Year Four Policies and Procedures

PURPOSE OF THE ELECTIVE PROGRAM - The purpose of the Elective Program is to provide students with a diverse range of experiences through which they can appropriately explore their various medical interests, strengthen areas of identified weakness in knowledge, clinical skills, and/or clinical reasoning, and broaden their preparation for postgraduate training and practice.

2.1    There is required Doctoring / Medical Humanities Clerkship. Note that no absences or interviewing is allowed during the required clerkship. Unexcused absences may result in failure and required remediation for successful completion of the Doctoring / Medical Humanities Clerkship.
2.1.1    Additional Doctoring Curriculum requirements include the Year Four/Year Two Mentoring Program, the Year Four Geriatrics Program, and seminars to help students prepare for their role as teachers in residency.
2.2    Y4 Requirements / Deferral Policy
Students must complete 30 weeks of elective credit for graduation. Additional weeks or course work may be required of deferral students as recommended by the review and approval committee.
Should a deferral be granted in the third year as outlined in the Y3 Policies and Procedures deferral criteria noted below, fourth year student schedules may be altered to meet additional graduation requirements. Fourth year deferral requests will be addressed on a case by case basis in a similar fashion as to the Y3 Policy and Procedures for review and consideration. Those deemed not to meet the deferral criteria may be subject to a Leave of Absence and/or additional required curriculum as assessed by the review committee to meet graduation requirements.
Except in special circumstances, students may not defer curricular units, third-year clerkships or fourth year courses, but must take them as scheduled in the regular rotation. Students are given 6 weeks of dedicated study time for the USMLE Step 1. Additional study time is not warranted and will not be considered as a valid reason to defer a clerkship.
Special circumstances that will be considered for potential clerkship deferral include Year 2 remediation or emergency/health situations that delay dedicated study time for USMLE Step 1. Additionally, deferrals will be considered for USMLE Step 1 failures that require the exam to be retaken. If a deferral is granted, student schedules may be altered to meet additional graduation requirements.
It is required that a deferral request be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs at least two weeks prior to the start of the Core Clerkship. Approval of a request to defer a clerkship may be granted by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or a review committee consisting of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Senior Associate Dean of Education, Y3 Curriculum Director, and Chair of the Student Progress Committee or their designees, depending on the circumstances. Deferred Core Clerkships will be scheduled during the Personalized Education Plan period of the third year when possible.
Students requesting deferrals that do not meet the above criteria may be subject to a Leave of Absence and/or additional required curriculum as assessed by the review committee to meet graduation requirements.
This policy guides procedures and expectations around granting student requests to defer Year 3 core clerkships.
•    Students meeting deferral criteria who wish to defer one clerkship will make up the clerkship during the PEP. They must request a deferral through the Associate Dean of Students.
•    Students deferring 2 or more clerkships must request a deferral through the Associate Dean of Students and may be referred to the review committee for approval and recommendations.
•    Students who defer 2 clerkships will make up both clerkships during the PEP. They will also be required to complete at least one additional 4-week Intensive Clinical Experience during their Y4. This additional ICE will add 4 more weeks of required curriculum to their Y4, such that they must complete 34 weeks of curriculum to graduate with a sufficient background in clinical medicine. The additional 4 weeks will be deducted from allotted Y4 student vacation time. Additional requirements may be recommended by the Year 3 Student Progress Subcommittee.
•    Students who defer more than 2 clerkships must submit a request in writing to the Year 3 Student Progress Subcommittee after consultation with the Dean of Students. Students requesting more than 2 deferrals may be required to take a leave of absence. If the student does not take a leave of absence, Core Clerkships will be completed during the PEP. If core clerkship time cannot be fully completed during the PEP, the remaining time will be completed during Y4. This time does not count toward Y4 requirements. Students will also be required to complete at least one additional consecutive 4-week Intensive Clinical Experience during Y4, which will increase the required elective credit for graduation to 34 weeks. The additional 4 weeks will be deducted from allotted Y4 student vacation time. Additional requirements may be recommended by the Y3 SPS.
2.2.1    Core Clinical Requirement: Students must have a minimum of 4 weeks each in 3 of the following clinical departments: Emergency Medicine, Family and Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics/Gynecology, Neurology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery.
2.2.2    Requirement for Intensive Clinical Experience: A consecutive four-week Intensive Clinical experience (on the order of a Sub-Internship) must be completed during Year Four under the supervision of SIU faculty. The focus must be on the student functioning with increased responsibility for patient care at the level of an intern. Weekend duties or call will be expected at the level of an intern under the discretion of the faculty should they be offered on the service, and may include outpatient service though it must include inpatient service of at least 50% time. Faculty responsible for the continuity of teaching and assessment must remain the same during the entire 4-week experience. Students whom had deferred clerkships may be required to enroll additional ICE’s to meet graduation requirements as directed by the Y3/Y4 Policy and SPC.
Faculty Expectation of the Student:

Higher level of medicine and patient care than that usually seen by a student
Increased level of responsibilities at the level of an intern
Increase in the number of patient encounters at the level of an intern
Weekend duties or call expected at the level of an intern
Must include inpatient service of at least 50% time, though may include outpatient service.
Should demonstrate the abilities to function at the level of an intern by the end of the rotation.

