Academic Standing

Achieving and Maintaining Good Academic Standing

 A student must achieve and maintain the required course grade and Cumulative semester Grade Point Averages (GPA) to remain in good academic standing and graduate from the PA Program. Performance in courses is commonly assessed by written and/or practical examinations, oral presentations and/or research papers. In designated courses throughout the program, grades will be recorded as a raw score and a percentage. At the end of each course the percentage scores will be converted, to a grade, A through F, for each of the core PA courses. The grading scale itself can be found under Student Evaluation in this handbook.

Students must maintain a cumulative grade point average (GPA) of 3.0 in order to be in Good Academic Standing and for degree conferral. The minimum semester GPA for the first semester only is 2.7. Students not meeting the first semester GPA of 2.7 will be dismissed from the program. Students who earn a cumulative GPA between 2.7 and 3.0 will be referred to the Committee on Course and Standing (CCS) and are eligible for academic probation. Should the cumulative GPA fall below 3.0 at the end of any semester, the student will be referred to the CCS. A student may remain on academic probation for a maximum of two semesters. Once on probation, a student must reach a minimum of 2.9 during the first semester of probation. If the cumulative GPA remains below 2.9 at the end of the first semester of probation, the student is eligible for dismissal. Should a student not attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the first academic year (semester 3) dismissal from the program will result. A student may not fall below a cumulative GPA of 3.0 after the completion of the first didactic semester.

Academic and Professional Probation

 Probation is a designation that alerts the student that professional or academic circumstances are such that dismissal is possible. There are two types of probation: Academic and Professional. Academic Probation is the result of failing to maintain good academic standing. Professional probation is a status designated by the Course and Standing Committee when a student violates one of the tenets of professional conduct or those set forth by CCNY. Failing to meet the conditions of probation may result in dismissal from the program.

The conditions of Professional Probation will be determined by the CCS. A student on any type of probation may not serve as class representative, Student Academy officer, or as a member of the Medical Challenge Bowl team.

Reassessment of Failing Grades

There are two types of courses in the didactic year, stand-alone courses and component courses. Component courses are: Clinical Medicine I, II, and III and Integrated Medicine courses. Stand-alone courses are:

Stand-Alone Course Failure, Remediation, & Reassessment

Stand-alone Course Failure is defined as:

·         Earning a final grade below 70% in any stand-alone course.

·         Only two stand-alone courses may be reassessed during the entire didactic phase of the PA program.

·         Failure of a reassessment exam will make the student eligible for dismissal.

·         Each course may only be reassessed once.

·         Once a student has used both reassessment opportunities, any further failure of a standalone course will make the student eligible for dismissal.

 A final course grade below 70% will result in failure of that course. Students are eligible for remediation & reassessment if they achieve a final grade below 70% and the student has not already remediated two stand- alone courses. Students who earn a passing grade on a reassessment will receive a grade of “C” for the course regardless of the grade earned on the exam. Students who do not pass the reassessment will be referred to the Committee on Course and Standing for determination of continued academic status. Repeating a course is not possible, as the courses are offered only once a year, and are sequenced in such a way that basic material must be mastered before moving on to more advanced coursework. Therefore, failure of a course in the didactic year (either through failing the reassessment examination or failing a stand-alone course beyond the two allowed reassessments) will result in a student being eligible for dismissal.

 Clinical Medicine & Integrated Medicine Course Failure, Remediation, and Reassessment

Clinical Medicine I, II & III and Integrated Medicine Courses are comprised of:

  Each of the Clinical Medicine Lecture courses (PA 5041, PA 5052, and PA 5033) and Integrative Medicine (PA 5043) is made up of multiple components, representing various disciplines of medicine. A passing grade of 70% in each component is required in order to pass the entire course. Should a student fail any one component with a grade below 70% s/he will be offered a reassessment in the failed component, up to four components across the didactic phase (see below). The highest grade that can be awarded in a component reassessment is 70%, which will be averaged in with the remaining components to calculate a new final course grade.

 ·         Students may reassess a maximum of four CML components across Clinical Medicine I, II, and III, and Integrative Medicine course (for a maximum of 4 throughout the didactic phase of the program). However, students may not reassess more than two components of a given CML course.

