Background

In collaboration with the Office of Medical Student Education, the Office of Student Affairs, and the Office of the Registrar and charged by the Academic Affairs Committee, the Committee for Academic Promotion (CAP) reviews the recommendations of the Competency Attainment Committee (CAC) and the Clerkship Competency Committees (CCCs) and renders final decisions regarding student advancement and graduation. This policy is in line with LCME element 9.9: Student Advancement and Appeals Process.

Policy 

Students for whom this policy applies include students enrolled in any phase of the Gateway Curriculum and students enrolled in dual and joint degree programs currently participating in the Gateway Curriculum.

The CAP is charged with the ratification of all competency decisions, promotion recommendations, and competency committee recommendations for inclusion of information in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) letter which include the following: 

1. Not competent/competent/competent with distinction (where applicable) 
2. Promotion, with or without ongoing remediation
3. Remediation without promotion
4. Dismissal or other sanctions, including but not limited to probation or suspension, which may occur throughout the enrollment of a student
5. Recommendation to Executive Faculty those students who have successfully completed all prescribed requirements of the school and are qualified to receive the Doctor of Medicine degree 

Students will be notified of competency decisions and promotion recommendations 10 days prior to the CAP meeting in which those recommendations will be discussed in order to support a student’s ability to present themselves at the CAP, in person or in writing, to be heard on any of the following:

• Decisions of competency without distinction   
• Recommendation for an adverse outcome (remediation without promotion, sanctions, or dismissal)

In the case of decisions of competency without distinction, student presentation before the CAP constitutes a formal appeal of that decision. In the case of recommendations for adverse outcomes, any student presentation prior to CAP ratification is not considered a formal appeal.

Following the review and consideration of the competency committee’s evidence and the student’s information, when appropriate as described above, the CAP will take one of the following actions: 

• Ratify and uphold the competency decision and promotion recommendation 
• Remand back to the competency committee for further review 
• Overturn the decision of the competency committee if the CAP perceives an inability for the original committee to make an unbiased recommendation

Students may formally appeal decisions of the CAP that impact their ability to progress through the standard curriculum (remediation without promotion, suspension, or dismissal). Appeals begin with the completion of a designated Qualtrics^XM form which must be completed within seven (7) calendar days of notification with the full appeal documentation to be filed within fourteen (14) calendar days of the original notification. Further details for appeal procedures can be found in the Formal Appeal Procedures for Competency Attainment and Promotion Decisions.

The scope of all appeals shall be limited to (i) bias and/or failure to follow the standard processes used for reviewing evidence and competency determination that materially affected the outcome; and/or (ii) new information or evidence exists that was not reasonably available at the time of the decision and that could affect the outcome of the decision.

Decisions will be communicated with additional School of Medicine leadership and offices as appropriate to the circumstances. All decisions will be recorded by the Registrar, including decisions as to whether information will be included within the MSPE.

The responsibility for maintaining and overseeing this policy lies with the Committee on the Oversight of Medical Student Education.

Last approved on April 7, 2025

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