A list of approved Intensive Clinical Electives is included in the Comprehensive Electives List. This four-week experience can count toward the Core Clinical Requirement detailed in 2.2.1 above.
2.2.3    Requirement for Basic Science Electives: Students must complete at least four weeks of Basic Science Electives. A list of approved courses can be found in the Comprehensive Electives List under the heading Basic Science Electives.
2.2.4    Residency Requirement: On-campus credit is awarded for electives in which the student's course activities are under the immediate direction and supervision of, and evaluation by, SIU faculty (full-time, part-time, or adjunct). At least 20 weeks of electives must be taken under the supervision of SIU School of Medicine faculty. Students with military obligations may petition to have their requirement reduced if it creates undue difficulty. Petitions should be submitted to Y4 Curriculum Coordinator, and are reviewed by the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee.
2.2.5    Y4 Innovations Waiver Group:   Y4 Innovations Waiver Group Students may be granted permission to waive the fourth-year requirements in sections 2.2.1 (Core Clinical Requirement), 2.2.2 (ICE Requirement), and 2.2.3 (Basic Science Requirement). The Medical Humanities / Doctoring clerkship, 30 total curriculum hours, and 20 hours of electives under the supervision of SIU Faculty will remain for all students. Qualifying students will have (1) passed all curriculum areas within each unit with an overall unit score of “Green” in both Y1 and Y2 with no Educational Enrichment Period requirements or repeat of a year, (2) Passed USMLE Step 1 (On the First Attempt), (3) Successfully completed all Y3 Core Clerkships (with no Educational Enrichment Period requirements and no more than one clerkship deferral), and (4) passed all the SCCX exam cases.

2.3 All students must record a passing score on the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE), Step1 and record a score for Step 2 (Clinical Knowledge and Clinical Skills) along with other curricular requirements.
2.4 It is the student’s responsibility to make sure s/he meets Y4 and all graduation requirements. Students are encouraged to avail themselves of the assistance offered by faculty advisors, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Year Four Curriculum Director, Y4 Curriculum Coordinator and the Y3/Y4 Registrar in the Office of Education and Curriculum.

3.1    Elective courses can be full-time, half-time (mornings or afternoons), or in 5-week blocks of consecutive Thursday afternoons (Extended Electives).
3.2   Credit hours are determined by the length of the course. One credit hour (1.0) is awarded for each week of full-time approved academic activity. One-half credit hour (0.5) is awarded for each week of half-time approved academic activity and for each block (5 weeks) of extended elective time.
3.3   Full-time and half-time electives range in length from 1 to 8 weeks. Activities will not be scheduled for Thursday afternoons during full and half-time electives so that students may participate in extended electives. Any exceptions to this policy are so noted in the course description.
3.4    Extended Elective courses range in length from 1 to 6 blocks (5 to 30 Thursday afternoons).
3.5    Elective courses begin on Mondays and end on Fridays, Saturdays, or Sundays, at the discretion of the faculty. Holiday time falling during elective courses is granted at the discretion of the faculty. Students should not assume they have holidays, weekends or nights off.
3.6    Elective credit will not be awarded for any activities considered to be remediation and/or required for the satisfactory completion of a department’s course requirements.
3.7    Most electives require students to contact faculty prior to beginning a course. This pre “Notification Requirement” varies by elective, thus students should confirm the requisite length of time for advanced notice to be given. This information is available online; check the Elective description in the catalog.
3.8    Students may take up to four weeks of elective credit in courses under the supervision of family members.
3.9    Electives requiring travel to foreign countries will not be added to your schedule until you have completed a required meeting with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs AT LEAST SIX (6) Weeks prior to the start date. No credit will be given if this requirement is not fulfilled by this deadline.
3.10    The following filing deadlines apply to the elective program:

Add/ Drop Forms for all elective: ONE (1) week before course begins 8:00 AM Monday.
Individually-Designed Electives: THREE (3) weeks before course begins 8:00 AM Monday.
Extramural Electives: THREE (3) weeks before course begins 8:00 AM Monday.

3.11    Students will not receive credit for an elective course unless they are formally enrolled before the starting date of the course.
3.12    Students are not allowed to drop an elective after it has already begun.
3.13    Requests for policy exceptions or special consideration must be submitted in writing to the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee no later than TWO (2) weeks prior to its expected occurrence.

3.14 Students may appeal decisions made by the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee to the full Committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing no later than TWO (2) Weeks prior to the meeting of the Committee. Contact Y4 Curriculum Coordinator, if you are considering submission of an appeal.

