Neuroscience '07 at RWJMS

Course Director, Nancy L. Hayes, Ph.D. (e-mail: neuro@umdnj.edu)
Department of Neuroscience and Cell Biology
Robert Wood Johnson Medical School

NEUROSCIENCE COURSE EXAMINATIONS AND GRADING POLICIES

Last updated December 11, 2006

Final grades are determined based on the average of 4 examination scores and participation in 3 Clinical Case Conferences

Practical Exam 16%
Written Exam I 16%
Exam II 32%
Exam III 33%
Clinical Case Conferences 3%

EXAMINATIONS:

There will be three (3) formal examinations during this course. Each Exam includes a mixture of basic "1 best answer" multiple choice questions as well as questions based on clinical case descriptions and picture identifications. The proportion of clinical case material is increased as the course proceeds. In addition, Exam I includes a wet lab practical portion.

Exam I at the end of the first block will cover lecture, reading and conference material and laboratory assignments for the entire block. This exam will have two sections: a practical portion (laboratory identification) and a written portion (multiple choice format). In the written portion, some questions will be formulated in the context of short clinical case descriptions. Exam I contributes to scores to your final grade: Practical: 16%, Written: 16% (total contribution to final grade: 32%).
Exam II this year will take place on the first day (Monday) of the third block. This exam will cover lecture, reading and conference material from the entire second block. Exam II is not cumulative per se, but much of the material from the first block is necessary for understanding the second block material. In particular, clinical case-based problems are cumulative in nature. In addition, image based questions (MRI, atlas photographs, etc.) will review the most important neuroanatomy. Expect more questions to be based on short clinical case descriptions. This exam contributes 32% to your final grade.
A third exam during the final exam week will cover lecture, reading and conference material from the third block. As described for exam II, the clinical case-based problems are cumulative in nature. In addition, image based questions (MRI, atlas photographs, etc.) will review the most important neuroanatomy. To help prepare you for the USMLE Step I, we will attempt to frame as many questions as possible within a clinical case description. This exam will contribute 33% to your final grade.

There will be three (3) Clinical Case Conferences, one in each block. Each Conference contributes 1% to your final grade (total of 3%). Participation is mandatory, and no grade of Honors or High Pass will be given to a student who does not participate in all three Conferences. An excused absence from any of these exercises requires an excuse in writing by a letter/memo from the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to the Course Director prior to that class session. Excused absences must be made up, as determined by the Course Director, for the student to receive credit and be eligible for grades of Honors or High Pass.

There are no make-up examinations given for mid-term exams. For a grade of 0 not to be recorded, absence from any examination must be excused in writing by a letter/memo from the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs to the Course Director prior to administration of the exam. In the case of "special circumstances," as determined by the Course Director in consultation with the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, this policy may be waived and other accommodations made. All students are required to take the Final (third) Exam. An excused absence from this exam must be remediated as determined by the Course Director in consultation with the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

GRADE APPEALS:

Grade appeals for exam questions must be made in writing to the Course Director within 5 days of receiving the exam grade. Any appeal must document why the selected answer is correct and why each of the other answers is incorrect. Supporting materials from textbooks and other sources may be submitted.

ARRIVING LATE FOR AN EXAM: If a student arrives late but before any answer sheets have been turned in, there is no penalty; however, no additional time will be given to complete the exam. If a student arrives after the first answer sheet has been turned in, then "special circumstances" must be evaluated by the Dean of Student Affairs and a determination made in consultation with the Course Director.

GRADING POLICY:

The final grade will be based on the averaged exam scores and mandatory participation in the three Case Conferences. As noted below, these scores are not set in stone. Minor adjustments may be made based on analysis of the overall class performance at the end of the course.

HONORS >90%. It is anticipated that at least 10% of the class will receive this grade, and the grade border will be adjusted as necessary to achieve this distribution. Irrespective of exam average, no grade of Honors will be given to a student who does not participate in all 3 Clinical Case Conferences, or remediate an excused absence.
HIGH PASS >85% but <90%. It is anticipated that at least 20% of the class will receive this grade, and the grade borders will be adjusted as necessary.

Irrespective of exam average, no grade of High Pass will be given to a student who does not participate in all 3 Clinical Case Conferences, or remediate an excused absence.

PASS >70% but <85%.
LOW PASS >65% but <70%.
A GRADE OF FAIL will be given for an average grade below 65%.

The proposed cutoffs are based on an expectation that the mean overall grade for the three exams will be approximately 80%. Adjustments downward will be made if an unexpectedly difficult exam is administered. (Note that this is to your benefit.) As a warning, however, note that the average grade on the first exam tends to be high; the subsequent exams are more difficult. In other words, do not let your good performance on the first exam make you overconfident.

Students who receive a grade of Fail are allowed to take a remedial exam to convert their Failure to a Low Pass. The remedial exam is scheduled after the completion of the second semester courses by the Office of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. If available and approved by the Office of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, students may elect to take a summer course for remediation of the F to LP. Note: Only initial grades of Fail are eligible for remediation.

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