Class Rank

Class rank is determined by calculating a weighted percent average. For example, the percent score for each course is multiplied by the number of credit hours to arrive at a multiple. Multiples for each course are first added and then divided by the total number of credit hours to arrive at a weighted percent average for all courses.

Transcripts & Permanent Grades

Students receive a grade of Pass or Fail and a percent score in each non elective course. Final letter grades are permanently posted on official transcripts.

Remediation

• The grade of R (Remediation required) is filed for internal use only. It does not appear on the official transcript.
  
• After remediation of a course giving a percent grade, a final grade of Pass (and the minimum passing percent of 70) or Fail are posted on the transcript.
  
• After remediation of a Year 4 elective, a final grade of Pass or Fail is posted on the transcript.
  
• Unremediated R grades default to F, or Fail, after the prescribed remediation period.

Incomplete

• The grade I (Incomplete) is posted on the transcript until it is replaced by a permanent grade. Incomplete grades default to F or Fail at the end of the academic year unless otherwise arranged.

Interim

• Interim grades are filed for internal use only. They do not appear on the transcript.

Fail

• All final F, or Fail, grades are permanently posted on the official transcript. When the student retakes the courses and passes, the transcript will be adjusted in the following ways:
  • Course repeated at WSU Boonshoft SOM: The original F is labeled "Course Repeated."
    
  • LCME-approved makeup courses: Typically, these are abbreviated Biennium I summer courses, often taken at another school. The original F is labeled "Course Repeated." The new grade is entered as P (Pass) and labeled "Equivalent course."
    
  • Year repeated: The original F is labeled "Year repeated."

Absences

Leaves of Absence (LOA)

A leave of absence may be granted for academic, personal, or health reasons. Requests for a leave of absence must be submitted in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. In most cases, leaves do not exceed one year.

The academic leave of absence are available is granted to students in good academic standing pursuing research or related scholarly activity. A leave of absence in excess of one year requires the approval of the Student Promotions Committee.

The medical leave of absence is granted to enable a student to seek treatment for a health-related condition that interferes with the student's ability to participate in the educational program. If you anticipate an absence of 10 days or more, you must request a medical leave of absence and submit a letter from your physician. Students will be required to provide documentation from a health care provider indicating that the condition has been successfully treated and/or managed before returning to school. The school may require an independent clinical evaluation to determine a student's physical or mental health status before returning.

The personal leave of absence is granted to enable students to take time off, in special circumstances, for reasons unrelated to health or academics.

Students with academic problems requesting a medical or personal leave of absence will be reviewed by the Student Promotions Committee at the next scheduled meeting to determine the student's academic status at the time of re-entry.

Year-3 Clerkships

Clerkships provide both education and supervised experiences in a variety of medical specialties. For this to occur, you must attend all scheduled activities during each clerkship. Because you are a professional in training, you are expected to conduct yourself professionally at all times.

Absences from a scheduled clerkship activity due to personal illness or a family crisis will be handled individually by your clerkship director or his/her designee. You are responsible for notifying your preceptor and the specific clerkship office immediately of your reason for absence. If the absence exceeds two days, you must (a) submit a statement from your physician and (b) speak directly to the clerkship director (or designee) to arrange to make up the lost time.

Absences for any other reason (e.g., a conference or to attend a family function) will be considered unexcused, unless written approval is received from the clerkship director at least 30 days prior to the event causing the absence. In any case, you must make up all time lost. An unexcused absence will be reflected unfavorably on your written record and may adversely affect your clerkship grade. Until the time missed is made up, your grade will be recorded as an Incomplete.

For official holidays, follow the holiday schedule of the hospital, clinic, or practitioner's office to which you are assigned unless specifically instructed otherwise by the clerkship director.

Year-4 Clerkships & Electives

Absences from scheduled elective rotations occur occasionally. When those absences happen, inform the elective director or their designee at least one month in advance for scheduled absences, or at the time of unanticipated absences. If the absence is health-related and exceeds two days, you should obtain a written statement from your physician.

We recommend that you miss no more than 10 percent of your scheduled rotation time. However, we leave the final decision regarding the number of allowable absences to the elective director. You are allotted two months of vacation time during Year 4. Interviewing for residency positions should occur during this time off.

If the elective director feels that too much time has been missed to successfully complete the rotation, you will receive an Incomplete for your grade. Makeup time will be arranged with the elective director.

Follow the holiday schedule as instructed by the elective director when those days arise during the elective period.

Inclement Weather

Since faculty, staff, and medical students all provide health care services, they may need to work in an emergency weather situation. The School of Medicine conforms to the university policy on emergency school closings and inclement weather. Students, faculty, and staff should pay particular attention to public announcements (radio and television) which will attempt to clearly differentiate between the School of Medicine and other parts of the university. The university may close for a specified period of time if travel is so hazardous that it jeopardizes safety.

