to everyone starting clinicals next term...

[AmericanIMG]

dont forget we have weekly quizzes now as well. read your SMU email acct for more details.

[Junito]

There will be midterms too starting this September for core rotations...

[MedChe]

midterms? good grief!:shock:

[HeyMcfly]

Starting this coming semester (May-Aug)? Or do they start in the September semester? This is news to me. I swear I only get half of the emails sent out.

[UFTim]

Starting this coming semester (May-Aug)? Or do they start in the September semester? This is news to me. I swear I only get half of the emails sent out.

Supposedly, it's starting September.

[AmericanIMG]

coulda sworn May.

[Junito]

Midterm and quizzes become part of your grade in Sept. You have to do quizzes now (but it is not calculated into your grade). That is what I think was said in the last email. I no longer really keep up with these changes. Five months to go after this rotation...:cool:

[rynobuddy]

I thought too the actual grading begins in Sept. They are going to do experimental but not going to count. Therefore, do or dont do them does not really matter

[Junito]

How much will the preceptor grade be worth? 30+%? Will be interesting to see how these new changes will come into play.

[Jeep23Guy]

The email said that it will be rotations starting after September 1st. That should only be 1 for me, thank God.

[AmericanIMG]

ahh i found the email


Those of you who have completed an Internal Medicine rotation in the past year will be familiar with the weekly question format. This will be instituted for all core rotations over the next several months as an optional resource and to familiarize all students with this format. As you begin a SMU core rotation, your name will be added to the roster of that online course for access. The weekly quizzes consist of 5 questions that become available on Monday mornings at 8:00. After Saturday morning at 8:00 am EST, correct answers and rational become available. This provides students with an opportunity to log on, re-open their submission and review answers and explanations. Students will also have the opportunity to log into a 50 question midterm� exam. The results will be anonymous, but will provide insight as to progress achieved. A number of these exams will be available between now and this coming September.

Come September, several changes will be implemented:

1) The questions that have been optional up until this time will become mandatory for all students starting a core rotation after September 1st.
2) Mid-term examinations will also be implemented, no longer anonymous. These will be timed exams consisting of 50 questions to be completed in 1 hour.
3) In addition, we are evaluating the current log books to see how they can be improved to track student experiences more completely.
4) Also, as of September 1st, 2007, a new grading policy will take effect for all Core Rotations:

a. Logs 10%
b. Quizzes 5%
c. Mid-terms 20%
d. Shelf 30%
e. Local Evaluations 35%

[AmericanIMG]

what i personally don't like is the quizzes/midterm. people learn different things on different rotations, how are you expected to know all the info halfway through the term?

[rynobuddy]

Agree with above poster. For example, let's say on the OB.GYNE rotation you start out in the OB portion and the quizzes and midterm is on the GYNE part? Just a hypothetical scenario, bUt I guess the trial will have to fail first before they change it again

[AmericanIMG]

Agree with above poster. For example, let's say on the OB.GYNE rotation you start out in the OB portion and the quizzes and midterm is on the GYNE part? Just a hypothetical scenario, bUt I guess the trial will have to fail first before they change it again

hey ryno i just saw a like 2yr old post of yours. how much time has changed eh?

[Kronos]

Seeing the new grade breakdown, and hearing the two SMU reps at the NY meeting last month, I am just amazed at how arbitrary, senseless and out of touch these folks are with the daily and monthly grind of rotations.

Do they not realize that they are using us as guinea pigs to test out a half-arsed grading scheme that is only going to result in a vast number of Pass and High Passes for SMU students while the Rossies and AUC'ers sail through Surgery and Medicine with 95's for much less effort that we put in and with less hoops to jump through. The Shelf was silly enough but the new midterms and finals must be a joke, right?

Sigh... at least I will be done with Cores... for the new third years, good luck.

[Junito]

I wasn't at the clinical meeting, but I totally agree with you. I don't see how they can administer a test in the middle of the rotation when people will have covered different topics and some may not even have covered some topics on the exam. Well the new batch of 3rd year students will get used to this format, thankfully this policy comes into effect in September and not when I was doing my cores.