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UF Health University of Florida
Department of Neurology College of Medicine
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Education Overview

Grading Policy

Neurology Evaluation

50% Clinical Core Competencies

While rotating on the Neurology Services, you are responsible to participate fully in the team activities. Try to practice your H&Ps with first time patients and follow a minimum of four patients during your clerkship. You will be observed and evaluated by faculty, fellows, and/or residents. These assessments are based on the six ACGME Core Competencies:

  1. Medical Knowledge: knowledge about different neurological conditions, especially those commonly seen in the clinic or inpatient service.
  2. Professionalism: respectfulness, work ethic/dependability, motivation and excellence, honesty
  3. Patient Care: history taking, physical exam, clinical reasoning
  4. Practice-Based Learning: seeking feedback, intellectual curiosity, eagerness to learn, application of EBM, teaching others
  5. Interpersonal & Communication Skills: rapport with patient and family, oral presentations
  6. System-Based Practice: helpfulness to the team

The Neurology Clerkship Feedback & Clinical Evaluation Form will be used to grade these six Core Competencies. These evaluations will be completed online (New Innovations) by the faculty, fellows and/or residents that worked with you. You will receive a minimum of 4 evaluations. You can find these evaluations online or attached on the welcoming email.

10% Neurology Clerkship Bedside Skills Evaluation form (BSE)

During the clerkship you need to complete two (2) Neurology Clerkship Bedside Skills Evaluation Forms. These evaluations should be done with a neurology faculty and can include an inpatient or outpatient (clinic) case. The aim is to assess your clinical skills via direct observation in 4 major categories: history gathering, neurologic examination, humanistic, professional qualities and presentation and clinical reasoning skills. The first evaluation should ideally be completed during the 2nd week and the last evaluation during the 4th week of the clerkship.

15% Portfolio Compilation

The intent of the portfolio is to ensure a well-rounded education experience as well as evaluate your medical writing abilities. The following required items are intended to assist in the development of your medical skills and medical writing by providing opportunities to practice newly acquired skills and attain feedback on your progress. PDF formats of the evaluations listed below are provided at the end of the syllabus, online, and attached on the welcoming email.

  1. NBME Neurology STEP Preparation – Within CANVAS, two 40 point NBME shelf preparation examinations have been prepared.  Completion of these examinations is required.  NBME examination I is to be completed by Friday of the 2nd week and NBME examination II is to be completed within the 4th week of the clerkship.  The examinations themselves are a formative in nature.  Though completion of the examinations is required, the point total obtained by the medical student does not count towards the final grade.  The goal of these examinations is to prepare the student for the required shelf examination and provide formative feedback for shelf preparation.  Students completion of the examinations will be seen within canvas and a completion grade will be made within the portfolio.  Failure to complete these examinations will result in a reduction in the portfolio grade.

 

  1. Neurology Clerkship Required Clinical Experiences – Please complete the “Neurology Clerkship Required Clinical Experiences” Clerkship Required Clinical Experiences form to document that you have seen all of these important neurological physical Notify the clerkship director if you have not seen all of them. Watching a video or picture of the physical finding also qualifies as a positive observation. Please return the form to the clerkship coordinator for placement in your portfolio

 

  1. Status Epilepticus Simulation – The students will participate in a simulation of status This activity aims to assess knowledge, leadership, teamwork, and communication in the management of status epilepticus. The students can read the material posted in CANVAS to prepare for the simulation. At the end of the activity, there will be a debriefing session. This activity is not graded. We value your feedback at the end of the simulation.

 

  1. Acute Stroke Simulation – The students will participate in an acute stroke simulation. This activity aims to assess knowledge, leadership, teamwork and communication in the management of acute stroke. The students need to read in advance about the management of acute ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke. This activity is not graded. We value your feedback at the end of the

 

  1. Formative Clinical Neuroanatomy Session – Each clerkship block, students will be required to attend a 1 hour clinical neuroanatomy session with Dr. Rarey. The session will include 4 unique modules relating to clinical neurology and clinical neuroradiology through utilization of radiographic technology and cadaveric teaching.  Students are required to bring their GATOR ONE cards for attendance.  The session will be outlined in the monthly session.  The session will take place in the Communicore building CG-83 from 12pm-1pm.  All students are excused from clinical duties for this learning opportunity.

