Pediatrics Clerkship Policies

Absence Policy

Absences will be managed according to the WSU Boonshoft SOM Student Policy Guide, Absences,
Year-3 Clerkships.  It is available @ http://www.med.wright.edu/students/guide/grades.html#year3 and has been reproduced below for your reference. 

Absences from a scheduled clerkship activity due to personal illness or a family crisis will be handled individually by your clerkship director or his/her designee. You are responsible for notifying your preceptor and the specific clerkship office immediately of your reason for absence. If the absence exceeds two days, you must (a) submit a statement from your physician and (b) speak directly to the clerkship director (or designee) to arrange to make up the lost time.

Absences for any other reason (e.g., a conference or to attend a family function) will be considered unexcused, unless written approval is received from the clerkship director at least 30 days prior to the event causing the absence. In any case, you must make up all time lost. An unexcused absence will be reflected unfavorably on your written record and may adversely affect your clerkship grade. Until the time missed is made up, your grade will be recorded as an Incomplete.

For official holidays, follow the holiday schedule of the hospital, clinic, or practitioner's office to which you are assigned unless specifically instructed otherwise by the clerkship director.

Professional Behavior

All students are expected to behave in a professional manner as outlined in the Professional Conduct and Attitudes sections of the Clerkship Curriculum.  Students should exhibit the core values as outlined in the WSU BSOM Student Policy Guide@ http://www.med.wright.edu/students/guide/index.html#professional . 
Additionally, we expect all students to perform their activities in a medically professional manner with specific attention given to the following:

• As a health care professional, you should be familiar with HIPAA requirements.  Care should be taken when discussing patients, especially in public places (e.g., hospital lobby, cafeteria, elevator). 
• Patient related material (e.g., medical records) should be protected and is considered confidential. 
• When speaking with patients and their families, remember that most nonmedical people have little understanding of the complex terminology that we use.  Use everyday language and be prepared to draw pictures to explain problems. 
• Situations will arise when you are unsure of what to say or do not know the answer to a question.  Remember that there is nothing wrong with not knowing the answer to a question or not knowing what to do.  It is okay to try to find out the information or to refer the questioner to the resident or attending physician. 
• Above all, be honest.

Feedback

Informal Feedback: Students should request feedback on an ongoing basis throughout the Clerkship in order to determine their level of progress, and identify areas of strengths and weaknesses. 

Formal Feedback: The following process has been instituted to ensure that you receive sufficient feedback, on a timely basis, throughout the Clerkship.

• Mid-Term Evaluation: At the midpoint of both the inpatient and outpatient months, each student is provided formative feedback from their preceptors.  Feedback is documented on the Mid-Term Evaluation and signed by both the preceptor and the student.  This affords each student an opportunity and sufficient time to focus their efforts on making improvements where needed. The student turns in the completed Mid-term Evaluation to the Clerkship Director for review and action, as needed.  The evaluations are retained in the student’s file.  

Grading

Your attendings, residents, and outpatient preceptors will evaluate your clinical performance.  A common clerkship student evaluation has been implemented across all of the clerkships.  The evaluation criteria is contained in the sample evaluation form in this syllabus and the Clerkship Objectives.  The evaluators have been educated regarding our grading process, as follows:

• Evaluations are completed online through RMS.
• Two evaluations are completed on the inpatient rotation (one by attendings / one by residents)
• These evaluations are averaged for the inpatient clinical score. 
• One evaluation is completed on the outpatient rotation (outpatient preceptor)
• This evaluation constitutes your outpatient clinical score. 

We have asked them to explain their individual grading rationale to each student they evaluate, and to review their evaluations with you.

NBME Pediatric Shelf Examination:  The final examination is given the last day of the clerkship.
If special testing accommodations are needed (e.g., for a disability), you must inform the Clerkship Director during the first week of the clerkship so that arrangements may be made.

Grading Composite:  Your final clerkship grade is based on the following three components:

The minimum passing total score for the Clerkship is 60%.  In addition, you must receive 60% or better for each of the three components to pass the Clerkship.  If you receive a failing grade for any one component and passing grade for the other two components, your assigned grade will be I.  Assuming the deficiency relates to knowledge, an oral examination will be given.  If the area of deficiency relates to clinical skills, a pediatric history and physical examination will be arranged to be observed, written up and presented.  If this remediation is passed, then your final grade will be calculated by substituting a 60% for the remediated part.  If the remediation is failed, or if the inpatient or outpatient rotation is failed due to nonacademic/attitudinal deficiencies, then you will receive a final grade of F.  If you receive a failing grade for any two or all three components, your final clerkship grade would also be an F.

Final Evaluation: Approximately 4-6 weeks after completion of the Clerkship, each student receives a Final Evaluation, via RMS, which contains a summary of their grade, by component, as well as a composite of the evaluation comments.  The Final Evaluation is maintained in the office of Student Affairs and is excerpted into the Dean’s letter.  A copy of all evaluations and the detailed grading reports are available in the student’s file, which is maintained by the office of the Clerkship Director.  This information is available for review by the student upon request.

Appeal Process:  The process for appeal of a grade or narrative assessment is reprinted here from the WSU BSOM Student Policy Handbook.  When a student disagrees with a grade or narrative assessment, the student has the right to appeal in the following sequence:  (a) to the course director, (b) to the department chair.  The department chair is the final avenue of appeal.

Clerkship Seminars

Our faculty provides a series of teaching seminars, which you are required to attend.  Seminars are scheduled as follows:

NOTE:  Students who are post-call are still required to attend the lectures.

Inpatient specific sessions during your inpatient month, as noted on the schedule

You are welcome to attend other educational conferences offered at Children’s Medical Center, as long as they don’t conflict with your assigned Clerkship activities.