Auditing
Only individuals previously enrolled in TCOM may audit classes, contingent upon receiving permission from the Dean of TCOM. He/she may not sit for any exams or quizzes in any courses nor may he/she attend post-exam reviews. He/she may not actively participate in laboratories but may observe with instructor approval. Laboratories include OMM 1 - 4, Clinical Medicine 1 - 4, and all anatomy laboratories associated with the Systems Courses in Years 1 and 2. He/she may not participate in any patient care activities.
Examinations
Administration
Examinations are administered at the time and date established by the Office of Academic Affairs and published in the course schedule. They begin and end as scheduled and all answers must be recorded in the manner prescribed by the Office of Academic Affairs. For the first late arrival for an examination in a semester, a student will lose 10% of the total number of raw points on the examination. After the first late arrival to an examination in a semester, a student will receive a 0 (zero) % for any subsequent examinations to which he/she arrives late in that semester. No additional time will be given to students who begin an exam late.
Secure Testing Policy
Test questions used in written examinations that contribute to a course grade will not be retained by students. Following major written examinations, students may attend a post-examination review session if offered, to receive feedback on his/her examination performance. The college reserves the right to modify this policy at any time with prior notice to the students and faculty.
Make-Up Examinations
A make-up examination is defined as an examination administered to a student in lieu of a regular course examination when the student has (1) arranged in advance to take an examination early or late or (2) missed taking a regularly scheduled examination. Make-up examinations are given only in the case of an approved absence, which may include a documented medical excuse.
The course director may authorize a make-up examination. If a make-up examination is not authorized by the course director, the student may appeal to the curriculum director. The curriculum director will meet with the associate dean for academic affairs and the course director to consider the appeal and render a decision to the student. The final decision on any appeal for a request for a make-up examination will be made by the associate dean for academic affairs.
A student who misses a scheduled examination without receiving approval by the associate dean for academic affairs, curriculum director, and the course director, either to take an early or late examination or to make up a missed examination, will receive a grade of “0” (zero) for that examination. This policy also applies to quizzes, practicals, and other graded activities.
A student who misses an examination is not permitted to participate in a post-examination review of that examination if he/she has not completed the make-up examination by the time the post-examination review takes place.
Procedure: Early/Late Examination
To request an early or late make-up examination, a student must obtain and complete an excused absence form from the course website via CANVAS requesting a make-up examination. The form must be approved by the curriculum director and make-up requirements will be given by the course director. In the case of an early examination, the completed form must be submitted to the curriclum director at least five (5) business days before the date of the examination. This form documents the reason for the absence and the date the student requested the make-up examination. The completed and signed request must be delivered, by the student, to the Office of Academic Affairs/Medical Education.
Procedure: Making Up a Missed Examination
Within five (5) business days after the missed examination, a student must obtain and complete an excused absence form requesting a make-up examination from the curriculum director. If approved, a make-up examination must be administered within seven (7) days following the date of the approval, except when the course director or curriculum director determines that additional time is needed.
Failed Examinations
Any student who fails an examination will be contacted by the Center for Academic Performance (CAP) for academic counseling. Students may also be contacted by the curriculum director, course director, associate dean, advisory college director, or the clerkship program director for academic counseling. Failure to respond to a request for a meeting for academic counseling by the deadline stated will result in a non-professional conduct report.
Examinations
It is the policy of the Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine to promote measures that will ensure the security of all testing materials. To ensure the security of testing materials , TCOM may require all medical students to sign a document whereby each student:
- Acknowledges awareness that copying of testing materials is prohibited.
- Acknowledges that he/she will not copy, reproduce or distribute testing materials in any form.
- Acknowledges that he/she will not distribute any testing materials to students at other medical schools or to any other person(s).
- The college may take any other reasonable action to ensure the security of testing materials.
Academic Probation
Academic probation serves as official notice to the student that the quality of the student’s performance must improve in order to remain eligible for continued enrollment in the college. Any student who fails to improve his or her performance as prescribed by the Student Performance Committee during the probationary period may be kept on probation, asked to withdraw, or be dismissed from TCOM. Students on academic probation are not permitted to be elected or appointed as an officer or representatiove to any professional or student organization or society. Such restriction shall become effective with the determination of probation by the Student Performance Committee and shall remain in force until probation is lifted. For more information on academic probation, visit the policy website at www.hsc.unt.edu/policies/policieslist.cfm.
Remediation
The opportunity to remedy academic deficiencies at times other than when the course is regularly scheduled may be extended to medical students. Remediation may occur based upon the recommendations of the Student Performance Committee and the final approval of the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. Remedial course work must be completed according to the following schedule:
- 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 prior to graduation.
For successful completion of a remediated course the student must earn a final course grade of “70”. Failure to earn a grade of “70”, or better, in a remediated course may result in repetition of the academic year or in dismissal from TCOM.
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.
The content, scope, and format of a remedial examination will be decided by the appropriate department or interdisciplinary unit. All examinations shall be equivalent to the course’s original examinations in level of difficulty. Any student who earns a failing grade in any course during a repeated academic year may be recommended for dismissal from TCOM.
- A student who earns a failing grade in a clinical clerkship must appear before the Student Performance Committee. The Student Performance Committee will make a recommendation to the dean that may include remediation of the clerkship, repeat of an academic year, or dismissal. Any student who earns a failing grade in a repeated rotation may be recommended for dismissal from TCOM.
- A student who is not promoted from one year to the next or who earns failing grades during any year will be placed on academic probation. No more than two years will be allowed for the completion of any one academic year and no more than six years will be allowed for completion of all requirements for graduation (exclusive of a leave of absence). A student may not advance to the next academic year until all failing and incomplete (I) grades are removed.
Remediation will be scheduled by the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs solely at her/his discretion.
Re-Enrollment
Re-admission for students withdrawing in good academic standing is not assured unless it is part of the final decision and/or agreement made by the withdrawing student and the Dean of TCOM. Students granted re-admission following withdrawal in good academic standing will be allowed to re-enter at the beginning of an academic year and must register for all courses scheduled during the academic year of their withdrawal, including those previously completed and passed, unless otherwise stipulated in the agreement.
Students who are placed on leave of absence, while not in good academic standing, may re-enroll at the beginning of the next academic year, if recommended by the Student Performance Committee and the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs. If permitted, the students will re-enroll in the academic year from which he/she withdrew.
Dismissal
Dismissal from TCOM may be recommended if:
- A student fails the same course twice or fails any course in a repeated year.
- A student exceeds the two-year limit for completing one academic course or the six-year limit for completing requirements for graduation, exclusive of a leave of absence or withdrawal in good standing.
- A student has not demonstrated continued academic progress.
- A student has not passed COMLEX Level 1, COMLEX Level 2-CE, or COMLEX Level 2-PE after three attempts of any one part.
Matters of student misconduct are addressed through the Code of Conduct and students engaging in conduct in violation of the Code may be subject to sanctions up to and including dismissal. |