4.0 In order to provide time for students to engage in academic activities that require an extended period of time, Thursday afternoons during elective courses are reserved for "Extended Elective" courses.

4.1 Extended electives are offered in blocks of 5 consecutive Thursday afternoons. Credit is earned at the rate of (.1) credit per afternoon. The minimum number of weeks for an extended elective is 5 weeks (1 block). Credit can only be awarded for one extended elective at a time.

4.2 Students must be on or near the Springfield campus during the time they are enrolled in an extended elective.

4.3 The Thursday afternoon release policy applies only to students enrolled in and attending an extended elective course. It does not apply to extramural electives or any other required part of the curriculum. There are some electives that do not allow Thursday afternoon release time because of clinic scheduling. These exceptions are noted in the course description. It is your responsibility to make sure your schedule does not have conflictive courses.

5.1    Year Four students have the opportunity to select from a variety of residency-preparation tracks or Specialty Pathways. These models were developed by the clinical departments to assist in the student advisement process thus ensuring students have the appropriate knowledge and skill levels to begin residency programs in their fields of choice. Pathways are offered for students interested in: Community Outreach and Education Program, Family and Community Medicine, Internal Medicine, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Pathology, Pediatrics, Psychiatry, and Surgery (including subspecialties of General Surgery, Otolaryngology/Head & Neck Surgery, Orthopedic Surgery, and Plastic Surgery).
5.2    When registering for initial coursework during the latter part of Year Three, students may, in concert with their Career Advisor, choose a Pathway from which their schedule will be crafted. Pathways address some, but not all of the requirements of Year Four, so students must work closely with their Career Advisor to ensure their schedule meets ALL Graduation Requirements.
5.3    Should a student redefine her/his career goals during the year, the previously selected Pathway may be dropped and a different specialty Pathway may be selected or the student may elect to follow the Undeclared Pathway.
5.4    With approximately 200 Elective offerings from which to choose, students can explore learning experiences in a wide variety of disciplines. Y4 Elective Advisors can provide valuable counsel as students select the coursework best suited to strengthening areas of weaknesses and/or focusing on career goals.

6.1    The Individually-Designed (ID) elective option is available to students who are interested in a course or topic for which a regular elective does not exist. The ID elective procedure is also used for elective experiences with non-SIU faculty, or at a military or other health care setting.
6.2   A student must be in good academic standing (determined by Student Progress Committee) to enroll in an elective experience with any non-SIU faculty.
6.3    You must submit a completed Approval Request for Individually-Designed or Extramural Elective form (blue) together with your proposal. The completed request and proposal must be turned in to the Y3/Y4 Registrar AT LEAST THREE (3) WEEKS prior to the start of the elective. ID Elective proposals are reviewed for approval on a case-by-case basis by the Y4 Coordinator and the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee, and are granted elective credit if approved.
6.4    Approval Process: The signatures of the course faculty, department Elective Coordinator, and Y4 Elective Advisor must be obtained before submitting the course proposal and signature page to Y3/Y4 Registrar, Office of Education and Curriculum. The faculty who will directly supervise and evaluate you must sign as responsible faculty. A list of the department Y4 Elective Advisors is posted on the web-site. You must provide a complete course description to the faculty, Y4 Elective Advisor, and departmental Elective Coordinator when requesting their approval. Correspondence via email directly from the faculty stating her/his approval to Y3/Y4 Registrar, will suffice.
6.5    The following format should be used when preparing a proposal for an Individually-Designed elective.
Title: Choose an appropriate name for the elective.
Description: Provide a brief but detailed narrative describing the purpose, content area, activities planned, and logistics of your proposed elective experience. Include any special information or arrangements (e.g., if the experience is designed in conjunction with other experiences, community agencies or other departments, etc.) that will help us understand what you propose to do. If there is a clinical component to the course, please describe the patient care activities you will undertake and indicate the proportion of course time this will involve.

Objectives: Outline the specific learning objectives you plan to accomplish that are measurable, realistic and practical. This section and the course description section create the information base upon which your proposal will be evaluated.
Evaluation: Describe the method(s) faculty will use to evaluate your performance (observation, written exam, oral exams, discussion with faculty, etc.). This section should parallel your activities and objectives. A minimum two- page reflective report describing what you learned and experienced during the elective is required for submission 2 Weeks following the completion of the elective course. If this is a research elective, your report should include a project summary and abstract. If you are writing a paper for the course, you should submit that instead of a report. If there is a clinical component, you will be required to submit a minimum one-page reflective report describing what you learned and experienced during the elective for submission 2 Weeks following the completion of the elective course. The log must document the dates worked and the patients you saw. You may use the online form to maintain the patient log (See Forms – Y4 website).
Faculty: Name of the faculty member who has agreed to supervise you in the elective. If the elective is with non- SIU faculty, provide complete mailing address, email address, and telephone number of faculty.
Dates: Indicate the length (number of weeks) of the experience and the dates when the elective will be taken.

