Satisfactory Academic Progress, Academic Warning/Probation and Dismissal Policy

PURPOSE
To define Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) as it pertains to medical students and to outline procedures pertaining to SAP.

AUDIENCE
All medical students                             

LCME STANDARD
9.9 Student Advancement and Appeal Process

POLICY

  1. SAP is defined as the successful completion of degree requirements according to an established timeline that will allow for degree completion after matriculation.
  2. Students are required to maintain standards of SAP. Students who receive a deficiency are not maintaining SAP and may be placed on academic warning, academic probation, pulled from course work, or recommended for dismissal from the School as outlined in the Schools Bylaws and Regulations.

DEFINITION
Deficiency: the receipt of a “Y” mark or “F” grade, failure to pass a USMLE Step exam, a significant lapse in professionalism as determined by the Committee on Student Promotions (CSP), or a breach of University or School regulations related to student conduct.

PROCEDURE

  1. CSP is charged with reviewing academic progress of all students and making final determinations regarding changes to students’ academic and professional standing.
  2. Good Academic Standing
    A student is in good academic standing if they have successfully completed all courses or clerkships, received no professionalism deficiencies, upheld the School’s Code of Academic and Social Conduct and behaved in a manner consistent with the professional standards necessary for the practice of medicine.
  3. Academic Warning
    Students will be placed on Academic Warning in the following circumstances
    1. Any Y mark in a course in the pre-clerkship phase of the curriculum
    2. First incidence of a USMLE Step exam failure. Failures of each Step exam will be treated separately
    3. First incidence of Y mark received in the clinical years  
    4. First professionalism lapse brought to the attention of CSP

      Students will be placed on Academic Warning immediately upon receiving a deficiency. Students will be removed from Academic Warning upon successful remediation of the deficiency.

      All students on Academic Warning must receive permission from the Associate Dean for Students prior to participating in or continuing medical and/or professional extracurricular activities.

      All students on Academic Warning must receive permission from the CSP prior to participating in non-UC Davis based electives/rotations.

      If participation is approved by CSP, the UC Davis Course Director(s) for such courses will be notified by the respective Curriculum Managers of the status of the student and the reasons for that. At their discretion, the UC Davis Course Director(s) may inform the respective non-UC Davis course directors about the student's status and the reasonings.

      Students should discuss the implications of Academic Warning with their financial aid advisor.

  4. Academic Probation
    Academic Probation is a formal designation and will be recorded in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), may affect financial aid disbursements and eligibility, and when requested, will be reported to state licensure boards. Students should discuss the implications of Academic Probation with their financial aid advisor. Students will be placed on Academic Probation in the following circumstances:
    1. Second and all subsequent incidences of a USMLE Step exam failure. Failures of each Step exam will be treated separately.
    2. Second and all subsequent incidences of a Y mark
    3. Any "F" grade
    4. Egregious unprofessional behavior or second professionalism lapse brought to the attention of CSP
    5. Student fails to follow the directions of CSP

      Students will be placed on Academic Probation immediately upon receiving a deficiency. Students will be removed from Academic Probation upon successful remediation of the deficiency. 

      All students on Academic Probation must receive permission from the Associate Dean forStudents prior to participating in or continuing medical and/or professional extracurricular activities.

      All students on Academic Probation must receive permission from the CSP prior to participating in non-UC Davis based electives/rotations. If participation is approved by CSP, the UC Davis Course Director(s) for such courses will be notified by the respective Curriculum Managers of the status of the student and the reasons for that. At their discretion, the UC Davis Course Director(s) may inform the respective non-UC Davis course directors about the student’s status and the reasonings.

  5. Dismissal from University of California Davis School of Medicine
    1. Please refer to specific details regarding Dismissals in the School's Bylaws and Regulations
    2. Students who are dismissal eligible, based on the School's Bylaws and Regulations, will be, by default, pulled from coursework, while awaiting a decision by CSP.
    3. If a student is eligible for a dismissal recommendation solely for receipt of a deficiency while on academic warning or probation, the student’s previous academic history and personal circumstances will be considered and, at the discretion of the Chair of the CSP, the student may be allowed to continue in their coursework while awaiting a decision by CSP. 
    4. When a decision to pull a student from coursework is at the discretion of the Chair, the Chair will have 5 business days to notify the student of the decision.

RESPONSIBILITY
Committee on Student Promotions

REFERENCES
UC Davis School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations Regulation 80 - Deficiencies, Remediation, Academic Warning, Probation, Dismissal

RELATED POLICY/POLICIES
Code of Academic and Social Conduct
Professionalism Statement Policy
Grades and Grading Policy

POLICY OWNER
Committee on Student Promotions*

REVIEWED BY
Committee on Student Promotions

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
February 2023; 2-year cycle