Required Courses Exam Policy

PURPOSE
To outline steps that ensure a fair test-taking environment and one that is free from disruption and distraction. 

AUDIENCE
All medical students, Course Directors, and exam administrators

LCME STANDARD
9.0 Teaching, Supervision, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety

POLICY

  1. Students are responsible for knowing quiz and exam, including Objective Structured Clinical Exams (OSCE), scheduled in each required course.
  2. All students are expected to be in place (e.g., seated or at their station) and be ready to start their exam at least 5 minutes before the published start time.
  3. Students receiving educational accommodations will have their examination time and location assigned before the exam date.
  4. Time will not be extended for anyone arriving late for an exam/quiz.
  5. Any student arriving 1-14 minutes after the exam's published start time must speak with the Curriculum Manager immediately after the exam. Recurrent tardiness is subject to a referral to the Director of Medical Student Professionalism.
  6. Student arriving 15 or more minutes after the exam's published start time, or not at all, will not be permitted to take it and will receive a zero score for it.
  7. Students who do not attend an exam or arrive more than 15 minutes late will be referred to the Director of Medical Student Professionalism.

PROCEDURE

  1. Exam (e.g., midterm, final, and OSCE) dates are published in the academic calendar at the start of each academic year. Students must know when their exams are scheduled for all required courses. 
  2. Any additional quizzes and exams will be published by the Curriculum Manager at the start of each course via the course calendar in the learning management system. 
    1. For all scheduled in-person exam dates, students are expected to be present and available to complete the exam between 8 a.m.-5 p.m. 
    2. Students with accommodations may require extended time during the day to complete their exams.
    3. Students will be notified of specific instructions related to exam logistics at least one week before the exam from the Assessment staff. 
    4. Students with accommodations will be notified of their exam location and time at least one week before the exam from the Assessment staff.  
  3. Rescheduling
    1. No non-emergent rescheduling of an examination will be permitted, including requests for specific OSCE dates.
    2. Emergent rescheduling will be considered if a student experiences an illness or an emergency impeding their ability to take the exam on the scheduled day of the exam. The Curriculum Manager and Assessment staff should be notified when the emergent issue becomes apparent. A healthcare practitioner’s note, or similar documentation, dated on the exam date, will be required. The Curriculum Manager and Assessment staff will assist in rescheduling the exam. If not approved, the student will receive a zero score on the exam which may result in a ‘Y’ mark for the course. (See the School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations, Regulation 70 (B) and (E))
    3. Postponements will not be solely granted based on a need for additional study time.
  4. Remediation Exams
    1. Unless otherwise specified by Committee on Student Promotions, students will be expected to take the remediation exam on the appropriate date published in the academic calendar. Students are expected to know this date and be available to take the exam on that date should they need to remediate. (See Regulation 70, (E)).
    2. Procedure C – Rescheduling (above), applies to remediation exams.

RESPONSIBILITY
Curriculum Managers and Assessment staff

REFERENCES
School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations, Regulation 70, Grades and Grading

RELATED POLICY/POLICIES

Code of Academic and Social Conduct Policy
Professionalism Policy

POLICY OWNER
Office of Medical Education

REVIEWED BY
Associate Dean for Curriculum and Medical Education
Associate Dean for Students
Committee on Educational Policy
Curriculum Managers
Curriculum Steering Advisory Committee
Office of Medical Education*
Pre-Clerkship Course Director Workgroup

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
March 2024, 3-year cycle

* indicates the policy owner