Grading Policy - Foundations of Medical Science (FoMS)

  1. Overview

    • (1.1) Grading is Pass/Fail in the pre-clerkship year
  2. Requirements to Pass FoMS
    • (2.1) A passing grade in the FoMS course is required to begin the core clerkship year. In order to receive a grade of Pass, students must do the following: 
      1. Attend and participate in lab, interactive large group sessions, and small group sessions.
      2. Attend and participate in all Early Authentic Clinical Experience visits.
      3. Complete all coursework, assignments, make-up or remediation work, as specified in course syllabi and guides.
      4. Complete all required National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) exams.
      5. Complete all Pit Stop Computer Examinations, Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs), and Anatomy Practicals.
        • (5a) Students who do not reach a pre-established threshold score on any of these Pit Stop examinations must utilize resources available to close their knowledge or performance gaps as directed by Course Director and/or Academic Performance Committee
          • Foundations of Practice (FoP) Computer Examination
            1. Attend the Pit Stop Computer Examination Review session.
            2. Utilize Educator for Excellence (E4E) or other coaching.
            3. Meet with a Society Dean and/or Charles Drew University (CDU) Dean.
          • Scientific Foundations of Medicine (SFM) Computer Examination
            1. Attend the Pit Stop Computer Examination Review session.
            2. Meet with core faculty from SFM for content review.
            3. Utilize Academic Support Office resources.
            4. Meet with a Society Dean and/or Charles Drew University (CDU) Dean.
          • OSCE Examination
            1. Meet with FoP leadership to review OSCE examinations.
            2. Utilize Education for Excellence or other coaching.
            3. Meet with a Society Dean and/or Charles Drew University (CDU) Dean.
          • Anatomy Practical
            1. Attend sessions with Anatomy leadership to review Anatomy content covered on Anatomy practical.
            2. Meet with a Society Dean and/or Charles Drew University (CDU) Dean.
        • (5b) If a student does not reach threshold multiple times, does not reach threshold in multiple domains, or there are other concerns aside from exam performance, there will be additional recommendations and/or requirements from the Academic Performance Committee. Any such recommendations and/or requirements will be outlined in the student’s Individualized Learning Plan.
        • (5c) Students who do not reach the threshold score on FoP or SFM Computer Examinations must reach a prespecified threshold score on a retest examination administered at several pre-established times during the year.
          • Students who do not meet the threshold score on a retest examination will receive a FoMS grade of incomplete and will be required to take additional retests until the threshold score is met.
            1. Once the threshold score is met on a retest examination, the incomplete grade will be changed to a grade of pass if all other requirements of the FoMS course have been satisfied.
          • The start of the core clerkship year will be delayed for those who do not meet the threshold score on the last pre-established retest examination.
          • Repeated difficulties reaching the threshold score on retest examinations may lead to requirements that extend medical school training beyond four years.
    • (2.2) Students will not be required to repeat a block of content or the first year of medical school solely for not reaching a threshold score on one or multiple examinations.
      1. Students may be asked to repeat a block of content or even the entire MS1 year should they repeatedly not reach the threshold score on multiple examinations while not utilizing the resources listed above or not attending required attendance sessions.
        • The Year 1 Academic Performance Committee (APC) will make a recommendation for a student to repeat a block of content or the first year of medical school on a student-by-student basis. Any APC recommendation for a student to remediate a block or year will be referred to the committee on academic standing, progress, and promotion (CASPP) for final determinations and possible changes in academic standing.
    • (2.3) To ensure full academic and social support, the following people may be notified if a student does not reach the threshold score on a Pit Stop examination. All of these individuals, except for E4Es, attend APC meetings.
      • Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs
      • Associate Dean for Student Affairs (UCLA and CDU)
      • Assistant Deans for Student Affairs (Society Deans)
      • Assistant Deans for Curricular Affairs
      • Course Directors and Associate Directors
      • Director of Student Affairs
      • Director of Curricular Affairs
      • Curricular Affairs Pre-Clerkship supervisor
      • Curricular Affairs FoMS coordinators
      • Academic Support Office personnel
      • Director of Disability Services
      • APC Administrator
      • A student’s Educator for Excellence (for the FoP Computer Examination and OSCE only)

  3. Requests for Evaluation Modifications/Grade Changes

    • (3.1) Students are alerted by e-mail when a grade has been finalized. Students who feel there is an error in their grade may submit a written request for a grade review to the Course Chair within 14 days of grade submission.

    • (3.2) Per UCLA Academic Senate regulations, only the course instructor of record has the responsibility and right to determine and assign a final grade. Any student claiming that a grade was assigned for other than academic reasons needs to provide written documentation to support their assertion.

Approved by the Medical Education Committee August 2023; Approved by Faculty Executive Committee September 2023