MED 7710 Patient III
Phase 3, Class of 2026
2023-2024

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 7710 Patient III.

The Patient III course has learners build on their knowledge obtained from the themes presented in Phase I and II and encounter new themes with both horizontal and vertical integration of physician competencies, clinical skills and basic and clinical sciences as they relate to common clinical encounters and patient symptoms.

Learners will learn in the context of a person as part of a family in a community. Learners will begin to examine their future roles as professionals in our health care system.

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

• Pass at least 9 of the 10 written examinations,
• Achieve an average mark of  ≥70 based on the weighted final marks across the 10 examinations and the Palliative Care group assignment,
• Complete and submit all assignments and assessments by the 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 or missed mandatory sessions without proper deferral process, lapses in professionalism, recurrent reassessment exams.
• As outlined in Section 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.  Formative assessment will consist of weekly online quizzes. Learners are also expected to review and learn from their performance on the summative assessments that occur throughout the course. The process for review of summative examinations is detailed in Section H.2 of the Summative Assessment Procedure for Phases 1-3.

Summative assessments include ten online written multiple-choice question (MCQ) examinations, following each of the course themes and one Palliative Care group assignment. 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 from each summative assessment towards the final course grade is as follows:

Examination 1: Weakness and Abnormal Movements	11%
Examination 2: Cognitive Impairment and Mood Disturbances	8%
Examination 3: Hormones and Blood Disorders	12%
Examination 4: Pregnancy, Delivery and Newborns	10%
Examination 5: Genetic Disorders, Growth and Development	11%
Examination 6: Pelvic Pain and Masses	9%
Examination 7: Syncope and Chest Pain	10%
Examination 8: Renal Failure and Diabetes	8%
Examination 9: Trauma and Emergencies	9%
Examination 10: Lymphadenopathy, Splenomegaly and Cancer/Care of the Elderly/Pain Management	9%
Palliative Care group assignment	3%
Total	100%

The final grade and overall course mark will be compiled at the end of the Phase. If the Burr method is used to determine the pass mark for a summative examination, the percent-correct score for each learner will be converted to a scaled score. For the scaled score, the pass mark as determined by the Burr method is set to 70 and percent-correct scores are converted using linear transformation. Scaled scores will then be used to calculate the overall course mark.
 
(a) Summative written examinations occur on the dates listed below. Learners may refer to the schedule on Brightspace regarding the instructional hours in each theme.

Block		Exam date	Reassessment date
Examination 1: Weakness and Abnormal Movements		September 25, 2023	October 5, 2023
Examination 2: Cognitive Impairment and Mood Disturbances		October 16, 2023	October 26, 2023
Examination 3: Hormones and Blood Disorders		November 9, 2023	November 23, 2023
Examination 4: Pregnancy, Delivery and Newborns		December 15, 2023	January 4, 2024
Examination 5: Genetic Disorders, Growth and Development		January 29, 2024	February 8, 2024
Examination 6: Pelvic Pain and Masses		February 15, 2024	February 29, 2024
Examination 7: Syncope and Chest Pain		March 4, 2024	March 14, 2024
Examination 8: Renal Failure and Diabetes		March 25, 2024	April 8, 2024
Examination 9: Trauma and Emergencies		April 19, 2024	May 2, 2024
Examination 10: Lymphadenopathy, Splenomegaly and Cancer/Care of the Elderly/ Pain Management		May 10, 2024	May 23, 2024 (1/2 class) June 6, 2024 (1/2 class)

Learners achieving a percent-correct score of 70% or higher on a written summative examination will receive a pass. If one or more learners achieve a percent-correct score of less than 70% on a summative written examination, the pass mark for the examination will be determined using the Burr method¹. Using this approach, the upper limit of the pass mark is set to the median percent-correct score of the class minus 10%, or 70%, whichever is lower. The pass mark is identified by applying this upper limit to the cumulative frequency curve of the achieved percent-correct scores of the class.

(b) Palliative Care Group Assignment

The Palliative Care sessions will be assessed with one written group assignment. Learners will work in groups to discuss case studies and write-up their reflections. The mark assigned to the group for the assignment will be applied to each learner in the group. The assignment will be graded on a pass/fail basis. Details and the assessment rubric will be available on Brightspace (D2L).

The assignment is 1000-1200 words in length.
Due date: May 24, 2024

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
Abdominal Pain Tutorial	As scheduled in Brightspace.
Abnormal ECG Arrhythmia Tutorial
Abnormal ECG ECK Ischemic Heart Disease Tutorial
Acute Kidney Injury Tutorial
Approach to Anemia Tutorial
Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment
Cytogenetics Tutorial
Diabetes Tutorial
Diabetes Workshop
Hematologic Neoplasia 2
Hematologic Neoplasia 3
Hypertension Tutorial
Integration of Genetic Concepts 1
Integration of Genetic Concepts 2
Lipid Disorder Tutorial
Living with Genetic Diseases Tutorial
Mood Disorder Tutorial
Myocardial Infarction Tutorial
Nervous System Histology Lab
Placenta and Fetal Membranes Lab
Pedigree Analysis and Construction Tutorial
Pericardial Disease and Chest Pain Tutorial
Physiology of BF Tutorial and Demo
Pituitary and Adrenal Tutorial
Pituitary, Head and Neck Tutorial Histology
Psychotic and Anxiety Disorder Tutorial
Renal Problem Based Tutorial 1
Renal Problem Based Tutorial 2
Renal Problem Based Tutorial 3
Renal Problem Based Tutorial 4
Seizure Tutorial
Stroke Tutorial
Symptom Management Tutorial
Syncope Tutorial
Thyroid and Parathyroid Tutorial
Thyroid Disease Tutorial
Upper GI Bleeding Tutorial
Vision Lab

REASSESSMENT

• Reassessment will be required if a learner achieves a mark <70% or, if applicable, less than the pass mark on any one of the ten written summative examinations or other summative assessment.
• For the summative examinations, reassessment consists of a reassessment MCQ examination.
• For the written assignment, learners will be required to resubmit the assessment for the component they have failed addressing the inadequacies that have been identified.
• Learners with recurrent reassessments or 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.
• Learners who achieve less than 70% on two or more summative examinations will be will be notified and provided with academic success resources. The learner may meet with the Phase Lead or a delegate, and the Learner Well-being Consultant if the learner so wished, to further support the learner’s academic needs.
• A learner may be reassessed for any failed assessment only once.
• The maximum mark for a reassessment is 70% or, if applicable, the Burr pass mark in the case of the written summative examinations.

 
LATE ASSIGNMENTS
 
Learners may defer examinations with prior approval from the Phase Lead through the deferred examination and assessment procedure. The Summative Assessment Procedure for Phases 1-3 states “Learners seeking to defer a summative MCQ examination or other assessment must follow the Undergraduate Medical Education Deferred Examination Policy.”

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 9, 2023
Reviewed by SAS: May 24, 2023
Approved by UGMS: June 21, 2023