School of Medicine: Procedure for Evaluation of School Competencies and Enabling Competencies

Unit Procedure

Title

School of Medicine: Procedure for Evaluation of School Competencies and Enabling Competencies

Introduction

Purpose

This Procedure provides the schedules, timelines, and requirements for the review of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill ("UNC-Chapel Hill") School of Medicine’s (SOM) student competencies and enabling competencies for each education phase and for the overall education program.

Scope

This Procedure applies to SOM faculty, staff and associated phase and education committee members responsible for and participating in the evaluation and review initiatives for medical school student competencies, curriculum and programs.

Procedure

Cycles and Schedules by Phase and Program

Processes and procedures are specific to each phase and aspect of the education curriculum and are provided as follows:

Foundation Phase

1. Medical Science Courses: Each Medical Science course is evaluated approximately one (1) month after course completion at evaluation meetings which include phase, course and coil directors and other participants who provided support to the course. Results of the evaluation are reported to the Foundation Phase Committee at the next scheduled meeting following completion of the evaluation and then shared with the Education Committee.
2. Patient Centered Care Courses: PCC courses are evaluated at the end of each applicable semester. PCC 1 and PCC 3 courses are evaluated at the end of each fall semester and the PCC 2 course is evaluated at the end of each spring semester. Evaluation meetings occur within one (1) month after the completion of each course and include course and phase directors and other participants who provided support to the course. Evaluation results are reported to the Foundation Phase Committee at the next scheduled meeting following completion of the evaluation and then shared with the Education Committee.
3. Social and Health Systems Courses: SHS courses are evaluated at the end of each applicable semester. SHS 1 and SHS 3 courses are evaluated at the end of each fall semester and the SHS 2 course is evaluated at the end of each spring semester. Evaluation meetings occur within one (1) month after the completion of each course and include course and phase directors and other participants who provided support to the course. Evaluation results are reported to the Foundation Phase Committee at the next scheduled meeting following completion of the evaluation and then shared with  the Education Committee.
4. Foundation Phase Review: The Foundation Phase in its entirety is reviewed on an annual basis, using the SOM’s competencies and enabling competencies as the basis of evaluation. Foundation Phase Committee members use a variety of data sources, including course reviews, to assess efficacy and set goals. Once the Foundation Phase evaluation is complete, the Foundation Phase Directors share results with the Education Committee.

Application Phase

1. Trimester Check-Ins: Within one (1) month of the conclusion of each of Trimesters 1 and 2, course, phase and campus directors review key process and outcome measures to facilitate appropriate action to issues. This allows course, phase and campus directors to plan appropriate changes for the upcoming academic year since full review data is not available for the entirety of the Application Phase prior to the start of the next academic year.
2. Course Review: Within forty-five (45) days of the conclusion of the Application Phase, course, phase and campus directors  review each course. Evaluation results are reported at the next scheduled Application Phase Committee meeting following completion of the evaluation and then shared with  the Education Committee.
3. Application Phase Review: Within two (2) months of the conclusion of the Application Phase and after the completion of course reviews, all Application Phase Committee members evaluate the entire phase using a variety of data sources, including course reviews, to assess efficacy and set goals. Once the Application Phase evaluation is complete, the Application Phase Directors share results with the Education Committee.

Individualization Phase

1. Mid-Year Check-In: At approximately the seventh month of the Individualization Phase, course, phase and campus directors review key process and outcome measures to facilitate appropriate action to issues.
2. Course Review: Within two (2) months of the conclusion of the Individualization Phase, course and phase directors will review each course. Final reviews are shared with the Individualization Phase Committee, including campus directors, and then shared with the Education Committee.
3. Individualization Phase Review: Within three (3) months of the conclusion of the Individualization Phase and after all course reviews are complete, all Individualization Phase Committee members evaluate the entire phase using a variety of data sources, including course reviews, to assess efficacy and set goals. Once the Individualization Phase evaluation is complete, Individualization Phase Directors share results with the Education Committee.

Full Program Evaluation

In August and September of each year and after the completion of phase reviews, the Education Committee reviews the efficacy of the School of Medicine’s curriculum, using the School’s competencies and enabling competencies as the basis of evaluation. The Education Committee uses a variety of data sources, including course reviews, exam and OSCE results, standardized examination results (Shelf exams, Step 1, Step 2, etc.), and internal and AAMC survey results.

Support

Staff Support

Staff in the Office of Educational Effectiveness within the Office of Medical Student Education provide direct support to the evaluation and review processes and procedures described above by preparing reports based on course evaluation data and course results, prepopulating review forms and facilitating in-person meetings in accordance with phase and program evaluation schedules.

Report Storage

All completed course and phase review documents are posted to and retained in Canvas, the SOM’s learning management system, to be shared with committee members. 

Definitions

Foundation Phase: The first eighteen (18) months of the medical school curriculum comprised of:

• Nine (9) Medical Science courses (three per semester)
• Three (3) semesters of Patient Centered Care (PCC)
• Three (3) semesters of Social and Health Systems (SHS)

Application Phase: The 12-month phase of the medical school curriculum dedicated to core clinical experiences, beginning in March and ending in February of the following year consisting of:

• Three (3) clinical courses:
  • Care of Specific Populations
  • Community Based Longitudinal Care
  • Hospital, Interventional, and Surgical Care
• One (1) longitudinal course:
  • Social and Health Systems 4

Individualization Phase: The final fourteen (14) months of the medical school curriculum dedicated to the completion of graduation requirements and electives tailored to a student’s career interest, beginning in March and ending in May of the following year consisting of:

• Two (2) Acting Internships
• One (1) Critical Care Selective
• One (1) Advanced Clinical Selective
• Four (4) Electives
• Two (2) longitudinal courses:
  • Science of Medicine and Social and Health Systems 5
  • Transition to Residency (to be completed at the end of the phase)

Related Requirements

External Regulations

• Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) Functions and Standards of a Medical School
  • LCME Standard 6.1: Program and Learning Objectives
  • LCME Standard 8.1: Curricular Management
  • LCME Standard 8.3: Curricular Design, Review, Revision/Content Monitoring

Unit Policies, Standards, and Procedures

• SOM: Procedure for Evaluation of School Competencies and Enabling Competencies

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Name: Heather Tarantino, MD, Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs
Email: heather_tarantion@med.unc.edu