MED 5720 Clinical Skills I
Phase 1 Class of 2028
Fall 2024

Assessment Plan
 
The assessment plan sets out the principles and key elements used to assess the learner’s performance in an accurate, consistent, and objective manner for MED 5720 Clinical Skills I.

MED 5720 Clinical Skills I introduces students to the main elements of the medical interview and techniques of interviewing. Learners will develop skills in examining healthy individuals within all age ranges. Communication and collaboration skills will be developed in the context of patient-centered care and working with other health care providers.

Attendance is required for all Clinical Skills I sessions. Refer to the “Clinical Skills I, MED 5720– Attendance and Leave Guidelines” document on Brightspace (D2L).
 
COURSE SUCCESS CRITERIA
 
To pass the course, a learner must:

• Receive a mark of competent or exemplary performance on the Phase 1 SAR, or receive a mark of competent or exemplary performance after re-assessment,
• Complete all assessments by their due date, and
• Attend all sessions as per the course requirements.

Exam and assignment deferrals will only be approved by the Phase Lead under exceptional circumstances, see Exam Deferral Policy.

Promotion regulations:

• Even if a learner has passed all examinations and assignments, a learner may be required to repeat the Phase or withdraw conditionally or unconditionally from the program (see section 5.3 in the University calendar) if there are significant concerns about a learner’s performance (as communicated to the learner by the Phase Lead). Examples may include, but are not limited to, late assignments without proper deferral process, lapses in professionalism, recurrent reassessment exams.
• As outlined in Section 10.5.2 of the Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Medicine in the University calendar, learners with a Fail grade in any course cannot be promoted to the next Phase.
• As outlined in the MD program objectives, the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University values professionalism as a core competency and a requirement of the MD program. Recognizing that medical learners are developing their professional identity, professionalism lapses will be remediated where possible and appropriate. Unsuccessful remediation will result in failure of the Phase.  Professionalism lapses may render a learner incompatible with continuation in the MD program (as outlined in the Memorial University Calendar Regulation 10.5 Promotion).

COURSE ASSESSMENT
 
Learners will be assessed with both formative and summative assessments throughout the course. Learners will receive their grades from the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) office via One45.

Original work, completed wholly by the learner, is expected to be submitted in this course. The use of an artificial intelligence tool like chatGPT is not permitted.
 
Formative Assessments do not count towards the final grade and are intended to help learners monitor their learning.  Formative assessment will consist of self-assessment, witnessed interviews and physical examination as well as written homework. Learners receive ongoing oral and written comments from instructors, SPs and peer members of the small group.
 
Formative assessment includes a written assessment that will be completed by instructors, based on learner performance during an interview with a standardized patient. The instructor will discuss the assessment with the learner, highlight strengths and weaknesses, and suggest strategies for improvement. The "Kalamazoo Checklist"¹ is the assessment tool used for this purpose in Clinical Skills I. There is also a formal formative assessment that learners will receive through One45 midway through Phase 1. This will assess the learner’s participation, homework, interest and professional behavior. The formal assessment will take place between October 16‑23, 2024.
 
Written formative assessments may utilize the same four-point internal grading scale that is used for summative assessments. Formative assessments are designed to help the learner prepare for summative assessments and must be completed to pass the course.
 
Summative Assessment consists of the Phase 1 Summative Assessment Report (SAR). On December 4, 2024, each learner meets with the instructors for a summative assessment based on all of the sessional work from Phase 1. At this meeting, strengths are highlighted and strategies for improvement are suggested. The Phase 1 SAR is recorded on One45.  
 
Clinical Skills is a Pass/Fail course on a learner’s transcript.  However, overall results for each component of the SAR are expressed on a four-point internal scale of exemplary, competent, developing, or unacceptable, as follows:

Clinical Skills I Assessment

Routinely exceeds expectations     Exemplary Performance

Routinely meets expectations     Competent Performance

Sometimes meets expectations     Developing Performance

Often does not meet expectations     Unacceptable Performance

REASSESSMENT

Reassessment will be required if a learner receives a mark of developing or unacceptable performance on the Phase 1 SAR. A learner may be reassessed only once. Following the reassessment, the learner will be given a final grade of pass or fail.

¹Makoul, G. Acad Med. 2001 Apr;76(4):390-3.
 

Version: June 13, 2024
Reviewed by SAS: May 22, 2024
Approved by UGMS: June 19, 2024