Residency Preparation

Medical Student Performance Evaluation: General Information

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Starting with Med 1, all students are encouraged to keep a record of their medical school research, volunteer and extracurricular activities, and work experiences in their Medical School Biodata Form at medSTAR. You can add, correct, and update information at any time you want to the form, and it will automatically be saved. During the spring of your third year, you will receive an e-mail asking you to submit your biodata form so that work can begin on your Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).

The MSPE is a comprehensive assessment of your performance in achieving the educational objectives of our medical school curriculum. It is neither a letter of recommendation nor the college’s prediction of your future performance in a residency program. The MSPE does describe your performance through three full years of medical school and part of your fourth year. It is then transmitted to the residency programs you apply to during your senior year.

Note: The MSPE is not just used for residency applications. It is also used if a student applies for a second residency or a postresidency fellowship. At that time, the College must account for a student’s entire course of study. That is done by creating an addendum to the MSPE in which all Med 4 clerkship grades are documented. Narrative comments are not included unless a student receives an Unsatisfactory or has been referred to the Honor and Professionalism Council. Questions about this policy may be addressed to linda.stone@osumc.edu.

Sections include:

Identifying Information: Your legal name and year of study at the College of Medicine.
Unique Characteristics: Reasons why you decided to become a doctor and an overview of your medical school career (research, leadership, community service, and other volunteer activities).
Academic History: Your matriculation and expected graduation dates; explanation of any leaves of absence, extensions, or other gaps or breaks while a medical student; and combined degree programs.
Academic Progress: Your overall academic performance in your preclinical pathway and a chronological listing of all core clinical clerkships and elective rotations, including the grade and evaluation, from July of your third year through August of your fourth year.
Summary Statement: Although the College of Medicine is a nonranking institution, students are clustered based on percentages assigned to their preclinical end-of-year and core clinical clerkship grades. The categories are: Outstanding, Excellent, Very Good, Good, and Capable. Only Med 1-3 grades are include in the MSPE cluster statement. We do not feel it is fair to include July and August grades in Med 4 because of differences in student schedules and the relative weights of the clerkships.
Appendices: These include graphic representations on “Preclinical Comparative Performance,” “Clinical Comparative Performance,” and
Professionalism Comparative Performance"; a cluster description for “Compartive Performance in Medical School;” and an information page on the College of Medicine.

For additional information, contact:

Susan Leonhart
Director, Medical Student Communications/Special Projects
B043 Graves Hall
Office Hours: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. or by appointment
(614)292-6450
susan.leonhart@osumc.edu

Related Links

September 2008 Clerkship Request