OBG 5000 GRADING AND EVALUATION

2011-2012

Component	Percent of Final Grade
Site Performance End of Rotation Evaluations Includes 10% Professionalism Component	50 %
NBME Shelf Exam	30%
Core Clerkship Requirements	20 %
	100%

Explanation of Clerkship Grading Policy

Site Performance

In many respects, site performance is synonymous with clinical performance. Each rotation site determines the manner in which the student’s time on the rotation is divided. It is expected that the site performance will proportionately reflect the types of activities in which the students are involved.  Sometimes the experience is more integrated and viewed as an entire 3 or 6 weeks experience. In other cases, each week will be assessed as a separate entity.

 

DETERMINATION OF CLINICAL PERFORMANCE
The Medical Student Clinical Performance Evaluation outlines the standards by which students will be graded on their clinical performance. Each rotation site uses this tool as the basis for clinical evaluations. During each phase of the rotation, students will receive evaluations from their preceptors and supervisors based upon this performance standard. The average score from all these subjective evaluations forms the basis for the clinical performance grade. 10% of the clinical grade is designated for professionalism.  Points may be deducted from this portion of the grade at the discretion of the preceptor and / or clerkship director based on conduct, unexcused absences, untimeliness, or failure to attend the minimum required lectures and conferences.  Students who score less than an average of 70% for their final clinical performance grade will be required to remediate some or all of the clerkship.

WHO PERFORMS YOUR CLINICAL EVALUATION

In general, attending physicians, preceptors, and residents participate in your evaluation depending on your rotation site. At hospital based rotations at MCG and Savannah, residents also participate in your education and evaluation. If you work with preceptors off-site, your preceptor(s) will be evaluating your clinical performance. 

OVERALL LETTER GRADE:

Final grades reported to the registrar per school policy are letters only. Grades are assigned for clerkship activities are numeric in order to provide a fair weighted average. The final numerical average is based on all components of the grade as outlined in the grading policy. The numerical average includes all examinations, points for core clinical activities and clinical evaluations. Preceptors are encouraged to assign numerical grades to avoid “conversion” confusion. Should a letter grade be returned, it must be converted to a numerical score in order to calculate the numerical average. The grading scale for converting clinical assessment letter grades to numerical grades is available through the clerkship office. It will only be used if a preceptor fails to assign a numerical score in a timely manner.

OUTSTANDING CLINICAL PERFORMANCE

A clinical grade above 97%   is considered significantly outstanding. Approximately one student per 6 week rotation would be expected to score this high (Upper 3 percent of peers). To be considered significantly outstanding, the clerkship office requires substantive documentary criteria in terms of narrative feedback. A comparable shelf exam score or performance on the mini-OSCE/oral exam would also serve as additional substantive documentation.

FINAL DETERMINATION OF CLINICAL GRADE

All grade information is reviewed and a final determination of grading is made by the clerkship director.

ADDITIONAL SITE PERFORMANCE EVALUATION

Each site will determine if additional criteria will be evaluated in addition to direct clinical performance. In some instances presentations, conferences and participation in other activities are used to determine a portion of your grade. Please discuss other expectations with your preceptor or site director in order to determine if they will use other criteria in determining your site performance. Some sites, such as MCG have clearly defined criteria. Other sites may base this upon the patient mix and other learning experiences available during your rotation.

Examinations:

ACCESSING MIDTERM TEST

The OBG5000 midterm exam is given by computer (Vista) at each clinical teaching site during the fourth week of the rotation. Beginning at 8:30 am on the third Friday morning until 7:30 am on the fourth Friday, the testing site will be open on WebCT. 

WHAT IS COVERED IN THE MIDTERM

The questions are based on the knowledge content as outlined in the student curriculum guide. The examination consists of 100 multiple choice questions. This test is scored on a percent scale (0-100%). 

Because the midterm covers all objectives, no student is expected to have mastered all the material at the midterm. The midterm should give students guidance as to where to direct future study as well as help to assess mastery of those areas already covered.

REQUIREMENTS FOR RECEIVING COMPLETE CREDIT FOR MIDTERM

Completion of the test within the designated timeframe with a score of 80% or greater is necessary to receive the 4% of your final grade.

The test may be retaken as necessary to meet these criteria.

The highest score will be the score used to determine point eligibility. Failure to complete the test with a satisfactory score by the deadline results in 0 out of a possible 4% accrued toward the final grade.

If you have problems accessing the test, please contact the clerkship office at the earliest possible date. Waiting too long may limit your ability to achieve a score greater than 80%.    

 

SHELF EXAM

The National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Obstetrics and Gynecology Subject Examination is given on the final day of the clerkship.  The NBME Subject Test Score achieved on this exam is converted to a percent scale (0-100%). 

The Shelf Exam comprises 30% of the final grade.

MINIMUM SCORES

Minimum Passing Score: 59 (5th percentile)

Minimum Grade for an A: 77 (70th percentile)

REMEDIATION 

Students who score less than a 59 (5th Percentile) of the Obstetric and Gynecology NBME exam will need to remediate the exam. Remediation is arranged through the Curriculum Office.

GRADE ON FINAL TRANSCRIPT WHEN SHELF IS INITIALLY FAILED

If the student fails the initial attempt at the Shelf exam but remediates it and passes on the second attempt, the final grade will be reported in the format D/ B

The student receives the D for the initial component of the entire clerkship grade regardless of how high the clinical or core clerkship grades actually were.

The second exam score will then be used to recalculate the second letter component of the grade. In this example, assume the student scores high enough that if it had been scored on the original shelf exam, the student would have made a B in the clerkship. The second component of the transcript grade will be reported on the transcript as D/ B.

 This is a school-wide policy.

 

Grade Appeals Link                              Daily Evaluation Form