Subject Examinations
Subject Examinations from the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME) will be administered in core clinical clerkships for which these examinations are available. Assigned students must sit for the appropriate subject examination administered at the completion of each of their rotations. Any student who is unable to sit for the subject examination at the scheduled time is referred to the course director for an excused absence and reassignment of test date.
Core Clerkship Subject Examinations will be graded and a scaled score will be calculated based on national performance data. Failure of a subject exam results in a grade of incomplete in the rotation, and failure of the second subject exam in the same rotation results in the failure of the rotation. If a student fails a second subject exam in any rotation, he or she must appear, in person, before the Student Performance Committee (SPC) for recommendation of remediation.
National Board Examinations
All medical students are required to take Level I of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination (COMLEX), the examination administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners (NBOME), upon completion of the second year of the medical curriculum.
All students are required to pass COMLEX I (per the minimums established by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners) for promotion to the third year. Students who do not pass Level I must appear before the Student Performance Committee (SPC). The SPC may recommend re-examination. If allowed to re-test, students will then continue in the third year classification on a provisional basis pending results of the second examination. Medical students must pass COMLEX Level I to continue in clinical clerkship rotations. A student who does not achieve a satisfactory result on the second examination will be removed from clinical clerkships. Failure of a third attempt will subject the student to dismissal from TCOM.
All students are required to take and pass COMLEX II-CE and COMLEX II-PE in order to graduate. Students who do not pass COMLEX II-CE or COMLEX II-PE must appear before the SPC. Students may have a second opportunity to take each test prior to the scheduled date of graduation based upon times made available by the participating testing centers. Students who are unsuccessful in passing both parts shall have their graduation deferred until both are successfully completed. Failure of a third attempt on either section will subject the student to formal dismissal without receipt of the Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine degree.
Promotion
Normal progression through the curriculum requires that a student complete each of the required courses and have no failing grades (below 70 or no credit) that have not been corrected. A deficiency in a Semester 1 or Semester 2 course must be remediated prior to Semester 3. A deficiency in a Semester 3 or Semester 4 course must be remediated before clinical clerkships begin. A deficiency in a clinical clerkship must be remediated before graduation. Achievement of this standard in each academic year is required for promotion to the next academic year. In addition, the graduating student must have passed Level I, Level II CE, and Level II PE of the Comprehensive Osteopathic Medical Licensing Examination administered by the National Board of Osteopathic Medical Examiners.
Students who do not meet the standards specified for promotion, for beginning clinical rotation or for graduation may be given an opportunity to correct their deficiencies either at specified times during the academic year or by adding an additional period of time to their medical education.
The Student Performance Committee may recommend to the associate dean of academic affairs that students be offered an opportunity to correct their deficiencies within a requisite time period or be dismissed. Students will be notified of a final decision in writing by the associate dean of academic affairs. It is recognized by the Student Performance Committee that each student’s situation should be evaluated as an individual case. If a student disagrees with the recommendation of the Student Performance Committee and the associate dean of academic affairs, he or she may appeal in writing within five days of notice to the dean of TCOM. The dean’s decision is final. |