Credits: 1 credit hour is given for each week of full-time elective activity. Indicate whether or not the experience will have a clinical component.
6.6   Individually-Designed electives with SIU faculty (full-time, part-time, or adjunct) will receive on-campus credit. An ID elective with a community preceptor who is not SIU faculty will receive off-campus credit. See Section
2.2 of these policies for information relative to the residency requirement for graduation.
6.7    Attendance and participation in professional association meetings may be eligible for elective credit depending on the academic activities/conferences involved. An Individually-Designed Elective course proposal must be completed and submitted before the conference, and must include meeting information and schedules.
6.8    If a research elective is to involve a personal stipend, the proposal must be reviewed by the Chair of the Research Policy Committee (or Chair’s designee) in addition to the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee.
6.9        Individually-Designed research elective proposals for more than 12 weeks of elective credit must follow the guidelines delineated in the Medical Student Research Policy, revised January 2006. (See SIU/SOM Student Handbook).
6.10    Students MUST adhere to the deadline in submitting the appropriate documentation. Lack of attention to this detail will result in denial or reduction of course credit.

7.1    Extramural electives are those taken at another LCME accredited medical school. A student must be in good academic standing to take an extramural elective. Academic standing is determined by the Student Progress Committee.
7.2    Prior to seeking approval for an extramural elective, the student should consult with her/his Y4 Elective Advisor for verification that the proposed elective experience is consistent with the student's career orientation and SIU policy requirements.
7.3   Approval Process: The student must submit the following items to Y3/Y4 Registrar, AT LEAST THREE (3) WEEKS prior to the course:

A current written description of the elective (from host institution’s catalog or web page), including specific learning objectives and the method of evaluation that will be used.
A completed Approval Request for Individually-Designed or Extramural Elective form (blue) with the signatures of the appropriate department Elective Coordinator and your Y4 Elective Advisor. This form is available online or from the Y3/Y4 Registrar in the Office of Education and Curriculum. Printed e-mail verification from the faculty is acceptable in place of his/her signature.
A letter of acceptance from the host medical school.

7.4   Evaluation – In addition to evaluation measures designated in the course description, students are required to adhere to the following SIUSOM requirements:
A minimum two-page reflective report describing what you learned and experienced during the elective is required for submission 2 Weeks following the completion of the elective course. If the elective has a clinical component, a one-page reflective report and patient log is required. The report should detail the experience and describe what you learned; the patient log must document the dates worked and the patients you saw. You may use the online log form (See Forms – Year Four Website). If this is a research elective, your report should include a project summary and abstract. If you are writing a paper for the course, you should submit that instead of a report.
7.5    Students are responsible for providing sufficient information about the course activities to allow a decision to be made by the Y4 Elective Advisor, the Elective Coordinator for the department in which you are seeking credit, and the Year Four Curriculum Coordinator and Year Four Curriculum Director.
7.6   Students MUST adhere to the deadline in submitting the appropriate documentation. Lack of attention to this detail will result in denial or reduction of course credit.

8.1    Faculty are appointed by each clinical department to serve as Y4 Elective Advisors. Each student must select a Y4 Elective Advisor from the approved list and arrange a meeting to discuss and plan his/her program of electives. Subsequent meetings should be scheduled at the discretion of the student and/or the Y4 Elective Advisor.
8.2   Y4 Elective Advisors will assist students in developing elective programs that reflect personal goals, career choices, and educational needs and interests. Although students are allowed to choose any Y4 Elective Advisor on the approved list, each Clinical Department offering a Pathway has multiple Y4 Elective Advisors available to counsel students seeking advice within that professional arena.
8.3    Elective registration must be discussed with your Y4 Elective Advisor prior to registration.
8.4    Y4 Elective Advisors may view their students’ schedules any time online (to access use email user name and password) via the course catalog. Schedules are updated daily.
8.5    Although Y4 Elective Advisors, Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Year Four Director, Y4 Curriculum Coordinator and the Y3/Y4 Registrar in the Office of Education and Curriculum should be consulted for assistance, students are responsible for making sure their elective coursework meets all graduation requirements.

9.1    Students in the MD/JD Dual Degree Program are may take up to 14 weeks (credit hours) of elective coursework specifically designed to meet both the MD and JD requirements for their program. (Exact credit hours required to meet the JD Degree requirement will be verified by the Year 3 & 4 Registrar). Students must meet with the MD/JD coordinator in Year 3 to plan their Year 4 schedule, including any Individually Designed Electives (IDE). If the JD/MD student finishes their coursework required for the JD degree before they start medical school, they are no longer a dual-degree student, but they become candidates for the MD degree.
9.2    The MD/JD Dual Degree Program candidates may select from a broad array of electives to allow students to select coursework consistent with their personal interests.
9.3    MD/JD students must have their electives program approved by the Departmental Elective Coordinator as their Dual Degree Program advisor, in addition to their Y4 Elective Advisor.
9.4    MD/JD courses are open only to students in the Dual Degree Program.
9.5    Students in the MD/MPH Dual Degree Program must take 15 weeks (10 weeks required plus 5 additional weeks for a total of 15 credit hours) of dual required curriculum of the elective coursework specifically designated for their program.

