Narrative Assessment Policy

Purpose: To ensure students receive narrative assessment to help guide their academic progress.

The curriculum must provide students with opportunities to receive narrative assessments on their performance whenever the teacher-learner interaction permits this form of assessment. Narrative assessment should include comments about what a student has done well and what needs to be improved, citing specific observed behaviors whenever possible.

Elements of performance described in narrative assessment should be grounded in the Competencies Required of the Contemporary Physician and may include but are not limited to knowledge, behaviors, attitudes, and skills related to communication, professionalism, patient care, problem solving and critical thinking.

1. During the Phase 1, pre-clerkship curriculum: Students will receive summative narrative assessment in any course in which students have classroom and or laboratory sessions during which they spend four or more hours in a small group of 12 or fewer students with the same instructor. Additionally, course directors, thread leaders or session instructors may provide formative narrative assessment for a session in any course in which students are in a small group of 12 or fewer students with an instructor(s).

2. During the Phase 2, clerkship curriculum: Students will receive summative narrative assessment at the completion of all core clerkships.

3. During the Phase 3, post-clerkship curriculum: Students will receive summative narrative assessment in all clinically based required and elective courses, research electives, and classroom electives with 12 students or fewer.

The Curriculum Committee approves changes to this policy.

• Next scheduled update June 2027
• Revised and approved February 19, 2024
• Revised and approved February 14, 2022