MED 5730 Physician Competencies I
Phase 1 Class of 2027
Fall 2023

Assessment Plan
 
The assessment plan sets out the principles and key elements used to assess the learner’s performance in an accurate, consistent, and objective manner for MED 5730 Physician Competencies I.

MED 5730 Physician Competencies I introduces learners to concepts that encompass the non-medical expert physician roles of scholar, communicator, collaborator, advocate, leader and professional in the context of the patient, family and physician within health care systems.

COURSE SUCCESS CRITERIA
 
To pass the course, a learner must:

• Pass each of the two course Blocks,
• Achieve an average mark of ≥ 70% based on the weighted final marks across the summative assessments,
• Complete and submit all course assignments and assessments by their due date, and
• Attend all sessions designated as mandatory and complete any associated activities.

Exam and assignment deferrals will only be approved by the Phase Lead under exceptional circumstances, see Exam Deferral Policy.

Promotion regulations:

• Even if a learner has passed all examinations and assignments, a learner may be required to repeat the Phase or withdraw conditionally or unconditionally from the program (see section 5.3 in the University calendar) if there are significant concerns about a learner’s performance (as communicated to the learner by the Phase Lead). Examples may include, but are not limited to, late assignments and missed mandatory sessions without proper deferral process, lapses in professionalism, recurrent reassessment exams.
• As outlined in Section 10.5.2 of the Regulations for the Degree of Doctor of Medicine in the University calendar, learners with a Fail grade in any course cannot be promoted to the next Phase.
• As outlined in the MD program objectives, the Faculty of Medicine at Memorial University values professionalism as a core competency and a requirement of the MD program. Recognizing that medical learners are developing their professional identity, professionalism lapses will be remediated where possible and appropriate. Unsuccessful remediation will result in failure of the Phase.  Professionalism lapses may render a learner incompatible with continuation in the MD program (as outlined in the Memorial University Calendar Regulation 10.5 Promotion).

COURSE ASSESSMENT
 
Learners will be assessed with both formative and summative assessment methods throughout the course. Learners will receive their grades from the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) office via One45.

Original work, completed wholly by the learner, is expected to be submitted in this course. The use of an artificial intelligence tool like chatGPT is not permitted.
 
Formative Assessments do not count towards the final grade and are intended to help learners monitor their learning. Learners will receive formal formative feedback from component assignments. Learners are also expected to review and learn from their performance on the summative assessments that occur throughout the course.

Peer assessments of professional behaviours: All learners are required to participate in a peer assessment of professional behaviours during Phase 1. You will be asked to assess the learners in your clinical skills group, based on your observation of their professional behaviour during the clinical skills sessions. Peer assessment forms will be completed on One45 and a copy of the form is available on Brightspace (D2L) for your reference. Learners will each receive a summary report of their feedback collated by the UGME office. The cut-off date for the completion of forms is November 9, 2023. These peer assessment reports are formative and do not contribute to the overall summative mark for the course. However, learners are required to complete a summative reflection on the peer assessment process which will contribute to the overall mark for the course.
 
Summative Assessments are divided into two blocks: (a) Physician Competencies Sessions Block and (b) the Research Project Block.  Within these blocks there are a number of components, each with its own summative assessments. Each of these summative assessments is graded and contributes to the final summative mark that the learner will receive for the course.
 
The course includes mandatory learning sessions, listed in the respective section below. Learners must participate in these sessions and complete any associated exercises. As outlined in the Protected Time and Duty Hours Policy, learners may request leave if they are unable to attend a mandatory learning session.

The contribution of marks for each block towards the final course grade is as follows:

Physician Competencies Sessions Block	60%
Research Project Block	40%
Total	100%

The pass mark for each individual summative assessment is 70%.  The pass mark for each of the two blocks is 70% of the total marks assigned to that block.  The final grade and average will be compiled at the end of the Phase.
 
