Background

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) element 9.8 requires that all final grades be recorded and available to students within 6 weeks of the end of a course, clerkship, and phase. At Washington University School of Medicine (WUSM), final grades are defined as the competent/not competent and the credit/no credit decisions made at the end of every course, clerkship, and phase. The Gateway Curriculum of WUSM is a competency-based curriculum in which students do not receive tiered grades. Summative decisions regarding competency are made at the level of each phase and, in Phase 2, each clerkship in patient care only. Decisions of course credit, which are based on the completion of required elements in a course, are made at the completion of each course in Phases 1 and 3. The purpose of this policy is to ensure that no summative assessment or course credit decision is delayed beyond 6 weeks from the end of or final requirement due date for any course, clerkship, and phase as mandated by our accrediting body.

Policies

• The Medical School Registrar is responsible for monitoring and reporting that all competency or credit decisions for WUSM courses, clerkships, and phases are submitted and available to students within 6 weeks of the end of the course, clerkship, and phase.
• Failure to submit 100% of decisions within this 6-week period will result in corrective action(s) as appropriate.  

Guidelines

• Communication: The expectations for the return of competency and credit decisions should be shared with course, clerkship, and Competency Attainment Committee (CAC) members at least annually. All course and clerkship directors and the CAC should be encouraged to create a streamlined process for the completion and integration of student assessments in order to meet submission deadlines.

Last approved on January 9, 2023

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