 

  1. Bi-Monthly Neurology Clerkship Feedback forms – Students will complete one Bi-Monthly Neurology Clerkship Feedback The form can be completed by Neurology Faculty, Senior Neurology Residents or Neurology Fellows. During the first 2 weeks, students need to have one Faculty complete one form. Students will take 1 completed forms (one by Faculty and one by Senior resident) to the Mid Clerkship Feedback session with the clerkship director. At the end of the rotation (5 pm of last Friday of the rotation), students will send the 2 completed bi-weekly feedback forms to the clerkship coordinator. Failure to return 2 weekly feedback forms will results in an incomplete grade (0 points) in the portfolio section (10% of the grade).

 

  1. Self-Directed Learning Modules – We have developed several self-directed learning modules for review throughout the clerkship. Each module will accompany your required lectures and be available for continuous review throughout the clerkship.  The lectures accompanying each module will be case-based and assume review of the material has been completed.

 

  1. Clerkship Evaluations – Help us make this the best Clinical Clerkship! Although not graded, we expect you to complete at least 5 evaluations by the end of the clerkship. These evaluations include one program/clerkship director evaluation and at least 4 faculty, fellow, resident evaluations. Evaluations of the clerkship will be done using New Innovations and GatorEvals. Students will be notified when the evaluation period opens, and can complete through the email they receive from GatorEvals, in their Canvas course menu under

25% Medical Knowledge Examination

The efforts on the NBME shelf exam comprise 25% of the total Neurology Clerkship score. There is not a minimum exam pass score for the clerkship. However, students who score below the 5th percentile nationally (65) need to meet with the clerkship director to discuss whether a test taking remediation plan should be developed to promote improved performance on subsequent NBME exams including Step 2. Shelf exams are usually scheduled on the last Thursday/Friday of the Clerkship.

 

Final Grade Determination

The final grade of the Neurology Clerkship Program is determined by the outcomes of these five sections: Core Competency Evaluations, Bedside Skills Exam, Portfolio Compilation, NeuroCaRE and Medical Knowledge Examinations.

Total Grade (100%) = Competency Evals (50%) + BSE (10%) + Portfolio (15%) + NBME  Exam (25%)

Students with Professionalism concern will achieve a maximum grade of B+.

 

Remediation Policy

Students must satisfactorily complete all required components of each clerkship. Students who do not obtain a passing score will receive an incomplete grade (H) for the clerkship until all components are satisfactorily completed.  Students with an unsatisfactory performance in any area should discuss the process and timing of remediation with the clerkship director.  In general, failure on an exam is remediated by retaking the exam and achieving a passing score.  Failure in the retaken exam will require repeating the clerkship. Failure to satisfy a clinical or professionalism component is remediated by the satisfactory completion of an individualized plan of remediation.  This remediation is proposed by the clerkship director and approved by the Academic Status Committee.

 

Grade Grievance Process

Medical students may appeal a final grade or evaluation based on concerns about discrimination or the process used to assign the grade. The process is as follows:

The student submits his/her written concern(s) about a final grade or evaluation and arranges a meeting to discuss the concern(s) with the respective course/clerkship director within one month of the posting of that grade.

If the student is not satisfied with the outcome:

  1. The student may submit their written explanation of the grievance to the Grade Grievance Committee consisting of the Chair of the Clerkship Committee, or designee if it involves his/her clerkship, and three faculty familiar with the medical education program who are not involved in the same course/clerkship as the grievance, or are members of the ASC. A 4th year medical student from the ASC will serve as a non-voting member on the Grade Grievance Committee. The faculty members of the Grade Grievance Committee are appointed by the Associate Dean of Medical Education.
  2. After review, the Grade Grievance Committee will submit a recommendation to the Associate Dean for Medical Education and the Chair of the Academic Status Committee who will review the report and provide the response to the student.
  3. The decision of the Associate Dean for Medical Education and the Chair of the Academic Status Committee is final.