10.1    Students must be officially enrolled in an elective course PRIOR to its starting date in order to receive elective credit.
10.2    Under no circumstance will credit be awarded for activities completed prior to the official enrollment date.
10.3    Students MUST follow elective enrollment policies or procedures, including completing required documentation and fulfilling course prerequisites. Lack of attention to this detail will result in denial or reduction of course credit.
10.4    Electives requiring travel to foreign countries will not be added to your schedule until you have completed a required meeting with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs AT LEAST SIX (6) Weeks prior to the start date. No credit will be given if this requirement is not fulfilled by this deadline.
10.5    A student cannot enroll in more than the equivalent of 1 full-time and 1 extended elective course at any one time.
10.6    Extended electives CANNOT be taken over any required curriculum segments in Year Four.
10.7    An elective course may be repeated for credit with the approval of the course faculty and the student's Y4 Elective Advisor, provided that the student’s schedule is projected to meet all graduation requirements. Any student on the waiting list to take that course will be given first consideration.
10.8    In order to extend the duration of an Individually-Designed elective, the student must submit a report justifying the extension and describing which objectives and activities will be continued. The course faculty, Y4 Elective Advisor, and the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Committee must approve the extension. The request must be submitted two (2) weeks prior to the date said extension would begin.
10.9    Students may appeal decisions made by the Chair of the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee to the full Committee. Appeals must be submitted in writing no later than two (2) weeks prior to the meeting of the Committee. Contact, Year Four Curriculum Coordinator, for assistance if you wish to submit an appeal.

11.1 The elective period for Year Four begins July 4, 2022 and continues until Graduation, May 20, 2023.
If necessary for completion of graduation requirements, students may continue with elective coursework past Graduation Day (until July 31).

11.2 Students will select a Y4 Elective Advisor from the list and meet with her/him by early April of their third year to begin planning their Y4 elective program.

11.3 Students are advised to leave the week prior to Graduation clear so that an additional week of credit can be added at a later time, if necessary, to meet graduation requirements.

11.4 To avoid overlap of courses, uniform start times have been established for electives. Generally, the following will apply:

Length of Elective	Uniform Start Times
1 week	Every week
2 or 4 weeks	Odd Weeks: 1, 3, 5, etc.

11.5 Elective registration must be discussed with your Y4 Elective Advisor prior to registration.

12.1    A student should consult with her/his Y4 Elective Advisor prior to making any significant schedule change in order to verify that the proposed revision is educationally sound and consistent with graduation requirements.
12.2    It is strongly recommended that students begin the schedule change process at least one month in advance of the course date out of consideration for faculty time and effort to ensure that necessary faculty consent and paperwork can be completed and filed on time.
12.3    Students may change schedules by filing an Add/Drop form (see forms section) with the Y3/Y4 Registrar, Office of Education and Curriculum.

To Add: The course faculty must approve the addition by signature or email. The student is responsible for obtaining this permission and filing with the Registrar per previously stated deadlines.
To Drop: The student may file a drop directly with the Y3/Y4 Registrar per previously stated deadlines who will subsequently notify course faculty.

12.4    A student is not officially enrolled in a course unless an Add/Drop form, complete with all required signatures, or an e-mail approval from the faculty, is filed with the Y3/Y4 Registrar, Office of Education and Curriculum, by 8:00 AM on the Monday of the week prior to the elective start date.
12.5   Students must complete the appropriate documentation by the deadline in order to be officially enrolled in a course. Lack of attention to this detail will result in denial or reduction of course credit.
12.6    Students may not drop an elective after it has begun. No changes are permitted to students schedules after April 1 of the given year in preparation for assessing graduation requirements.

