Evaluations
Evaluation Process
The grading system for the OB Gyn Clerkship is as follows:
- 1/4 - written examination
- 1/4 - faculty administered oral examination
- 1/2 - determined by your performance according to the resident staff and faculty evaluation.
For all clerkships:
Beginning with the 2006-2007 academic year, all students will receive only a grade of Pass or Fail on their transcript. You should evaluate each student based on the actual individual descriptors, with "average" performance being marked around the middle for that category and marks on either side of “average” should reserved for the “exceptional” or “inadequate” performances in a particular category. This will distribute our students' along their true continuum of performance and these raw scores will be retained in the SOM database for ranking in the Dean’s letter. You should inform the clerkship director if there are any students who you rank in the 1st or 2nd column on the evaluation form.
The residents, fellows, and faculty will evaluate the students’ clinical performance using the E*Value system, based on the evaluation form approved by the School of Medicine (SOM). Professionalism issues and work ethic such as conference attendance, punctuality, active participation in patient care, knowledge base, ability to work well in a team setting, etc, are all important in the final grade analysis.
The OB/GYN Student Education Committee will review each student’s performance on the written examination, oral examination, and clinical evaluations prior to the release of student grades. This committee will formulate decisions concerning borderline or failing performance.
University of Alabama School of Medicine Policies
Clinical Evaluation
Evaluations by residents, fellows, and faculty are summarized and compiled by Dr. James Jackson in the UA SOM 1-2 weeks after completion of the clerkship. These evaluations are entered into the UA School of Medicine database, which then converts the letter grades into numerical grades, and weights the grade based on the time spent on each clinical rotation (50% on OB, 25% on each of the Gynecology services).
Oral Examination
During the last week of the course, each student is expected to pass a 30-minute oral exam given by one of the faculty members. This exam is designed to assess the student's knowledge base and ability to articulate appropriate decisions in patient management. From a series of patient care scenarios, each student will be given one obstetric, one gynecologic and one wild card case to discuss. The wild card case will be oncology, endocrine or high risk obstetrics.
Written Examination
A written exam will be given the last Friday of the course. This test will be a National Board of Medical Examiners Subject exam. The passing score is determined yearly, based on the UASOM and NBME data base (mean score and standard deviation from the past 3 years). Failure to pass this NBME Subject exam will require re-take within 12 weeks of the original exam date, pending approval by the School of Medicine.
Mid-Clerkship Evaluation
Students must have the mid-evaluation form completed by an intern/ resident/faculty member who has had adequate contact with the student during the 1st four weeks of the rotation.
Students should solicit honest feedback and specifically ask about areas where they might work on. The mid-clerkship evaluation will not be a part of the students grade but aims to identify areas where they could improve during the 2nd half of the clerkship.
The form must be returned to Jackie Nuckols in the clerkship office within 1 week after it has been completed and signed by both evaluator and the student.
Get Adobe Acrobat
Evaluation Form
Student Peer Evaluation
During your medical education and career, you will be expected to frequently evaluate others including peers. This is not an easy activity and requires practice. At the end of the block each student will be given evaluation forms for each of the other students on his/her team. This must be returned to Ms. Nuckols before you are considered to have completed that portion of the clerkship.
The evaluations of a given student will then be transcribed removing all identifiers and will be given to the student. These WILL NOT be used for clerkship grading. These are to provide each of you with the experience of providing a constructive evaluation, as well as to get a candid evaluation from your peers (a group that may know you the best).
Overall Clerkship Evaluations and Clerkship Individual Faculty, Resident, and Intern Evaluations
We earnestly solicit honest feedback from the medical students and use this feedback to improve students' educational and clinical experiences . Therefore completion of these evaluations on the E*Value System are required prior to receiving a grade for the clerkship.
Evaluations of residents, fellows, faculty, clinical rotations, and the clerkship are programmed into the system based on the student's individual rotations and these evaluations are summarized and compiled by Dr. James Jackson in the UASOM one month after completion of the clerkship and sent to the Clerkship director. If you did not spend sufficient time with the individual that you are asked to evaluate, the E*Value system gives you the option to "Suspend" the evaluation for that individual.