1.0 Policy Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish the standards by which students receive timely and actionable feedback to inform their progress in a course or clerkship and modify performance, knowledge, or skills as needed.
2.0 To Whom the Policy Applies
This policy applies to medical students and faculty.
3.0 Policy Statement
Students of The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (the “Medical School”) must receive Formative Feedback by the midpoint of a course or clerkship. This feedback must be timely and sufficient enough to allow students to measure their progress in knowledge, skills, and behaviors to meet course or clerkship objectives and modify their performance accordingly.
3.1 Pre-clerkship Courses
Pre-clerkship courses that are four weeks or longer are required to provide formative feedback by the course midpoint through formal mechanisms. Examples of Formative Feedback include, but are not limited to, required quizzes, multiple exams across the course, and formal midpoint feedback on clinical skills.
Pre-clerkship courses that are less than four weeks long provide alternative means for Formative Feedback (e.g., practice questions) by which medical students can measure their progress.
3.2 Clerkships
All required clerkships must provide Formative Feedback at the midpoint of the clerkship through a formal process. Clerkship Coordinators are responsible for ensuring each student receives this midpoint feedback. The Office of Medical Education centrally monitors these feedback responses in real time to ensure compliance with this and the Clinical Supervision of Medical Students Policy.
3.3 Compliance Monitoring
The Office of Medical Education centrally monitors policy compliance. Annual reports on whether and how students receive Formative Feedback are submitted per course or clerkship to the Pre-clerkship Phase Subcommittee or Clerkship/Post-clerkship Phase Subcommittee, as appropriate, and subsequently to the Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC).
4.0 Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, the terms below have the following definitions:
- Clerkship/Post-clerkship Subcommittee:
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A subcommittee of the MCC that focuses on evaluating the clerkship and post-clerkship curricula.
- Formative Feedback:
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Timely feedback that informs a student’s progress in knowledge and/or skills of a course or clerkship and allows sufficient time to modify student’s performance, knowledge, skills, and/or behavior. Examples include, but are not limited to, quizzes, practice questions, written or verbal feedback from faculty, and assignments.
- Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC):
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The curriculum committee that oversees the design, management, integration, evaluation, and enhancement of the medical education curriculum as a whole. MCC has final oversight over the medical education program.
- Pre-clerkship Phase Subcommittee:
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A subcommittee of the MCC that focuses on evaluating the pre-clerkship curricula.
5.0 Responsibilities
All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. University supervisors and employees with student oversight duties are responsible for promoting the understanding of this policy and for taking appropriate steps to help ensure and enforce compliance with it.
Office of Medical Education: Centrally monitors that courses and clerkships provide Formative Feedback and the format of such; monitors clerkship feedback responses to ensure compliance with this policy.
Clerkship Coordinators: Ensure students rotating on required clerkships receive mid-clerkship Formative Feedback.
6.0 Consequences for Violating this Policy
Failure to comply with this and related policies is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension without pay, or termination of employment or association with the University, in accordance with applicable (e.g., staff, faculty, student) disciplinary procedures.
7.0 Related Information
Brown University is a community in which individuals are encouraged to share concerns with University leadership. Additionally, Brown’s Anonymous Reporting Hotline allows anonymous and confidential reporting on matters of concern online or by phone (877-318-9184).
The following information complements and supplements this document. The information is intended to help explain this policy and is not an all-inclusive list of policies, procedures, laws and requirements.
7.1 Related Policies
7.2 Related Procedures
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7.3 Related Forms
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7.4 Frequently Asked Questions
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7.5 Other Related Information
- Relates to accreditation Standard 9, Element 7 mandated by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), accrediting body for U.S. medical education programs.
Policy Owner and Contact(s)
Policy Owner: Dean of Medicine and Biological Sciences
Policy Approved by: Provost
Contact Information:
Policy History
Policy Issue Date:
Policy Effective Date:
Policy Update/Review Summary:
Updated language for clarity and compliance with University requirements.
Previous policy version(s) superseded by this policy:
- Formative Assessment and Feedback Policy (former Medical School Policy No. 09-07), Effective Date: July 1, 2019