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Remediation Policy

Didactic Assessment Remediation

The remediation process is designed to help struggling students achieve expected competencies and core academic and technical skills as outlined in each syllabus. Each syllabus within the PA Medicine curriculum outlines the assessments (both formative and summative) for that course, and clearly specifies the passing parameters for each assessment.

Students that do not earn a “P” (Pass) grade on an examination, summative assessment, or OSCE will be required to remediate and meet with the Course Coordinator. The Course Coordinator will determine an appropriate remediation plan to include identification of the deficient knowledge and skills, process for correcting the deficiency, and the resulting measurable outcome. Remediation processes may include, but are not limited to, review of curriculum materials, additional readings or video assignments, self-reflection, and simulation. The processes for measuring the outcome of the remediation may include, but is not limited to, retesting of content with a different version of the exam, skill proficiency demonstration, , and simulation assessment.  The remediation plan and outcome will be documented on the Didactic Assessment Remediation Form by the Course Coordinator and placed in the student’s file. 

Students must pass the remediation with the same minimum passing standard specified in the syllabus for the original assessment. The final score adjustment shall not exceed 70% (or the otherwise specified minimum passing score) for the purposes of calculating final course grades. Remediations must be completed within the timeframe specified by the Course Coordinator, otherwise, the ability to remediate will be revoked. If the failed examination, summative assessment, or OSCE cannot be remediated by the end of the semester, this may result in the student getting an incomplete “I” grade for the course until they are able to fulfill the terms of the remediation.  If the remediation attempt is not successful, the student will be referred to the Promotion Committee for further disposition which may include remediation through a different modality, or possibly, remediation of the course. Incomplete, or “I”, course grades must be resolved no later than the end of the following semester in order to progress in the program.

Students are not permitted to remediate quizzes. They may be permitted to remediate other written assignments at the discretion of the course director.

Skill assessment (physical exam, oral presentation, procedures, technical skills, etc.) remediation will be complete when the student is able to demonstrate proficiency at or above the minimal passing standard as specified in the course syllabus. The final score adjustment shall not exceed 70% (or the otherwise specified minimum passing score) for the purposes of calculating final course grades. Student proficiency must be demonstrated by the end of the semester in order to calculate final course grades.

Clinical Assessment and Assignment Remediation

Each SCPE syllabus within the PA Medicine curriculum outlines the assessments and assignments (both formative and summative) for that course, and clearly specifies the passing parameters for each assessment and assignment. Any non-examination assessments and assignments, with the exception of the Preceptor Evaluation of the Student, will be required to be remediated per the terms and conditions of the course syllabus/Course Coordinator in order to successfully pass the rotation. Examples of non-examination assessments and assignments during the clinical phase include patient encounter logs, student evaluation of preceptor, student evaluation of site, and student self-assessment of learning outcomes. If the non-examination assessments and assignments are not successfully remediated within two weeks of the last day of the rotation, the student will be required to remediate the entire rotation.

The PAEA End of Rotation™ examination is used for all core clinical rotations and is administered on the 3rd Monday of the rotation. If this deadline is not met and the student fails to sit for the scheduled exam without notification and approval from the Course Coordinator, this is grounds for failure of the exam. Students will need to contact the Course Coordinator, 1) at least one week in advance if there is a legitimate reason for excused absence (please refer to Attendance and Absence Policy) regarding taking the exam on the third Monday of the rotation, or 2) within 24 hours of an emergency that will keep the student from taking the exam the third Monday of the rotation. Course faculty will consider each case individually and determine if a delay in the exam will be permitted. 

Students are expected to score greater than or equal to -1.5 standard deviations of the national mean of the specific version of the exam to achieve a “P” (Pass) grade. If the students’ scores less than this, they will have a second attempt using a different version of the examination. The second attempt must occur on the fourth Monday of the rotation unless otherwise approved by the Instructor or Record. If they pass, they will receive a “P” grade for purposes of course grades. If they do not pass, they will receive a “N” grade and will have effectively failed the rotation resulting in an overall “N” grade for the rotation and will be required to repeat the rotation. Refer to the Course Remediation section below for further details.

