Policies for Clinical Year Grading Plan, SCPE Grade Calculations

Clinical Year Grading Plan

SCPE-specific grading details are located in the SCPE Specific Syllabi.

Letter GradeNumeric GradeQuality Points
A90-1004.0
B80-<903.0
C70-<802.0
F< 700

SCPE Grade Calculations

ARC-PA 6th ed Standards A3.14a, B4.01

Each SCPE grade is a combination of the SCPE-specific assignments, evaluations, and written examinations.

Student Evaluation and Grading

Specific requirements, evaluation, and grading are addressed in each SCPE specific syllabus.

The content for assessments of student learning during SCPEs is cumulative, with clinical knowledge building upon didactic knowledge. Therefore, the assessment content is objective, outcome-based, and taken from SCPE activities, PANCE Blueprint, Didactic phase content, assigned readings, and SCPE outcomes.

End-of-Rotation Exam Scores

End of RotationTM Exam Scores are reported as scaled scores with a known national mean and standard deviation. Scaled scores are converted into a percentage using a z-score calculation. A z-score is a value given to compare each student’s performance to the national mean. A scaled score converting to a z-score of zero (0) means that the student has scored on the national mean.

Our program utilized didactic and clinical student data over several years to identify that cohorts typically scored 85 or above on average in each exam. Therefore, we set the score conversion based on 85% being equal to the mean scaled score.

  • If student has z-score of 0, their grade will be a converted grade of 85%
  • z-score of +1 means student gets a 92.5%
  • z-score of +2 gives student a score of 100%
  • z-score of -1 means student score= 77.5%
  • z-score of -2 means student score= 70%

Once each student completes an End of RotationTM exam, the professor calculates a Z-score from the raw score on each exam as follows:

Student’s raw score on the exam minus national mean score for that exam/ Nat’l Standard deviation for exam

Z score = (𝑠𝑑𝑒𝑑𝑒𝑛𝑑′𝑠 π‘Ÿπ‘Žπ‘€ π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ βˆ’ π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘šπ‘’π‘Žπ‘› π‘ π‘π‘œπ‘Ÿπ‘’ π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑒π‘₯π‘Žπ‘š) / π‘›π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘›π‘Žπ‘™ π‘ π‘‘π‘Žπ‘›π‘‘π‘Žπ‘Ÿπ‘‘ π‘‘π‘’π‘£π‘–π‘Žπ‘‘π‘–π‘œπ‘› π‘“π‘œπ‘Ÿ 𝑒π‘₯π‘Žπ‘š

EORTM exam performance in each cohort is analyzed using averages of z-scores to determine how the cohort compares with the national mean performance.
The clinical committee also analyzes category feedback on the EORTM exam to determine if the cohort has patterns of strengths and weaknesses.

Throughout the clinical phase, the clinical team tracks the student’s academic progress to maximize their potential to successfully meet program competencies and pass the PANCE the first time. EORTM and EOCTM scores sometimes identify students at risk of failing the PANCE, whether or not they have received a failing grade on any individual exam. Examples of at-risk students include those who score below 80% converted score on three or more EOR exams, below national average on the clinical PACKRAT, and/or below 80% on the End of Curriculum exam. The clinical team may assign supplemental study material for these at-risk students at any time during the clinical year and will notify students of their performance so that any PANCE preparation can be adjusted in time.