A low or unsatisfactory grade in medical school can have devastating consequences. It has the potential to redirect your professional medical path and prevent you from being recognized and progressing in your future career. And if you are a medical student at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S), the high standards and stringent grade processes make it doubly important to stay on top of your grades and evaluation results to land a place in a top-tier residency program later.
Lately, it has become trickier to navigate assessment and grading hierarchies, making it challenging to appeal an unfair grade or reason with an instructor or assessor when something doesn’t feel right about the process. After the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) shifted its standards to Pass/Fail scoring in Step 1 scores, something changed in the academic landscape as well; namely, an uptick in grade appeals, indicating that sometimes, new processes lead to new problems for medical students who are already under increasing scrutiny.
Even one low or unsatisfactory evaluation during the Fundamental Phase, Major Clinical Year, or Distinction and Integration rotation cycle can hurt your National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) eligibility for good residencies and access to elective programs in coveted hospitals and healthcare facilities.
The good news is that despite the difficulties negotiating and navigating these processes, the LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team can help. Whether you need hands-on help with negotiations or coaching to take on the process where the firm physically cannot, the team understands the VP&S grade appeal structure and walks you through every step of the process. Call 888-535-3686 or complete this online questionnaire to learn more about how we can help.
Why You Should Go Through With An Appeal
Filing a grade appeal may come with initial hesitation and risks you may not have expected. But this isn’t the case for every grade, since some have more repercussions or may not count towards your final grade. We can help you balance the pros and cons to determine what the best course of action is and prevent you from taking a step that may not be in your best interests. The problem lies when, despite the existence of evidence that can help them and a clear process that they can follow, many students choose to forgo this right instead of fighting back, due to apprehension and reluctance to challenge an instructor.
While retaliation is a valid concern, all medical schools understand that the professor or evaluator can make mistakes and, in rare cases, try to retaliate against the student. The good news is that they also have protocols in place to protect students and keep the appeals process fair for all parties involved. As a medical student, you should not be intimidated by a professor into appealing a grade or evaluation that can change your career trajectory.
A long-term professional diversion due to a bad or unfair grade is the result of not speaking up and taking the necessary measures to appeal your grade. And when you have the LLF National Law Firm by your side, you can rest assured that the team will do everything in their capacity to make sure you get the due process and fair treatment you are entitled to as a paying student with a medical future in front of you.
The Grade Appeal Process at Columbia VP&S
According to the VP&S Course and Clerkship Grading, Timeliness, and Appeals Policy, every medical student has the right to appeal their final grade if they believe that it inaccurately reflects their performance. This applies to clinical courses, Major Clinical Years (MCYs), electives, clerkships, and sub-internships. The process has a few steps that you must go through in detail to properly appeal your grade.
Step One: Understanding How the Grading Process was Conducted
Medical students have two weeks after receiving their final grade to send an email to the course or clerkship director for an explanation of how they conducted their grading process. The director must respond within two weeks with a detailed description of how they reached their determination. The director may respond in person through a clarification meeting or send an email with the relevant information.
Step Two: Filing the Appeal
If you are not satisfied with the director’s explanation or believe that other issues have affected your grade that were not addressed, you may file a formal appeal. The formal appeal must be sent in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Support and Services, within four weeks of the clarification meeting or the email response.
Keep in mind that you cannot file an appeal without a reason. Columbia VP&S policy states that there are valid reasons for appeal, including:
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A calculation / mathematical error or a clerical issue
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You suspect that you are a victim of discrimination or bias
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The grading criteria adopted by the director did not follow the established protocol or rubric
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An at-whim or capricious evaluation based on feeling as opposed to merit
Step Three: The Academic Appeals Subcommittee
Once the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Support and Services reviews the appeal and verifies that a potential reason exists for re-evaluating your grade, they refer the matter to the Academic Appeals Subcommittee, which is a faculty panel that does not include the director who gave you your final grade.
You will also be asked to attend a hearing, where you have the right to make a statement regarding your case and expand on any issues you feel necessary. You will also be asked a series of questions by the panel. Once your hearing ends, a separate meeting will be held with the course director, who will also give a statement and be asked about the grading process.
Once the hearings end, the Academic Appeals Subcommittee makes a final decision regarding your grade. These hearings and processes are confidential, and the professor who gave you the grade is not involved in your hearing, making it easier for you to speak plainly about your experience without fear of retaliation.
Protecting Yourself From Pushback
One of the main reasons why students don’t file a grade appeal is that they are worried that the instructor will retaliate or that they will be seen as problematic, even where other instructors aren’t involved. Although Columbia VP&S explicitly states that retaliation is prohibited, there are still several steps you can take to prevent this unlikely outcome from becoming your reality.
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Call the LLF National Law Firm as soon as you decide that you want to file a grade appeal. With the help of the LLF National Law Firm, you can decrease the chances of retaliatory action since administrators will understand that you are receiving counsel from a professional who understands how these processes work.
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Make sure that all your communications with the director or instructor are in writing. This step leaves a clear communication trail that can count as evidence when you are standing before the panel during the hearing, especially if communications go awry or become hostile.
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You can Carbon Copy (CC) or Blind Carbon Copy (BCC) the Associate Dean in your communications when you feel the matter may require a third set of eyes.
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Report any unprofessional or retaliatory behavior immediately to the Office of Professionalism and the Associate Dean. If they believe that the instructor is acting in a retaliatory manner, they will conduct a separate investigation and hold the director liable.
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Communicate any escalations through the appropriate channels and avoid talking about the matter to outsiders and fellow students if you want the matter to remain confidential.
Regardless of the instructor’s decision, you must fight back when you feel that your grade decision is unjust. With the help of the LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team, you have the guidance and knowledge to contest an unfair grade that can negatively impact your future.
Contacting the LLF National Law Firm
Unfair grading systems, bias, and whimsical grading practices can severely harm your chances of landing a coveted residency. Whether you feel you have been unjustly targeted or the grading director made a genuine error, you always have the chance to fight back.
The LLF National Law Firm understands how intricate these grading systems are and how essential they are to your future success. With their passion for justice and knowledge, the team at the LLF National Law Firm is by your side to work for the best possible outcome in changing your grade.
Being a medical student is stressful enough without the added burden of worrying about how one grade can change your plans before your professional future begins. The difference between honors and regular proficiency is one grade.
If you or someone you love attends Columbia VP&S, don’t be afraid to follow the grade appeals process with the LLF National Law Firm. Call 888-535-3686 to speak with a professional today, or send a message through this online portal to learn more about your options.