School of Medicine: Policy on Foundation Phase Committee Structure and Function

Unit Policy

Title

School of Medicine: Policy on Foundation Phase Committee Structure and Function

Introduction

Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to establish the charge, composition, and voting privileges of the Foundation Phase Committee.

Scope

This Policy is applicable to University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (“University”) School of Medicine (SOM) faculty, staff and associated phase and education committee members responsible for and participating in review and evaluation initiatives for the Foundation Phase of the Medical Doctorate student curriculum and programs. 

Policy

Policy Statement

The charge of the Foundation Phase Committee is to monitor, evaluate, and modify operations and policies for the Foundation Phase to achieve school-established competencies. The Co- Directors of the Foundation Phase lead the Foundation Phase Committee. The Foundation Phase Committee is comprised of voting and non-voting members listed below.

If a committee member holds two positions with voting privileges, the committee member can only vote once.

Voting Members include:

1. Phase Co-Directors (n = 2)
2. Course Co-Directors (n = up to 22)
3. Coil Directors (n = 10)
4. Student Representatives (Student Government Foundation Phase officers, n = 2))
5. Medical Sciences Directors (n = 2)

Ex-Officio Non-Voting Members:

1. Vice Dean for Academic Affairs
2. Senior Associate Dean for Medical Student Education
3. Associate and Assistant Deans for Curriculum
4. Associate and Assistant Deans for Student Affairs
5. Associate Dean for Admissions
6. Administration Leadership and Staff (e.g., Senior Director for Medical Student Education, Senior Director of Student Affairs, Senior Director of Curricular Affairs, and Director of the Clinical Skills Center)
7. Departmental Educational Leads
8. Course Coordinators
9. Application Phase Co-Directors
10. Individualization Phase Co-Directors

Definitions 

Quorum: A quorum is defined as fifty percent (50) plus one (1) of the Committee. If a Committee Member holds two positions with voting privileges, the Committee Member can only vote once on an issue. 

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)  

Related Requirements

External Regulations 

• LCME Standard 2.6: Functional Integration of the Faculty
• LCME Standard 4.6: Responsibilities of Education Program Policies

Contact Information

Primary Contact 

Name:  Heather Tarantino, Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs 

Email: Heather_Tarantino@med.unc.edu  

Other Contacts  

Name: Kathleen Barnhouse, Assistant Dean of Curriculum 

Email: Kathleen_Barnhouse@med.unc.edu