Academic Policy Manual Part I (1st and 2nd Years)
Incomplete Grades, Single Course Failures, Multiple Course Failures

A department may report a grade of INC to the Office of Registration and Records prior to administration of the final examination for the course only in cases of documented illness or personal tragedy. This grade of INC must be approved by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in writing prior to submission of the INC grade to the Director of Registration and Records. Normally, within 30 working days (excluding holidays) from the day the INC grade is reported officially to the Registrar, the department must report to the Office of Registration and Records that a student has cleared a grade of INC. If a student in unable to complete the course requirements within two weeks or in accordance with an alternate plan approved by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, a grade of F will be reported by the department to the Registrar.

Single Course Failures

All students are required to pass or remediate all courses in the first year to be promoted to the second year, and all courses in the second year to be promoted to the third year and to be eligible to take USMLE Step 1.

A student for whom a final course grade of F has been reported to the Office of Registration and Records must remediate that failure by passing a single departmentally sponsored make-up examination prior to registration for the subsequent academic year. However, a student who has previously failed four major basic science courses will not be permitted to remediate additional course failures.

The single remediation examinations for each failed course will be scheduled by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs in consultation with the involved departments. Upon departmental recommendation, remedial work may be required for a student prior to the administration of the make-up examinations. First year course remediation exams will be scheduled during July following the first year and second year course remediation exams will be scheduled during June (third semester courses) or June to August (fourth semester courses).

A student who has failed a course may petition in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to take the single remediation examination within 30 working days of the end of the semester. Permission to take an early remediation examination will be granted only in rare or unusual circumstances and only with the written recommendation of the course director.

A student who initially fails a course will have a grade of F posted on his/her transcript. Successful remediation of that failing grade by means of a make-up examination will result in the conversion of the grade of F to a grade of P*. The passing grade so indicated by an asterisk will be posted on the student's official transcript accompanied by a brief explanation that the course was passed by remediation. It will not be permissible to register a grade of Honors, High Pass, Pass, Incomplete or Withdrawn for any course which a student initially fails and later remediates through a makeup examination.

Students who are authorized by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to receive an lNC grade in a basic science course due to documented illness or personal tragedy, and who did not take the final course examination, will be offered a single substitute final examination within 30 working days of the end of that semester before he/she will be promoted to the subsequent year.

A student who ends the academic year with a single unremediated course failure on his or her transcript and has not exceeded the Capstone limit of no more than four initial major course failures, will not be promoted to the next year of the curriculum. Upon written petition the student, will be permitted to repeat the single failed course. While this repeat will normally take place during the next academic year, the student may request or the Associate Dean may require that the student take a leave of absence or engage in remedial work prior to attempting to repeat the failed course.

A student who ends the academic year with a single unremediated course failure on his or her transcript, has other P* grades on his or her transcript, but has not exceeded the Capstone limit, will not be promoted to the next year of the curriculum. Upon written petition the student will be permitted to repeat the single course failed in one academic year. While this repeat will normally take place during the next academic year, the student may request or the Associate Dean may require that the student take a leave of absence or engage in remedial work prior to attempting to repeat the failed course. In addition, the student should expect to be required by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to audit courses for which a grade of P* was received, or in courses for which the student received a marginally passing grade within three points of failure.

Multiple Course Failures

All first and second year courses must be passed or successfully remediated in order for a student to be promoted to the subsequent year. In addition, there will be a limit (capstone) of no more than four of the following major courses which can be initially failed during the first and second years combined: Gross Anatomy, Histology, Biochemistry, Physiology, Neuroscience, Pathology, Immunology/Microbiology, Pharmacology, Organ Systems and Physical Diagnosis. All other first and second year courses, while not counted under this rule, must be passed or successfully remediated prior to promotion to the next year.

A student with four initial course failures in the above major courses, regardless of remediation outcome (F or P* grades), who then fails a fifth course will not be permitted additional remediation opportunities for any failed courses. Grades of INC will not be counted under this rule.

Students who end an academic year with more than one unremediated courses, or who have failed the same course for a second time, will be dismissed from the School of Medicine by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students who initially fail more than four of the major courses listed above will be automatically dismissed from the Stritch School of Medicine by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.