·         Students must pass the CML component reassessment exam with a grade of 70% or better.

·         Should a student fail a reassessment examination in CML I, II or III and/or Integrative Medicine he/she will be referred to the Committee on Course and Standing for determination of continued academic status.

·         Failing a component (via failure of a reassessment exam or failing a component beyond the maximum allowed) with less than 70% in CML I, II or III and/or Integrative Medicine results in failure of the course and referral to the Committee on Course and Standing for determination of continued academic status. Failure of a CML course, like stand-alone courses, makes a student eligible for dismissal.

·         Policies regarding clinical year course failure are outlined in the Clinical Handbook.

Remediation Policies and Timetables

 Students will have a period of time between course failure and reassessment to remediate deficiencies. The reassessment exam(s) will take place on a scheduled day approximately one week after the last final exam is given for the semester.

Identification and Remediation of At-Risk Students

 Throughout and at the end of each semester, the Course & Standing Committee will meet to discuss each student’s level of success. Students who do not attain and maintain a 3.0 semester GPA, do not achieve a passing grade in individual courses, or have student conduct issues during the semester, will receive a letter/email from the Committee and/or Department Chair/Program Director notifying them of their evaluation within the Course & Standing Committee and their individual progression status. In such cases, progression status can include:

 ·         For didactic phase coursework:

·         At risk for academic probation or dismissal

·         At risk for professional probation or dismissal

·         Academic probation or dismissal

·         Professional probation or dismissal

·         For clinical phase coursework:

·         At risk for academic probation or dismissal

·         At risk for professional probation or dismissal

·         Academic probation or dismissal

·         Professional probation or dismissal

In the End of Curriculum Exam and the Summative OSCE, which takes place in the last 4 months of the program, the student must pass all components to pass the course.

 ·         Upon passing, and with the completion of all other program requirements, students will be recommended for graduation.

 Student success plan (i.e.: remediation of at-risk students)

Didactic Phase Students

Any student receiving a grade of less than 80% in a midterm and/or mid-semester evaluation will be viewed by the program as ‘at risk’. At risk didactic students will be required to complete the following:

 1.      For the first incident of ‘at risk’ performance: the student must meet with their advisor, and specific course director if deemed necessary by the advisor, to develop a unique student success plan (e.g., develop study calendar, LRC referral, retrieval learning assignments) and complete this within 4 weeks demonstrating improvement.

2.      If continuing to demonstrate ‘at risk’ performance or for a second instance: the student must meet with the specific course director for an enhanced student success plan (e.g. Scholar RX review, UWorld Review, Aquifer cases, research, NEJM KnowledgePlus review, remediation of clinical skills, additional time at the Learning Center) and must complete over 4 weeks demonstrating improvement.

3.      For further continuing to demonstrate ‘at risk’ performance or for a third instance: the student will meet with the course director and didactic coordinator, and if deemed necessary, the Course & Standing Committee (C&SC) for possible leave of absence or other requirements as recommended by the C&SC to the Program Director.

Clinical Phase Students

 Any student receiving grade/s less than 80% or scoring ‘non-competent’ on any graded component will be viewed by the program as ‘at risk’. At risk clinical students will be required to complete the following:

 1.      For the first incident of ‘at risk’ performance: the student must meet with Clinical Coordinators to develop a unique student success plan (e.g. develop study calendar, Learning Center referral, retrieval learning assignments) and complete this within 4 weeks demonstrate improvement.

Remediation of Academic Difficulties

 Students who fail to demonstrate the requisite knowledge or skills necessary to perform at an acceptable level for a course may be required to remediate those deficiencies. Remediation is a process intended to correct a student’s academic deficiencies and includes such activities as special assignments, examinations, tutoring, assessment and development of study skills. Students are strongly recommended to meet with their faculty advisor. Referral to the Learning Resource Center, the CUNY Med office of Academic Affairs (Makhtar@ccny.cuny.edu) or to the Wellness and Counseling Center (vschwartz@med.cuny.edu) may be recommended as well.

