Timeliness of Summative Assessment and Grades

PURPOSE
To outline policies related to the time by which students are required to receive the results of summative assessments and final grades with narrative comments.

AUDIENCE
All faculty and medical students

LCME STANDARD
9.8: Fair and Timely Summative Assessment

POLICY

DEFINITIONS

  • Grade(s): An indicator of course completion; a final result. For the pre-clerkship and clerkship phase curriculum, grades are either F (fail) or P (pass). For the post-clerkship phase curriculum, courses outcomes are reported in F, P, or H (Honor). (Additional information on grades can be located in the School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations, Regulation 70, B.)
  • Mark(s): A provisional grade. Marks are either an I (incomplete but of passing quality) , Y (work of non-passing quality), or IP (in progress). These can be issued for any course in the medical school curriculum.
  • Evaluator: Preceptors whose input are used by the Course/Clerkship Director in the assignment of a Grade or Mark.
  1. All required courses will post assessment results (e.g., quiz, exam, OSCE, and NBME) and narrative comments in the learning management system as soon as they are available.
  2. All required courses' Course Director(s) must submit final grades/marks within 6 weeks of the last day of the course, including narrative comments. (See definitions above and the Incomplete Grade Policy).

PROCEDURE

  1. Evaluators must submit student performance evaluations/summative assessment by the posted due date for each course.
  2. Evaluators needing assistance with rating student performance or have concerns about a student’s performance should contact the course/clerkship director.
  3. Course/clerkship directors must submit summative assessments and final grades/marks with narrative comments into the appropriate system (learning management system, academic dashboard) within 6 weeks after the last day of the course/clerkship. If assistance in this process is needed, please contact the Course Coordinator.
  4. To encourage the timeliness of final grade submissions, course/clerkship directors will be notified by the Course Coordinator of all evaluators who have not submitted their student evaluations 4 weeks after the end of a required course.
  5. Failure to submit grades/marks by the deadline twice in an academic year will result in a notification to the Committee on Educational Policy and the Vice Dean for Medical Education.

RESPONSIBILITY
Curriculum Manager

REFERENCES
UC Davis, Office of the Registrar

RELATED POLICY/POLICIES
Clerkship Experiences and Feedback Policy
Formative Feedback Policy
Incomplete Grade Policy
Narrative Assessment Policy

POLICY OWNER
Office of Medical Education

REVIEWED BY
Office of Medical Education*
Committee on Educational Policy
Curriculum Managers
Curriculum Steering Advisory Committee
School of Medicine Registrar

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
May 2024; 3-year cycle

* Indicates the Policy Owner