If ever the procedure to be followed cannot be communicated by a public announcement, the School of Medicine will activate its own internal network. Note this rule of thumb:

• If opening the university is delayed, first- and second-year classes — both on-campus and off campus — will be canceled until the announced opening time. At that point the remaining academic schedule for the day will be followed at the normally designated locations and times.
  
• Third- and fourth-year students, as well as house officers, normally will be assigned to a hospital and will be directly involved in health care delivery. Each student must make his or her own decision in a weather emergency.
  
• If the university is closed, first- and second-year classes will be canceled. However, students involved in providing health services normally will be expected to report to their assigned location depending upon their personal circumstances.

Religious Observances

Since many religious observances occur on days not designated as university holidays, the faculty and administration shall be flexible in accommodating the religious observances of students, faculty and staff. Any student who wishes to observe religious holidays that are not designated as university holidays, shall be excused from any examination, study or other academic requirement for that day.

It is the responsibility of those students who wish to be absent to make arrangements in advance by contacting the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in Years 1 and 2 and the clerkship director in Years 3 and 4. Faculty members who will be absent from class because of religious observance will inform the students and department chair/dean in advance. Staff members will notify their immediate supervisor.

The faculty and staff should be sensitive to the religious observances of students, so that students who absent themselves from class on these days are not disadvantaged. It is the responsibility of the faculty and administration to make available to each student who is absent from school, because of his or her religious beliefs, an equitable opportunity to make up examinations, or other academic requirements.

The faculty and administration will make every effort to not schedule examinations on days of religious observance which have commonly created conflict for students, faculty and staff such as Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Eid-al-fitr, and Good Friday.

Transfer

Applications for Transfer or Advanced Standing

Wright State accepts transfer/advanced standing applicants into the third year class. Generally, applicants are not considered for transfer/advanced standing into the first, second, or fourth year classes. To be considered for transfer into the third year, the applicant must:

• be currently enrolled in a Liaison Committee on Medical Education (leading to the M.D. degree) or American Osteopathic Association (leading to the D. O. degree) accredited school;
  
• be a citizen or permanent resident of the U.S. or have an I-94 Form showing asylum or refugee status; and
  
• have passed the USMLE Step 1 exam prior to matriculation.

Transfer/advanced standing applications are considered on a space-available basis. In some years, no applications are considered. Transfer/advanced standing applicants must demonstrate compelling circumstances as one of the reasons for requesting to transfer. Transfer/advanced standing applications must be accompanied by:

• an official transcript; and
  
• preferably, a letter of recommendation from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the applicant's home school. (Applicants who prefer not to request a letter from their Associate Dean may substitute a letter of recommendation from a faculty member of their school.)

Interviews are by invitation. Candidates selected for interviews will be interviewed separately by two Admission Committee members. Normally, interviews are about 45 minutes in length. Committee members approach interviews as opportunities to become personally acquainted with applicants and to clarify written applications. Areas evaluated in the interview include dedication to human concerns, communication skills, maturity, motivation, academic performance, and compatibility with the goals of the school. The Admissions Committee in evaluating candidates considers the following factors:

• undergraduate school(s) attended and degree(s),
  
• medical/osteopathic school G.P.A. and trend,
  
• MCAT scores,
  
• honors and awards for achievement,
  
• research experience(s),
  
• letters of recommendation,
  
• extracurricular activities, and
  
• volunteer experiences.

The timetable for consideration of transfer/advanced standing applications is as follows:

May 15th — applications are sent out, providing space is available
June 1st — applications are due
June 15th — medical/osteopathic school transcript and letters of recommendation are due

The third year at Wright State begins in late July or early August. Accepted transfer/advanced standing applicants are expected to complete all third year, fourth year, and graduation requirements. The starting date for accepted transfer applicants will be determined through discussion with the applicant and included as a condition in a written offer of acceptance. Accepted applicants must commit to Wright State in writing within a specified period of time or the offer of transfer/advanced standing acceptance is invalidated.

Accepted transfer/advanced standing applicants who cannot begin clerkships at Wright State at the start of the third year may need to complete a clerkship at their home institution before matriculating at Wright State. The transfer applicant may request transfer credit for comparable clerkships completed at their home school. Such requests should be made in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs/Admissions and should be accompanied by a course syllabus and transcript showing the grade received. The respective Wright State clerkship director will make the determination to grant or not grant credit.

Transfer to Other Medical Schools

Wright State students who wish to transfer to another medical schools may request transcripts from Wright State and letters of evaluation from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs/Admissions. Wright State students who accept transfer offers from other schools are expected to submit written letters of resignation to the Associate Dean.