 Academic Deceleration & Dismissal Policies

Deceleration

 For the purposes of this handbook, deceleration is defined as halting progression in the program while

awaiting the start of a future semester to retake coursework, and dismissal is defined as being dismissed from the program without opportunity to return or continue later. Specific to the clinical phase of the program, failing a supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) and repeating that course at the end of the clinical phase of the program, is considered ‘course remediation’ rather than deceleration. The CUNY Med PA program delineates two pathways for deceleration: academic and leave of absence (LoA).

 Deceleration due to poor academic performance: Halting progression in the PA program due to poor academic performance is not automatic. The CUNY Med PA program does not decelerate students who cannot meet the program’s academic and/or professional conduct requirements. It is also not an option in lieu of disciplinary action including but not limited to probation, suspension, or any other situation that would be considered grounds for dismissal from the PA Program. The student will meet with the Committee on Course and Standing for determination of continued academic status.

 Failure to receive a grade of ‘C’ (≥70.0%) in any course is considered course failure and, in the case of didactic phase coursework, will prevent the student from progressing to the next semester. Depending on the course, course exams may be able to be remediated for grade change, as noted in course syllabi. However, course grades cannot be remediated or changed once finalized by the course director.

 ·         Failure of one or more courses (by failure of reassessment exam or failure beyond number of allowed reassessments) in the didactic phase of the program will make the student eligible for dismissal from the program.

·         Failure or remediation of more than one Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) course in the clinical phase of the program will make the student eligible for dismissal from the program.

Academic Dismissal

 Students will be eligible for dismissal in any of the following situations:

 ·        Failure of one or more standalone courses and/or multiple components of a clinical medicine course (more than two or failure beyond allowed reassessments).

·        Inability to attain a cumulative GPA of 3.0 by the end of the didactic year (semester 3).

·        Cumulative GPA falling below 3.0 after successful completion of academic probation.

 Students will be referred to CCS. Notification of dismissal will be made via e-mail and letter mailed to the address provided by the student. A student who refuses to accept the notification of dismissal within 10 business days loses the right to appeal the decision.

Professional Probation & Dismissal Policies

 A student, faculty member, administrative officer, or employee of the College may charge a student with a conduct violation. Further, complaints from SCPE sites or the community, at the discretion of the Program Director, will be investigated thoroughly by the Course & Standing Committee as the program expects student professionalism to be maintained at all times.

Students found to be in violation of the student conduct policies/standards and/or unable to meet the Program defined technical standards are subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program. Students placed on professional probation are immediately removed from any program, school, and/or college student leadership roles and student committee participation and are not able to serve as mentors to other students.

 Depending on the violation, and at the discretion of the Department Chair/Program Director, students may be referred to the Course & Standing Committee for determination of recommended disposition (i.e., probation vs. deceleration vs. dismissal). Egregious violations, including, but not limited to, issues of cheating and/or plagiarism (also termed an academic infraction), and issues adversely affecting the safety and welfare of others involved in the college and/or clinical sites (e.g., classmates, principal faculty, instructional faculty, staff, patients, campus/clinical site visitors) may result in consequences up to and including immediate dismissal at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee, regardless of probation status.

 Student rights regarding a required meeting with Course & Standing Committee

 ·         Students will be notified by the Course & Standing Committee Chair in writing, of their required attendance at the committee meeting, no less than 24 hours in advance of the required meeting.

·         Students will be advised that the committee meeting is considered confidential and is not to be discussed with other students.

·         Students may request a CUNY Medicine advocate** to accompany them to the C&SC Committee meeting, but the advocate must be approved or confirmed by the Program Director and remain silent during the meeting.

·         Students are not allowed to bring any outside advocates to any program related meetings.

 ·         If students continue to exhibit behavioral issues while on professional probation, they will be automatically considered for a leave or dismissal by the Course & Standing Committee called at the discretion of the Program Director.

·         If students are placed on professional probation on more than one occasion, consecutive or nonconsecutive, they will automatically be considered for a leave or dismissal at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee.

