Student Curriculum Committee

The Vanderbilt Medical School faculty value students' perspectives on their education, and they invite students to take an active role in shaping the VMS curriculum. The Student Curriculum Committee is the official body through which medical students can provide feedback to course instructors, voice opinions about their medical education, and effect changes to the VMS curriculum.

Role of the Committee

This Committee, composed of elected representatives from each class, meets initially in September, elects its own Chairperson, determines which students will coordinate the review of each required and elective course, reviews the procedures to be followed, etc. It should be noted that, in addition to course review, this group serves as one of several "student sounding boards" for input to the Dean and his Staff. Although there are designated Faculty Advisers, the group functions largely in an autonomous fashion.

Course Evaluation Procedure

Review of previous evaluations

Each student is then expected to familiarize him/herself with prior evaluations of the course(s) to which he/she has been assigned. The purpose is to identify past issues and concerns, prior recommendations for change, outcome, etc.

Meeting with Course Director to formulate questions

Each student is then expected to sit down together with the appropriate Course Director(s) in order to establish common goals and identify questions that either of them may wish to pursue about the given course. For example, a Course Director may want to introduce into the questionnaire a series of inquiries concerning a new component of the course such as a series of small group discussions, a new lab exercise, use of web-based instruction, etc.

Prepare questionnaire, distribute, collect, and collate responses

At the conclusion of the course and with the provision of appropriate clerical and technical assistance, each student must then pursue the detailed leg work involved in actually getting the evaluation done. Considerable emphasis is placed on maximal response rates.

Prepare unedited summary of Course Evaluation

The initial task is to summarize objectively the findings. Use of scantron techniques permit compilation of the quantitative responses, but considerable energy is devoted to accurate summation of the more subjective responses (which often include the most useful feedback). The unedited version will include objective reference not only to constructive criticism, but also to the occasional negative and sometimes personal commentary.

Development of an edited version

The student course reviewer and more experienced peers (usually including the Chairperson of the Student Curriculum Committee) then develop an edited version of the evaluation report. The distinction between the edited and the unedited versions lies principally in deleting personalized comments that might be inappropriate for general publication.

Submit both versions for administrative review

Both versions are then reviewed carefully by the Chair of the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee. The purpose is to assure accuracy and proper editing.

Distribution

Both versions are sent to the Course Director and the Department Chair. The Course Director is required to provide a formal, written response to the student evaluation, noting those items with which he/she agrees and thereby plans some specific change, and those items with which he/she disagrees and the reasons therefor. It is also expected that the Course Director's response will indicate the specific learning objectives of this particular iteration of the course.

Undergraduate Medical Education Committee (UMEC) course reviewer

Each member of the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee serves as the liaison to two or three courses. As soon as all the materials are available, the edited student evaluation + Course objectives + Course Director's response are then sent to the appropriate UMEC course reviewer.

Summary

The UMEC reviewer, after careful consideration of all the above materials, will then prepare a written summary which shall include minimally the highlights of the student evaluation (both positive and negative), the gist of the Course Director's response, and any other thoughts or comments the reviewer may wish to add, e.g. drawing attention to repetitive themes from prior years, etc.

Edited student evaluation + Course objectives + Course Director's response + UMEC reviewer's summary are then sent to all members of the Undergraduate Medical Education Committee at least one week in advance of the next regular meeting. Each member is expected to read the material thoughtfully and come prepared to discuss it.

With both the Course Director and the student reviewer as participants, the UMEC as a whole then addresses the evaluation of the course. Problems, issues, trends, need for change, etc. are articulated, and any specific Committee actions and recommendations are formulated.

UMEC reviewer then summarizes the discussion and recommendations and appends them to the written summary.

At the next regularly scheduled meeting of the Committee, the completed summary is returned to the UMEC for final approval.

All materials are then forwarded to the Dean.

The Vanderbilt University School of Medicine is accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).