Course and Instructor Evaluations
The HSC, the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine (TCOM) faculty, and administrators rely on student input to maintain and enhance the quality of the curricula. Students are responsible for providing constructive evaluations of each course in which they are enrolled, as well as of the course instructor(s).
Summaries of end-of-course evaluations and student comments are published and available to faculty and administrators after the completion of the course. Student comments and course/faculty evaluations are regularly viewed by faculty and administrators to inform curricular decisions. At the end of each year 1 and 2 course, students are asked to complete a course evaluation. When a course has multiple instructors, students are encouraged to evaluate each instructor. Evaluations for all clinical rotations and practical experiences must be completed within 30 calendar days following the end of the experience. Students should consult the course syllabus for specific requirements related to that course.
Course Learning Objectives
Students are expected to accomplish the learning objectives for each course in the curriculum. Learning objectives are provided in the syllabus for each course along with instructional opportunities to acquire those objectives. All assessments, including exams and quizzes, will be based on those learning objectives.
Failed Course and Remediation
All course failures will be evaluated and reviewed by the Student Performance Committee (SPC). All courses and their resultant failures, regardless of content, credit hour, perceived difficulty, or assessment strategy shall be equally considered in recommendations made by the SPC. The SPC will review each course failure as well as the overall academic and professional performance of the student assigned a failing grade. The SPC will make a recommendation to the Senior Associate Dean for Academic Affairs regarding remediation, repeating of an academic year, or dismissal. The opportunity to remedy academic deficiencies at other than regularly scheduled course times may be extended to medical students. Remediation may occur based upon the recommendations of the SPC.
- A deficiency in any preclinical course occurring in semesters 1 through 4 must be remediated before beginning the next semester.
- A deficiency in a clinical clerkship must be remediated before progressing to the next academic year.
- Failure to earn a passing grade in a remediated course is grounds for repeating the academic year or dismissal from TCOM. The date and time of any remedial examination will be determined by Testing and Evaluation Services in consultation with the Curriculum Director and Course Director.
- If a student fails any two courses within the same semester, the student is required to repeat the year.
- The SPC may allow a student to remediate a second failed course in a semester if the failure of one course is the result of failing only the OMM portion of a Pass 2 systems course or a failed section of Medical Practice or Professional Identity and Health Systems Practice. However, this decision will be made by the SPC based on the individual circumstances and the entire academic record.
- When a course is repeated or remediated, all attempted credit hours and earned grade points are counted in computing the cumulative weighted average. A notation on the transcript is placed next to these courses to indicate that these courses have been repeated or remediated.
Incomplete Grades
A grade of “I” (incomplete) will be assigned only when a student has not completed all academic requirements and assignments, including regular examinations, due to documented illness or circumstances beyond a student’s control. A student may not advance to the next semester (during pre-clinical years) or the next academic year (during clinical years) until all failures and incomplete (“I) grades are remedied.
Course Grade Appeals
Each course syllabus should outline the grading criteria and requirements for passing a course. All course syllabi must be approved by the curriculum committee. Students may appeal any graded exercise in a course or a course grade to the Course Director if they think that the grade has been assigned unfairly, in error, or in a manner inconsistent with the course syllabus. If the issue is not resolved by the course director, then the student can appeal to the Senior Associate Dean of Academic Affairs for review. The student must request an appeal in writing within five business days of the grade being posted to be considered.
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