Preceptor Evaluation of the Student must be passed by achieving a 3/5 average score on the preceptor evaluation of course learning outcomes, which is the equivalent average of “achievement”.  Any Learning Outcomes rated at “2” or below, regardless of the average score, will require the student to meet with the Course Coordinator to determine a plan for remediation. The Course Coordinator will work with the student to remediate the learning outcome. The remediation plan and outcome will be documented on the Remediation Form in Exxat by the Course Coordinator.

Didactic and Clinical Course Remediation

Each course clearly specifies the requirements for achieving a passing grade.  Students are responsible for familiarizing themselves with the passing requirements specified in each syllabus. If a student successfully meets the passing parameters, they will achieve a “P” grade for that course and can successfully progress to the next semester.

Any student receiving an "N" (No Pass) grade in a course is required to remediate the course to progress in the program. Remediation for a course will require that the student meet with the Promotion Committee and enroll in a remediation course in either the same or following semester in which they must successfully pass all components in order to receive a "P" grade for the remediation course. The structure and content of the remediation course will be determined at the discretion of the Course Coordinator and Promotion Committee and will be an individualized approach to remediate the relevant content and/or skills from the failed course. The remediation course will include one or more assessments to measure the correction of the identified deficiencies. Didactic course remediation must be completed no later than the end of the semester following receiving the “N” grade and will be supervised by the Course Coordinator and the student’s advisor. The course remediation process and outcomes will be documented on the Course Remediation Form.

For clinical practicum courses requiring remediation, the student may utilize an elective rotation as remediation if available. If an elective is not available, the student may need to repeat the rotation after all other core and elective rotations are complete, which will delay graduation. The student needing to remediate a clinical practicum course is still held to maximum time to completion of the program of 33 months per Retention, Promotion and Graduation Policy. Clinical practicum course remediation will be supervised by either the Clinical Coordinator or Co-Clinical Coordinator who will maintain proper documentation in the student’s file. 

If the student successfully completes the terms of the remediation course, they will receive a "P" grade for the remediation course. The "N" grade in the original course will remain on their official university transcript. If a student passes a remediation course, they will be deemed by the Promotion Committee to be in “good academic standing with monitoring” per section 7 of the Retention, Promotion and Graduation Policy and will be allowed to continue to progress in the program. If a student fails to successfully pass all components of the remediation course, an "N" grade will be awarded for the remediation course. For courses in which a student receives a remediation grade of "N", the student will be required to appear before the Promotion Committee. The MSU PA Medicine Promotion Committee will take final action in the case that a student fails a remediation course, which may include dismissal from the program.

Students who receive an initial “N” grade in more than three courses across the didactic or clinical phases will not be allowed any further course remediations, therefore, will be dismissed from the program.

Professionalism Remediation

Students are expected to adhere to professionalism guidelines set by the Professionalism Policy, Common Ground Framework for Professional Conduct, and the Medical Student Rights and Responsibilities, in addition to any other professionalism parameters set within individual courses. Additionally, professionalism is one of the core competencies of the PA program and meeting professional conduct expectations is a requirement for degree conferral.

Students will self-assess for professionalism once per semester with the program’s Professionalism Rubric, which will be reviewed by their faculty academic advisor. The Promotion Committee will review any interim professionalism concerns during monthly faculty meetings. Additionally, observations of professional conduct (both accolades and concerns) may be reported to the Spartan Community Clearinghouse (SCC) by MSUCOM faculty and students, preceptors, student groups, or community members.

If a deficiency (score of 0, or “unacceptable”) is noted during any of the above formal or informal reporting mechanisms for professional behaviors, the student will be required to submit a self-reflection on the unacceptable behavior(s) to their faculty advisor and meet with their faculty advisor to discuss feedback and plans for improvement (a Remediation Plan will be filled out at this time). At a specified future point in time, the student will be re-evaluated on the unacceptable behavior(s) and ability to follow the remediation plan by their faculty advisor, and failure to improve will require that the student appear before the Promotion Committee, which ultimately may result in dismissal from the program.

Egregious or recurrent incidents of academic or professional misconduct may result in suspension and/or dismissal from the program, as outlined in the Retention, Promotion, and Graduation Policy and Dismissal Policy, and therefore would not qualify for remediation.

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.