(a) The Physician Competencies Sessions Block consists of the following components:

Component	Summative Assessment Method	Length	Due Date	Final Grade Contribution
Professionalism	2 Analytical Essays	1000-1750 words each	October 4, 2023 December 14, 2023	4%
Health Ethics and Law in Medicine	8 group assignments (one for each session)*	300 words	1) Ethical Issues in Artificial Intelligence and Digital Health due September 18, 2023 2) Introduction to Ethics 2 due September 26, 2023 3) Introduction to Health Law due November 17, 2023 4) Consent due November 27, 2023 5) Confidentiality due November 28, 2023 6) Moral Theory and Clinical Practice due December 1, 2023 7) Public Health Ethics and Law due December 8, 2023 8) Research Ethics due December 14, 2023	17%
IPE Skills: Team Functioning	1) Content Quiz 2) Team Project Presentation* 3) Reflection*	NA NA 500-750 words	1) September 29, 2023 2) Presentation November 3, 2023 3) November 14, 2023	6%
Biostatistics	Written Assignment with short-answer questions	NA	November 15, 2023	7%
Epidemiology	Written Assignment with short-answer questions*	NA	December 4, 2023	9%
Lifelong Learning	Written Assignment*	600-1000 words	December 15, 2023	8%
Peer Assessment	Written Assignment*	400-600 words	November 28, 2023	4%
Introduction to Leadership Concepts module	Written Assignment*	400-500 words	October 17, 2023	2.5%
Project Management for Physicians module	Written Assignment*	400-500 words	October 30, 2023	2.5%
Total		60%

* A description and rubric for this assignment is available in Brightspace (D2L).

(b) The Research Project Block consists of the following components:

Component	Summative Assessment method	Length	Due Date	Contribution to final grade
Research Project Deliverable	Research Registration	NA	October 27, 2023	40%
	Literature Review submitted to supervisor and Brightspace (D2L)*	1500-2500 words	December 6, 2023
	Literature Review mark submitted by supervisor to UGME	NA	December 15, 2023
	Research Workshop	NA	December 15, 2023
Total		40%

 *A description and rubric for this assignment is available in Brightspace (D2L).

Mandatory Learning Sessions

Mandatory learning sessions are defined as sessions that require learners to attend in order to achieve the learning objectives. Sessions are designated mandatory if they meet one or more of the following criteria:

• Provide an introduction or overview of learner expectations for the MD program, phase or course;
• Involve application of clinical decision-making skills such as tutorials, case-based learning and laboratories; 
• Include an assessment component;
• Involve interactivity such as integrated learning sessions, interprofessional education sessions, guest speakers or patient volunteers; and/or
• Provide support and/or counseling to promote learner well-being and success.

Mandatory learning session	Date
Academic Integrity	As scheduled in Brightspace.
All Health Ethics Law and Medicine Sessions
All Integrated Learning Sessions
All Interprofessional Education Sessions (IPE Skills)
Financial Services: Debt Management
Financial Services: Insurance Planning
Infection Prevention and Control
Med CAREERS 1
MedCAREERS: Choosing the Right Career
MedCAREERS: Physician Shadowing
Research Workshop
Respectful Medical Education Learning Environment
Social Media

REASSESSMENT

• Reassessment will be required if a learner achieves a mark <70% on any summative assessment.
• Learners will be required to re-submit the assessment for the component they have failed addressing the inadequacies that have been identified.
• Assignments for reassessment must be submitted within two weeks after the learner is notified by the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) office. In circumstances where a learner has multiple reassessments due in the same two-week time frame, an extension of the deadline date can be made at the discretion of the Phase Lead.
• A learner may be reassessed for any failed assessment only once.
• The maximum mark for a reassessment is 70%.
• Learners who fail a reassessment will be required to meet with the Phase Lead or a delegate, and the learner well-being consultant if the learner so wishes, to support the learner’s academic needs.

LATE ASSIGNMENTS
 
If a learner is prevented from completing an assignment by the listed due date, they must follow the procedure outlined in the Undergraduate Medical Education Deferred Examination Policy and request a deferral of the assessment. Where possible, learners must make their request prior to the listed due date of the assignment. If a learner fails to submit a deferral request, any assignment submitted up to two days after the listed due date is considered late and the maximum mark the assignment can receive is 70%. Assignments which are submitted more than two days after the listed due date without a submitted deferral request, will not be accepted for grading unless extenuating circumstances exist and at the discretion of the Phase Lead. Learners are encouraged to seek support from the Learner Well-being Consultants, especially if circumstances arise which may impact a learner’s ability to complete assignments on time.

 

Version: June 13, 2023
Reviewed by SAS: May 24, 2023
Approved by UGMS: June 21, 2023