10.5 Promotion

1. The Student Promotions Committee is a standing committee of Faculty Council. The Student Promotions Committee reviews assessment results of all students in each Phase. On the basis of these reviews, this Committee decides which students will be promoted to the next Phase and which students are eligible to graduate. In reaching its decisions, the Student Promotions Committee takes into account professional and academic factors, and any special circumstances, duly authenticated, which warrant consideration.

2. Within each Phase, students may be required to be reassessed or to remediate with re-assessment in order to demonstrate competence and understanding of the required learning objectives. The amount and quality of remediation and reassessment required of a student is at the discretion of the appropriate Phase Management Team. Students with a Fail grade in any course cannot be promoted to the next Phase.

3. Even in the absence of any Fail grades, a student for whom substantial concerns about performance have been expressed may either be required to repeat the Phase or required to withdraw conditionally or unconditionally.

4. A student who is deemed by the Student Promotions Committee to be unsuitable for promotion or graduation is either required to repeat the Phase or withdraw either conditionally or unconditionally.

   1. If a student is required to repeat a Phase with academic prejudice, the student's performance in the repeated Phase must be at a level at which no remediation or reassessment is required. If this standard is not met, the Student Promotions Committee requires the student to withdraw unconditionally. The option to repeat a Phase with academic prejudice can only be offered to a student once during the student's M.D. program.

   2. A student may repeat a Phase without academic prejudice if it has been demonstrated that the student’s performance has been adversely affected by other factors acceptable to the Student Promotions Committee and duly authenticated.

   3. If the Student Promotions Committee requires a student to withdraw conditionally, the Chair of the Student Promotions Committee informs the Dean and the appropriate Phase lead about the nature of the conditions to be met and the time period specified for meeting the conditions. The Dean then recommends to the Registrar that the student be required to withdraw from the program. Any student who has been required to withdraw conditionally may be readmitted once the conditions have been met. If the conditions are not met within the specified time limit, the student is required to withdraw unconditionally.

   4. If the Student Promotions Committee requires a student to withdraw unconditionally, the Chair of the Student Promotions Committee will report the decision and the basis upon which it was reached to the Dean and the appropriate Phase lead. The Dean then recommends to the Registrar that the student be required to withdraw from the program. Any student who is required to withdraw unconditionally and who wishes to re-enter the Faculty must apply by the appropriate deadline date to the Admissions Committee in competition with all other applicants.

5. A student has the right to make a formal appeal against a decision of the Student Promotions Committee. However, this appeal cannot be made on the basis of the grades awarded in individual courses, as the student will normally have had the opportunity of contesting grades and assessment results immediately after notification. A formal appeal by a student against the decision of this Committee must be made on grounds other than the grades awarded, e.g. default of procedure. This appeal should be made in writing, clearly stating the basis for the appeal and should be directed in the first instance to the Dean. The Dean in consultation with the Office of the Registrar determines whether or not the grounds stated are sufficient to warrant a formal hearing of the appeal.

   Details regarding the appeal process are available on the Faculty of Medicine website under Student Promotions Appeal Procedure.

6. In addition to the above clauses, the Faculty of Medicine reserves the right to require a student to withdraw from the program at any time when acceptable cause is demonstrated. In such cases, the Dean, on behalf of the Faculty, recommends such withdrawal to the Registrar who will then take appropriate action. Any such action is subject to the right of appeal by the student. An appeal should be made in writing clearly stating the basis for the appeal and should be directed in the first instance to the Registrar of the University. The Registrar, in consultation with the Dean, will determine whether or not the grounds stated are sufficient to warrant a formal hearing of the appeal.

7. Any student who enters the first Phase of the medical program but withdraws within the first seven weeks may be permitted re-entry only by re-application to the Admissions Committee in competition with all other applicants by the appropriate deadline date. Withdrawal at all other times is in accordance with University Regulations (Undergraduate).

8. 1. Upon completion of a Phase or after the successful completion of MED 8710 and MED 8750 in Phase 4, a student in good academic standing may elect to withdraw temporarily from studies (e.g. to pursue graduate studies).

   2. Any student may be permitted to withdraw in accordance with University Regulations (Undergraduate), Withdrawing From The University. In all cases, the intent to withdraw voluntarily should be discussed the appropriate Phase Lead. The student must make a written request for voluntary withdrawal to the Dean who will then consult the appropriate Phase Lead. In the event that a student wishes to return to medical school, the Dean should ensure that sufficient revision and preparatory work are undertaken before the student is permitted to resume medical studies.

   3. Students permitted to withdraw are advised of the date upon which they are required to resume medical studies. In the absence of good cause, any such student who does not resume studies on the specified date will be deemed to have left the program.