13.1    Students are expected to participate in all activities of the fourth year. Attendance is required at all scheduled course activities unless they are specifically designated as optional. All absences and Time Off Request must be reported / requested via the responsible faculty of the assigned elective course and/or their designee to be excused. Departmental faculty may require additional make-up at their desecration for missed curricular time. The Policy for Student Work Hours During Elective Coursework shall apply to all electives taken in Year Four.
13.2    80% Attendance is required for successful completion of an elective course and or maybe subject to required make up as deemed by faculty.
13.3    Only students enrolled in an extended elective course will be released on Thursday afternoon to participate in extended elective course activities. Extended elective sessions will be held ONLY on Thursday afternoon. It is the student’s responsibility to inform faculty that s/he is enrolled in an extended elective and arrange schedules accordingly to be released on Thursday afternoon. There are some courses, which do not grant time off on Thursday afternoon, and this is so noted in the course description. This policy applies to elective courses in or near Springfield only, and does not apply to required courses or such as Doctoring and Medical Humanities.
13.4   Ample time has been built into the elective year to allow students to arrange interviews for residency programs without interfering with their elective course work. It is expected that students will schedule their residency interviews outside of curricular requirements during vacation weeks.
13.5    Excused Absences:
13.5.1    Illness/Bereavement/Emergency Absences
Students are required to contact the Elective Faculty responsible for their course or their designee directly to attain excused absences and abide by the arranged method of contact set by the departmental rotation.
Bereavement Policy: https://thehive.siumed.edu/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=2739&SearchId=440914
13.5.2    Medical Appointments: Students will be excused from elective activities to seek needed medical care after notification and approval of the appropriate supervising elective faculty or their designee. Advanced notice is preferred and should be directed to the appropriate supervising elective faculty or their designee as soon as possible.
13.5.3    Religious Holidays / Practice: Students may ask to be excused from fourth year activities for religious holidays / practice after notification and approval of the Elective Faculty responsible for the course or their designee. Absence requests should be directed to the appropriate Elective Faculty for consideration no later than Six Weeks prior to the start of the rotation.
https://www.siumed.edu/oec/policies/student-handbook#Absence
13.5.4   Professional Conference Attendance: Students may request an absence in order to participate in a professional conference if he/she/they is giving a presentation, is on the conference planning committee, or has other official duties related to the organization and/or conference. General conference attendance is not considered to be a reasonable reason to miss required curricular activities. Absence requests are not guaranteed and should be submitted to the appropriate Elective Faculty responsible for the course or their designee for consideration no later than Four Weeks prior to the start of the rotation.
13.5.5    Other / Non-Emergency Absences: Students are expected to participate in all activities of the fourth year. Elective faculty may approve brief absences during their elective, however are not required to do so. At the discretion of the faculty, students may be required to make up any missed work and/or be assigned additional work in order to receive credit for the elective.
Absence requests of a non-emergency nature must be made in advance and should be directed to the appropriate Elective Faculty responsible for the course or their designee for consideration no later than Four Weeks prior to the start of the rotation.
13.6   Unexcused absences, excessive absences, or failure to complete required make-up work will be reported by the department to the Office of Education and Curriculum (Y3/Y4 Registrar / Y4 Curriculum Coordinator) for recording and may result in an unsatisfactory grade, reduced credit for the course and/or disciplinary action.
13.7   No interviews can be scheduled during required Clerkships (Doctoring / Medical Humanities).

14.1    Faculty will evaluate the performance of each student enrolled in their elective course(s).
14.2    The Y3/Y4 Registrar in the Office of Education and Curriculum distributes Student Performance Evaluation Forms to the responsible faculty during the final week of each elective. Faculty are expected to complete and return the evaluations to Y3/Y4 Registrar, within 6 weeks after the end of the elective. The evaluations are recorded and then placed in the student’s file in the Office of Student Affairs.
14.3    Credit is given for all courses completed satisfactorily upon receipt of both the Student Performance Evaluation (from faculty) AND the Student Evaluation of Elective (from student).
14.4    Any unsatisfactory grade in an elective course is referred to the Student Progress Committee for consideration. If a student disagrees with a performance evaluation submitted by the responsible faculty, s/he should, as a first step, discuss the matter with the faculty. The faculty member may submit a revised evaluation form as a result of that discussion; however, if a consensus is not reached, the student may follow the formal Grade Review Process.
14.5    Any elective that is started must be completed. Any elective not completed by the student’s date of graduation will be recorded on the final transcript as “Unsatisfactory” and will remain on the student’s permanent transcript.
14.6    All elective courses taken are listed on the student’s permanent transcript along with the appropriate performance evaluation: Satisfactory or Unsatisfactory.

15.1 Students must evaluate each elective course as a learning experience Two Weeks following completion of the elective course.
The Student Evaluation of Elective form can be found on MyProgress. Credit will be withheld for the course if your feedback is not received.

15.2 Elective feedback is compiled anonymously by the Office of Education and Curriculum. Faculty will not see the individual student feedback forms, nor will student names be released to faculty without a student's permission.

15.3 Compiled feedback reports are sent in aggregate to Elective Coordinators, responsible faculty, and Department Chairs at the end of the academic year for use in evaluating and revising their elective courses.

15.4 A copy of the compiled student course feedback is kept online (intranet password protected) for use by students and faculty in planning their elective program (See Year Four Website).

