I. PURPOSE
The purpose of this policy is to provide guidelines by which Phase 2 and Phase 3 students in the New York Medical College (“NYMC”) School of Medicine (“SOM”) may formally request an alternative assignment.
II. POLICY
It is the policy of the NYMC SOM to allow a medical student with an appropriate rationale, including but not limited to, medical conditions requiring treatment, conflict of interest with a potential supervisor, and accommodations in place from the Office of Academic Excellence, Division of Student Accommodations and Accessibility, to request an alternate an alternative assignment, typically a clinical site, which may be granted when circumstances allow for it. Transportation to and from sites is not considered an appropriate rationale.
III. SCOPE
This policy applies to all students in the NYMC SOM.
IV. DEFINITIONS
A. OSA – Office of Student Affairs
B. OAE – Office of Academic Excellence
C. Sequence Lottery – the sequence of clerkships and electives in a student schedule
D. Site Lottery - the location(s) at which the students will be assigned during clerkships and electives
E. OASIS – Online Academic Student Information System software
V. PROCEDURES
A. Students who need specific sites for medical reasons are encouraged to work with the OAE, Division of Student Accommodations and Accessibility, to request accommodations in advance of the lottery for site placements.
B. A student who believes that he or she has an appropriate rationale that warrants an alternate education site or curriculum assignment during Phase 2 or Phase 3 can make a request directly to the Associate Director of OSA in advance of the formal lottery for clinical assignments. The time frame for such requests is communicated in class meetings and through electronic communication from the OSA.
1. Student requests can cover all or part of his or her schedule for an academic year and can include requests for course sequence, course sites, or both.
2. Requests must provide the Associate Director of OSA with an e-mail narrative outlining the specific details of the request for the changes in sequence/site and the basis for the request.
C. Requests will be reviewed based on the following criteria:
1. A dean in the OSA will review submitted requests and confer with the Assistant Dean for Clinical Sciences, and, in instances where there is an appropriate rationale to support the request and circumstances permit, an alternative education site or curriculum assignment will be provided to the student.
2. It is within the discretion of the reviewing dean(s) to determine whether the student’s proffered rationale is appropriate and justifies the request.
3. Even where an appropriate rationale is offered, some requests may not be able to be granted due to lack of available space or because of the disruption/hardship the change would cause for other students, faculty, and/or the educational site.
4. All final determinations are made by the Dean of Students of the OSA.
D. Schedule Swapping After Lotteries
1. After the completion of the Sequence Lottery and/or the Site Lottery, students may request schedule changes through swapping, subject to the following guidelines:
a. Sequence Swapping
i. Students must swap their entire sequence; individual clerkships cannot be swapped.
ii. Before initiating a swap, students should:
- Review the swapping process instructional video in the Sway App.
- Review the Swap Window:
b. Swaps can be completed within OASIS during the designated period noted in class meetings and emails
c. Only entire sequences may be swapped.
2. Site Swapping for Core Clerkships
a. Adding or dropping clerkship sites is not permitted due to minimum and maximum capacity requirements at each site.
b. Students may swap sites for core clerkships; however, it is the student’s responsibility to identify another student willing to swap, and swaps must be completed before the Add/Drop deadline.
c. Procedure to submit a site swap request:
i. Both students must send an email to NYMC- SOMScheduleChanges@nymc.edu
ii. The email must include: confirmation from both students agreeing to the swap; the clerkship name, dates, and both sites involved.
d. Add/Drop deadlines for required core clerkship swaps are firm. Requests after the deadline will not be granted. Deadline dates are posted in the Lottery and Oasis SWAY.
3. Changes desired after swaps should be requested directly through the OSA.
E. Notification of the procedure for requesting an alternative assignment and site swapping procedure is provided to students as follows:
1. Via e-mail messages distributed to the entire class;
2. Discussion of this topic and policy at the pertinent Class Meetings, conducted by the Deans of the OSA, where all information discussed is recorded and provided to students on the SOM learning management system for reference, and for students unable to attend the meeting; and
3. During individual meetings between students and House Advisory Deans, when planning the student’s clinical schedule.
VI. EFFECTIVE DATE
This policy is effective immediately.
VII. POLICY MANAGEMENT
Executive Stakeholder: Dean of the School of Medicine
Oversight Office: Office of Student Affairs
