XII.    SATISFACTORY ACADEMIC PROGRESS

A. PURPOSE

To establish rules and regulations governing satisfactory academic progress for Robert Wood Johnson Medical School students. Sound academic principles require that students maintain satisfactory academic progress.  In addition, federal regulations require the school to establish standards for students who are awarded federal financial aid that are at least as strict as the standards that apply to students who have not received federal assistance.  In addition, the policy provides consistent application of standards to all students.

B. ACCOUNTABILITY

Under the direction of the Dean, the Deans for Student Affairs, the Registrar and the Financial Aid Office shall implement and ensure compliance with this policy.

C. APPLICABILITY

This policy shall apply to all matriculating students whether they are aid recipients or not.  The Deans for Student Affairs shall review each student’s progress annually, in the month of July for M1 and M2 students and in the month of June for M3 students.

D. STANDARDS

Standards for SAP are established by the Academic Standing Committee based upon the Academic Rules and Regulations. Occasionally, revisions are made in the Academic Rules and Regulations and these revised rules supersede all others, and are applicable to all classes immediately.

1. Qualitative Standard: Students are required to earn a grade of Pass in preclerkship blocks, and a grade of Pass, High Pass or Honors in clinical courses in order to successfully complete a course.

Grading System:

A. Pre-clerkship Curriculum

Pass- P
Conditional Pass- CP
Fail- F
Audit- AUD
Withdrawal-W
Withdrawal (in Academic Difficulty)- WF
Advanced Standing- ADV
Not for Credit- NC

B. Clinical Curriculum

Honors- 4
High Pass- 3
Pass-2
Conditional Pass- 1
Fail- 0
Audit- AUD
Withdrawal- W
Withdrawal (in Academic Difficulty)- WF
Advanced Standing- ADV
Not for Credit- NC

For purposes of calculation, grades of WF and initial grades of CP are equivalent to one-half of an initial grade of Fail. In addition, a CP which converts to a Fail is equivalent to an initial grade of Fail.

Students will be considered to not be making Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) if any of the following circumstances apply:

1.  Student does not receive a grade of Pass or better on a reduced academic load.
2.  When repeating a previously failed block or course or repeating a block or course to fulfill a requirement of the Academic Standing Committee or the Dean, student did not receive a grade of Pass or better. Transfer credits are not applicable to SAP review.
3. Student receives two or more initial grades of Fail, three or more initial grades of CP, or one initial grade of Fail and one initial grade of CP (irrespective of remediation) in blocks of the first year curriculum.
4.  Student receives one or more initial grades of Fail or two or more initial grades of CP (irrespective of remediation) in blocks of the second year curriculum.
5.  Student receives a total of three or more initial grades of Fail (irrespective of remediation) in blocks in the first and second year curricula combined.  If a student matriculate prior to August 2010 combined grades in blocks and course will be considered.
6. Student receives two initial grades of Fail or three or more initial grades of CP (irrespective of remediation) in the clinical curriculum.
7. Student does not pass the USMLE step 1 on the first attempt and is unable to successfully pass the exam on additional attempts within one calendar year following the first taking of the exam.
8. Student does not pass the Step 2 CK or CS exam within three attempts each.

A student who has not passed Step 2 CK or CS by the expected graduation date, but has completed all other graduation requirements, the student will not be enrolled as full time and will not be eligible for financial aid.

Transfer credits are not accepted and therefore not applicable to SAP review.

2. Quantitative- The overall maximum allowable time from matriculation to completion of requirements for the M.D. degree is 10 consecutive calendar years. Students who have exceeded the maximum allowable time limits (noted below) for components of the overall academic program, unless otherwise approved by the Academic Standing Committee, will be considered to have not made satisfactory academic progress.

          The maximum allowable time limits are:

           A. Pre-clerkship studies: 3 years

B. Clinical studies: 3 years

C. Pre-clerkship plus Clinical studies: 6 years

D. Leaves of absence: total accumulated leaves of absence (medical and/or personal) may not exceed 2 years

E. Pursuit of Ph.D.: 4 years

F. Pursuit of other approved academic programs (e.g. J.D., M.B.A., M.P.H., Student Scholar) or research activities: 3 years (unless extended for one additional year by approval of the Dean of Student Affairs).

If a student who is enrolled as a Student Scholar receives any graduation credit (maximum of 8 weeks), that period of time will be included in the maximum allowable time period.

Periods of Independent Study for the USMLE may be approved by the Dean of Student Affairs for incremental periods of up to 3 months. If a student remains on Independent Study for more than one year, the student will not be making satisfactory academic progress.

E. NOTIFICATION OF LACK OF SAP

Students whose records have been reviewed and who are not meeting one of the quantitative or qualitative standards are not making SAP. A letter is sent to the student in writing by the Dean of Student Affairs explaining the SAP status, and what needs to be accomplished to regain SAP status.  The notification for annual reviews must also include explanation of the appeal process.  Students who are deemed to be not making SAP are not eligible for financial aid funding. 

F. APPEAL

Purpose of an appeal is to reinstate eligibility of Title IV aid. Students can appeal to the Academic Standing Committee by submitting a written request to appeal to the Dean of Student Affairs.  A student can request to appear in person before the Academic Standing Committee to discuss matters that led to his or her non-SAP status. 

If extenuating circumstances affected a student’s ability to make SAP, such student may appeal to the Academic Standing Committee (ASC) for financial reinstatement.  If the ASC approves an appeal, the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation for one term (equivalent to one semester). If the time needed to achieve SAP will be longer than one term (semester) the student will be provided an Academic Plan endorsed by the ASC.

I. Financial Aid Probation-When an appeal is approved by the ASC the student will be placed on Financial Aid Probation, which will make the student eligible  to receive Title IV funding for one payment period, equivalent to one term.

II. Academic Plan-An Academic Plan will be provided to students who will require more than one payment period to regain SAP due to circumstances out of their control (i.e. courses not offered at next payment period). An academic plan will be developed by the Deans of Student Affairs and the Registrar and will be endorsed by the ASC.

When a student appears before the Academic Standing Committee, he or she may be accompanied by a maximum of three individuals affiliated with Robert Wood Johnson Medical School.

           

G. DOCUMENTATION

Documentation of decisions and data regarding SAP, financial aid warning or probation and appeals, shall be maintained in the Office of the Registrar and provided to the affected student and the UMDNJ Office of Financial Aid.

H. DISMISSAL AND WITHDRAWAL

Students who are dismissed or withdrawn from the school are not deemed to be making SAP and are not eligible to receive financial aid.

I. DISSEMINATION

The policy on SAP will be disseminated to all newly matriculated students. All students will be notified yearly of the SAP policy which will be published yearly in the Student Handbook and on the Academic Rules and Regulations webpage.

 

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