on or before the semester/course start date. It is within each course syllabus that policies on grading, academic honesty and professionalism, remediation policies, and class attendance are outlined specific to grading outcomes. Students are issued a P or N grade based on points accumulated, out of total points available, in each course. The total number of points required to pass a course, and how they are achieved, is determined by the course faculty and available to the student in the course syllabus. The points accumulated in each course are used to determine a students’ percentage and percentile rank in that course.

During the clinical curriculum, the student is enrolled in a series of mandatory clinical rotations, each of which is a course that has a unique set of academic and clinical grading components outlined within its syllabus. Grade determination of P or N for each clinical rotation is based on successful completion of all academic and clinical grading components, including meeting expectations outlined on the Clinical Performance Evaluation.

While a course is in progress, students may view grades for individual examinations, quizzes, or assignments on the D2L platform. There may be a lag time between completion of the examination and posting of the scores. Each student has access to a “Student Grade Report” through the “Student Portal.”

Academic Appleals

This Medical Student Rights and Responsibilities which applies to MSU COM PA Medicine Students, addresses academic rights and responsibilities, governance, procedures for complaints, academic appeals, due process, and other topics. Article 5 Adjutication of Cases defines policy on Academic Grievances & Complaints.

The Department PA Medicine faculty approved this student handbook and policies on March 16, 2020.
Revised and approved by the Faculty of the Department of PA Medicine on 3/19/2021, 3/15/2022, 4/18/2023.