While faculty members offering electives are responsible for planning course activities that will enable students to meet their educational objectives, students also have responsibilities in planning and executing their elective programs.
16.1   It is ultimately the student’s responsibility to make sure s/he meets Year Four and all curricular requirements by the end of Year Four. Assistance with this process is offered by faculty, Y4 Elective Advisors, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Year Four Curriculum Director, Y4 Curriculum Coordinator, and the Y3/Y4 Registrar in the Office of Education and Curriculum.
16.2    Diplomas will not be awarded until all graduation requirements are met. Students may continue to work towards completion of graduation requirements after Graduation Day, if necessary (until July 31).
16.3    Students are responsible for attendance at all scheduled course activities. Attendance and effort should meet or exceed faculty expectations. Approval for any needed absences should be requested from course faculty in a timely manner. Faculty are not required to approve or award credit for periods of student absence.
(See Attendance Policy 13.0)
16.4    Students are responsible for filing all required forms and documentation by the appropriate deadlines with the Y3/Y4 Registrar. Verbal discussion of extramural plans and schedule changes with Y3/Y4 Registrar, although advisable, does not relieve student of their responsibility for the completion of all necessary paperwork on a timely basis. Lack of attention to this detail will result in denial or reduction of course credit.
16.5    Students wishing to petition the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee for special consideration or waiver of policy must do so in writing. Petitions should be submitted to the Year Four Curriculum Coordinator, Office of Education and Curriculum, TWO (2) Weeks PRIOR to the committee meeting. The Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee routinely meets at 1:00 PM on the first Monday of every month.
16.6    Student Work Hours During Year Four Coursework
This policy shall apply to all course elective offerings taken during Year Four.
During an elective, students will not spend on average more than eighty (80) hours per week in required clinical and educational activities.
Required activities include, but are not limited to, formal didactic teaching, hospital rounds and activities, out-patient clinic attendance, in-house and at home call, and attendance at examinations.
Required activities do not include personal study time or optional educational experiences.
16.7    Honor Code
Faculty and students of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are expected to understand and accept the responsibilities of their profession as outlined in the Honor Code.

https://www.siumed.edu/oec/policies/student-handbook#honor
16.8    Professionalism
Students, faculty, and staff of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner in accordance with the SIUSOM Standards of Conduct. These are adopted in support of the mission of Southern Illinois University School of Medicine: to assist the people of Central and Southern Illinois in meeting their healthcare needs through education, patient care, research, and service to the community.
Students will further be held to the “Student Conduct Code”, supporting the SIUSOM behavioral standards and
establishing the professionalism expected of those becoming medical professionals.
•    SIUSOM Behavioral Standards: Who We Are and Aspire to Be https://thehive.siumed.edu/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=2296&SearchId=347833
•    SIU Student Conduct Code: https://srr.siu.edu/student-conduct-code/
•    SIU Medicine Code of Conduct: https://thehive.siumed.edu/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=3452&SearchId=492809

Dress and Decorum
The “best interest of the patient…” is the most fundamental consideration for the establishment of policies and procedures at SIUSOM, and dress and decorum is no exception. The appearance and attitude of the people at SIU have a tremendous impact on the perception of our patients, and consequently, their impression of SIU and their willingness to return. The following guidelines have been established to provide appropriate direction to SIU students, residents, faculty and staff.
https://thehive.siumed.edu/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=2421&SearchId=441405
16.9 Student Abuse
To provide a fair and open learning and working environment, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine faculty and students shall observe the Standards of Conduct approved by the Executive Committee on June 19, 2000.
https://www.siumed.edu/oec/policies/student-handbook#SOC

Professional conduct is evaluated throughout the curriculum by all faculty and staff. This includes timely attendance at all required activities; timely submission of required materials, and appropriate interactions with patients, peers, faculty, and other health care professionals. This data is sent to the Year Four Student Progress Subcommittee (Y4SPS) for review.
17.1 Monitoring Student Lapses in Non-Cognitive Behaviors and Academic Performance
To track student performance in non-cognitive behaviors during fourth year, a system for Monitoring Student Lapses in Non-Cognitive Behaviors and Academic Performance has been adopted by the Year Four Curriculum Advisory Committee. This system is fundamentally consistent with the process established in Years One, Two and Three. The complete Policy is available for review on the Year Four website. SIUSOM will track student performance in Non-Cognitive Behaviors and Academic Performance across the curriculum. This allows the school to document and track a student’s professional development during medical school when rapid changeover of environments and evaluators can mask the severity or frequency of poor performance in non-cognitive behaviors and academic performance. Second, it allows administration and directors the opportunity to structure educational experiences for students who have deficiencies in non - cognitive behavior and academic performance in hopes of successful remediation.
Student behavior might come to light through poor ratings in non-cognitive behaviors and academic performance on written evaluations, poor peer evaluations, or verbal reports of concern from faculty, residents, staff or others. In the proposed system, anyone who determines that the identified incident or behavior is a source of concern, may file a “Preliminary Non-Cognitive Behavior and Academic Performance Note” for documentation and addressing of the behavior. Should the behavior continue, repeated offenses noted, or infraction deemed severe or egregious in nature, the Y 4 Director may raise the behavior to the level of a “Concern Note” of which will be directed to the Associate Dean for Students Affairs and may progress to the SPC. The form includes a place for the student’s signature and space for the student to provide an explanation for the deficiency described.
The Concern Note documents concerns regarding non-cognitive behavior and academic performance. These may be submitted by faculty, staff, or students and are routed through the Year Four Director to the Office of Student Affairs and may progress to the SPC. Students are bound by the broader SIU regulations. This includes the fact that SIU is a drug-free workplace. Possession of alcohol on campus is a violation of regulations.
It is anticipated that instances requiring the implementation of a Concerns Note will be rare; however, if circumstances occur that merit such a level of intervention, this process is intended to identify and address these deficiencies. The overarching goal of this system will be that of assisting students to recognize and remedy areas of deficiencies in non-cognitive behaviors and academic performance prior to Graduation.

