Rationale

  1. Since learning occurs in a progressive and cumulative manner, identifying the strengths and weaknesses of students in previous courses is helpful in allowing educators to build on learner strengths and areas of weakness to maximize success.
  2. Early identification of areas of weakness will allow rotation directors to choose specific learning environments best suited to learner needs.
  3. Early identification of learner needs will facilitate incorporation of targeted activities and interventions to maximize learning of students.
  4. Recognition of repeated patterns that impede learners’ ability to meet the learning milestones and competences will improve the effectiveness of remediation efforts to assist students.
  5. Information is shared with all IORs and ADSA to assure coordination of learning support and optimal environment for addressing student challenges.
  6. Faculty and Staff will ensure that information is safe guarded to protect student information; IORs and ADSA will share this information with only those who they feel have the ability to help students and who would benefit from knowing this information after taking into consideration the potential for evaluator bias. 
  7. The intent of the process is to support students in acquiring the skills, behavior and knowledge to be successful in medical school. IOR’s and staff will periodically review the process to be sure it is effective, and supports the goal of providing a safe learning environment.

Process

Who can share information

  1. Doctoring 2 IORs
  2. 3rd Year IORs; clerkship administrators/staff
  3. Associate Dean for Student Affairs (ADSA) and Senior Associate Dean for Medical Education (SADME)

When can information be shared

  1. Information may only be fed forward if the concerns have already been shared with the student directly and
  2. Either those concerns were not addressed by the student following the discussion, or if knowledge of the concerns may be used to enhance the learning environment or optimize student progress within subsequent clerkships

How the information is to be shared

  1. Doctoring 2 IORs
    1. Doctoring 2 IORs (annually before the start of 3rd year) will document the students to be forward fed. They will present the concerns at the IOR meeting.
  2. 3rd year IORs
  3. ADSA/SADME
    1. ADSA/SADME may ask that specific students be discussed at an IOR Council Meeting.
    2. Students will be notified by the ADSA/SADME about the existence of the document and it's being shared with IORs.  Students will have the ability to review the information on the document with the ADSA.
    3. ADSA/SADME, at their discretion, may share student information outside of the IOR meeting with clerkship IORs, Career Advisors and any others, if they feel that this would help the student in their progress.
    4. ADSA/SADME may determine whether the student could benefit from any academic resources or if additional follow up is recommended. 
  • Documentation will be maintained on a secure drive.
  • The Committee on Student Promotions (CSP) may request forward feed information from the Curriculum Manager on students up for review.
  • Documentation will not be passed on to Residency Programs or Accrediting/Licensing bodies.
  • If students are forward fed on a second clerkship, the student will be discussed at the IOR meeting to assure that their issue is addressed in subsequent clerkships
  • The Third Year IORs may discuss student issues and submitted Forward Feed Forms during their monthly meeting. Measures will be taken to respect student privacy including having visitors leave the meeting prior to discussion, securing all documents with student identifiers at the end of the meeting and keeping separate secure records related to individual student progress.  Follow-up information on students discussed will be provided at subsequent IOR meetings to ‘close the loop’ and prevent future bias.
  • The Third Year IORs, as a group, may decide to forward student concerns to the CSP (this is in addition to the existing system whereby any IOR can send information to the CSP related to student concerns); in such instances the Chair of the Third Year IOR Committee will send all FF documents (if any) and/or summarize concerns that were discussed at the IOR meeting and forward them to the CSP Chair.  Either the IOR chair or the last IOR who forward fed the student will inform the student of the CSP referral in advance of the CSP notification.