I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to ensure all students in the New York Medical College (NYMC) School of Medicine (SOM) receive a narrative description of their performance, including non-cognitive achievement, in each required course and clerkship whenever the teacher-student interaction permits, and to guide faculty in providing written, narrative assessments of student performance.
II. POLICY
It is the policy of the NYMC SOM that, by the end of each Phase 1 course, faculty must provide students with a narrative assessment on the student’s performance any time a session with 24 or fewer students meets four (4) or more times with the same instructor. In Phases 2 and 3, faculty must provide students with narrative feedback during each clinical clerkship or clinical elective.
III. SCOPE
This policy applies to course and clerkship directors; teaching faculty (including graduate students); residents, and fellows who participate in the teaching and evaluating of medical students.
IV. DEFINITIONS
Narrative assessment: Written comments from faculty that assess student performance and achievement in meeting specific objectives of a course or clerkship, such as professionalism and clinical reasoning. (Element 9.5) Narrative assessment of a student’s performance may be formative or summative and is essential in supporting their reflection and continuous improvement. This type of assessment is best achieved in small groups or one-on-one clinical learning settings.
V. PROCEDURES
A. In Phase 1, students receive narrative feedback following eligible simulation-based learning activities, longitudinal preceptor experiences, and small group sessions that meet established criteria for narrative assessment.
B. In Phases 2 and 3, all core clerkship and clinical elective summative evaluations include a section for narrative assessment. Evaluation forms must be submitted to the Registrar no later than six weeks after completion of the clerkship.
C. The provision of narrative descriptions of student performance is monitored directly by the module/clerkship directors.
D. The Education and Curriculum Committee will have final authority and oversight for ensuring compliance with narrative feedback requirements.
E. Oversight occurs proactively during the review and approval of module schedules and retroactively through the course/clerkship review process.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean, School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Undergraduate Medical Education, School of Medicine
VII. REFERENCES
LCME Standard 9: Teaching, Assessment, and Student and Patient Safety: A medical school ensures that its medical education program includes a comprehensive, fair, and uniform system of formative and summative medical student assessment and protects medical students' and patients' safety by ensuring that all persons who teach, supervise, and/or assess medical students are adequately prepared for those responsibilities.
LCME Element 9.5: Narrative Assessment: А medical school ensures that a narrative description of a medical student's performance, including his or her non-cognitive achievement, is included as a component of the assessment in each required course and clerkship of the medical education program whenever teacher-student interaction permits this form of assessment