Animal Control

Unless an animal plays a certified special needs role, no animals are allowed in any campus building. SIUC policy will be upheld at the Springfield campus and can be found at this website:

http://policies.siu.edu/other policies/chapter6/animal.php

Please note especially the sentence, “Any animal on campus in violation of these regulations may be impounded.” If you have a qualified service animal, you must work with Disability Support Services (618) 453-5738 or designated department of SIUSOM.

https://thehive.siumed.edu/Interact/Pages/Content/Document.aspx?id=4627&SearchId=493145

EHR Documentation

Undergraduate Medical Student EHR Documentation Policy: https://www.siumed.edu/compliance/policies/undergraduate-medical-student-ehr-documentation-policy.html

Resources: https://www.siumed.edu/oec/ehr-electronic-health-record

Medical Student Research Policy

https://www.siumed.edu/oec/policies/student-handbook#research_policy

Medical Students’ Children

It is not permitted to bring children into any form of the medical school curriculum, whether it be resource sessions, labs, tutor groups, clinical, or any other assignments. The School of Medicine recognize that childcare may occasionally become a concern for parents who are also medical students; however, children in medical school settings present barriers to learning, and thus it is unfair to other students to have them present. Specifically, bringing an ill child (not allowed to attend daycare or school because of illness) into academic settings exposes a large population to a potentially infectious disease, and is prohibited. If students have problems with scheduling care for their children, they need to talk to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Visitor Attendance Policy

Individual faculty members determine whether non-students can attend their curricular sessions, with the understanding that requests will be made before the room fills. Guest speakers should also be asked about visitors before their presentations begin. Departmental curricula have the right to decide about visitors, with requests coming to them at least one session in advance.

Visitors are prohibited from attending teaching / research labs. Those wanting access to the facilities during non-class times must contact the chair of the Department in advance

Audio and Visual Recordings

Students with documented disabilities may be granted allowances to record sessions that go beyond guidelines set by the EPC or the Y4CAC. They must notify the faculty that they are recording, but they can record sessions under their documented / granted allowances.

Patient confidentiality in ALL years of the curriculum is paramount and no recording should compromise or violate that. HIPAA guidelines are in place at all times.

With the exceptions stated above, the policy is to record all faculty resource sessions using Echo360 lecture capture software unless a faculty member prefers not to be recorded. Links to the recordings will be posted to the online course. Guest speakers will not be recorded. Student volunteers will be trained by IRC to use Echo360. Faculty may edit recordings. Faculty may opt to post pre-recorded versions of their resource sessions or annotated PowerPoint presentations/transcripts in lieu of live audio recordings. It should be noted that faculty or staff may misspeak in any session. Students should ask faculty to clarify any points of confusion, either in person or electronically. Students should also check for any clarifications or corrections posted by faculty.

NOTE: With the exception stipulated in numbers 1-3, students are not allowed to make their own recordings in any media format. Failure to follow this policy will result in referral to the Student Progress System.

RESOURCES

Faculty

Faculty members and clinicians affiliated with the School of Medicine serve as tutors, resource faculty, clinical consultants, and in various curricular management roles. A list of faculty and their areas of expertise can be accessed online through the directory. It is expected that faculty and student alike will adhere to the “Compact Between Teachers and Learners of Medicine” as approved by the EPC.

Libraries

The Medical Library, located on the fourth floor of the 801 Building, provides a vast collection of print and electronic resources to support the medical curriculum. The collection includes traditional medical references and textbooks, DVDs, media programs, models, and electronic access to research databases. The library provides reference and equipment services for medical students and faculty. https://www.siumed.edu/lib

Other Resources

MyProgress / ePad

Help Documents: https://www.siumed.edu/myprogress-help-documents.html

It's important to sync the MyProgress app before/after use, when possible. Syncing downloads any updates and sends what you've completed to the server. Make sure that you are connected to wifi before you sync to avoid losing your work. If you are on a network that includes a portal, like SIUGuest, make sure you log in before you sync.

MyProgress ePad: https://siumed.epads.mkmapps.com

SIUMED users should click on the single sign-on button, then enter your credentials. Non-SIUMED users can log in directly on the page linked above if they have been added to the system.

Student Progress System

https://www.siumed.edu/sites/default/files/u1031/student_progress_system_document_150813.pdf

Y4 Webpage Access: https://www.siumed.edu/oec/y4/about-year-four

Empower Course Catalog: https://student.siumed.edu/fusebox.cfm