·         In addition to the above, a notation that the student had professionalism and/or conduct issues during their enrollment in the program, including but not limited to that the student was placed on Professional Probation, will be noted in any Program and/or faculty letters of reference/recommendation.

 **The CUNY Medicine PA Program has defined advocate as a member of the medical school faculty and/or Student Affairs Office, excluding the program director, who functions to ensure that the student understands the allegation and the policies to which the allegation pertains. The advocate role is to ensure the student receives due process. If a faculty member called to serve as a student advocate is recused from the decision- making process of the Course & Standing Committee.

***Course & Standing Committee meetings are considered confidential and may not be discussed with other students.

Learning Resource Center

 The Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides free academic counseling to PA students. This includes instruction regarding study skills and test-taking, as well as content information in some areas. Students with academic difficulty are mandated to visit the LRC, but any student is free to use these services. The LRC is located in Harris Hall – Room 114. (212) 650-8408.

Student Support and Wellness

On-Campus Resources

 The CUNY School of Medicine provides all students with access to the CCNY Health and Wellness Center (https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/shs) , the Wellness and Student Life Center (https://medicine.cuny.edu/counseling-and-wellness-office/) , Learning Resource Center (https://medicine.cuny.edu/learning-resource-center/) , the Accessibility Center/Student Disability Services (https://medicine.cuny.edu/accessability-center/).

The Committee on Course and Standing

 The Committee on Course and Standing (CCS) enforces the academic and professional standards of the PA Program. The Committee hears cases of students in academic or professional difficulty, takes all information into account and makes decisions regarding further action. The Committee is appointed by the Associate Dean/Program Director of the PA Program and consists of a minimum of two (2) core PA Program faculty members, two (2) faculty of the CUNY School of Medicine BS/MD program, the Medical Director of the PA Program, and two ex-officio members, the Associate Dean of PA Program and the School of Medicine Director of Academic Records. A simple majority of the voting principal members must be present for a meeting to commence. Decisions must be approved by a majority of the members in attendance. The CCS acts through the Program Director, who communicates the decisions of the CCS in writing to the student. Students have the right to appeal the CCS decision through the Dean's office and/or Student Academic Progress Committee (SAPC).

 All leaves of absence, withdrawals/resignations, placement on or removal from probation, course failures, rotation failures, professional breeches and potential dismissals are brought before the CCS. For academic concerns, students may provide the Committee with a letter explaining extenuating circumstances or may appear before the Committee if they wish. Should a student choose to appear, providing a letter beforehand is advised. Students may bring a support person to the meeting, however, only the student will be permitted to speak to and with the committee. Students are not permitted attorney representatives to a CCS meeting or to record the meeting.

Once a student is referred to the Committee on Course and Standing, each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Appeal of Dismissal

 A student may appeal an adverse decision of dismissal in writing to the Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine within ten (10) business days of the official notification. The Dean will then appoint an Ad Hoc Appeals Committee, which will be provided with a copy of the student's appeal, the minutes of the CCS meetings at which the adverse recommendation was made, and the complete academic student record. The Appeals Committee is charged with determining:

 ·         If the adverse decision was made in accordance with the approved and established policies of the PA Program Committee on Course and Standing

 ·         If the student was accorded due process, or if the adverse decision was arbitrary, capricious or reflected prejudice against the student

It is not within the purview of the Appeals Committee to critique the academic judgment of the PA Program Committee on Course and Standing.

The student has the right to be present at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee, and to make an oral or written statement. Should the student wish to appear, the Dean of the School will notify him/her of the time and place of the meeting at least ten (10) business days beforehand.

The Appeals Committee may request, in writing, that the appropriate course coordinator, instructor and the PA Program or the Chair of the CCS attend the meeting. Within seven (7) business days of the meeting, the Appeals Committee will send its written recommendation to the Dean.

 The Dean will review the report of the Appeals Committee. After finding that the Appeals Committee properly carried out its charge, the Dean will accept or reject the recommendation. The Dean will promptly notify the student in writing of the final decision. If the original recommendation is reversed, the Dean will return the matter to the PA Associate Dean/Program Director for action. The decision of the Dean in such cases is final; no further institutional recourse is available to the student.