Offices of Medical Student Education: Policy on Monitoring Student Time during the Foundation Phase

Unit Policy

Title

Offices of Medical Student Education: Policy on Monitoring Student Time during the Foundation Phase 

Introduction

Purpose

This Policy establishes the hourly limit of scheduled and required educational activities in which a student can be engaged each week for all courses in the Foundation Phase of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“University”) School of Medicine’s (SOM) Medical Doctorate (MD) program.

Scope

This Policy applies to MD program students (“Students”) in the Foundation Phase and staff, faculty, and Deans in the Offices of Medical Student Education.

Policy

Policy Statement

In furtherance of its commitment to the wellbeing of its Students and ensuring patient safety, the SOM has established limits on the amount of hours Students may spend engaged in educational activities.

Students in the Foundation Phase are not permitted to exceed:

  1. Twenty-five (25) Scheduled Hours per week; or
  2. Thirty (30) Required Hours per week.

The Foundation Phase team (i.e., staff, course leaders, and Assistant Dean of Preclinical Curriculum) records and monitors weekly hours during Course and Phase Evaluations.

Required Hours do not include hours spent engaged in assigned readings, review of educational materials, or exam preparation.

Definitions

Course Evaluation: Systematic collection and review of Student feedback on a particular course.

Phase evaluation: Systematic collection, compilation, and review of data about a single phase of the MD degree program curriculum (e.g. Foundation Phase).

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)

Scheduled Hours: Hours spent engaged in the following:

  • Case Based Learning (CBL) sessions;
  • Peer-Accelerated Learning Sessions (PALS);
  • Other small groups;
  • Patient presentations;
  • Labs;
  • Dissections; and/or
  • Quizzes and Examinations.

Required Hours: Scheduled Hours as well as hours spent engaged in the following activities:

  • Simulations;
  • Pro-sections;
  • Hands on Point-of-Care Ultrasound (POCUS) training;
  • Required computer-based modules; and
  • Assigned group work.

Related Requirements

External Regulations

Contact Information

Primary Contact

Name: Kathleen Barnhouse, Associate Dean for Preclinical Curriculum

Email: Kathleen_barnhouse@med.unc.edu

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