Medicine is a science, but even providers with a sharp mind, decades of experience, and the utmost attention to detail make mistakes. If they’re not perfect, neither are the Instructors and administrators who evaluate students at the Campbell University Jerry M. Wallace School of Osteopathic Medicine (CUSOM), who can make mathematical errors and other mistakes that temporarily blemish students’ transcripts.
Once you recognize that an error has been reflected in your grades, it’s time to exercise your right to appeal. There are several possible reasons you might appeal, from an instructor unfairly or inaccurately evaluating your performance, to a basic calculation error, to an issue in transferring a grade from one platform to another.
Most students attending DO programs invest tens of thousands of dollars and years of their lives into their training. When you put so much into your education, an incorrect grade is simply not acceptable.
Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team today at 888-535-3686 or contact us online to discuss how we will help you lead your appeal for the correction of an inaccurate or unfair mark at CUSOM.
A Fight More Significant Than One Mark: Why a Grade Appeal Is Worth Your Consideration
DO students have more than enough to worry about, and plenty of responsibilities occupying their time. Do you really need to add a grade change appeal to your lengthy list of worries and duties?
If you’ve received a grade or assessment that is less than you deserve, the answer is likely “yes, you should pursue a grade change.” Even without knowing you yet, here are a few reasons why the effort is likely worthwhile:
DO Programs May Be Your Best (or Only) Chance at a Medical Career
DO programs have become an increasingly popular pathway to the medical field and are increasingly integrated with other forms of medical education. For some students, enrollment at CUSOM is their only chance at a medical career because it was the only program to which they were admitted, or the cost of pursuing their education elsewhere would be prohibitive.
Even if you have a backup plan, you should make the most of your educational investment by fighting for the strongest possible transcript.
Competition for Coveted Healthcare Positions Is Only Tightening
While primary care providers are in demand in many markets, the medical field remains highly competitive. Most graduates don’t just want a job. They want a stimulating, lucrative position that will not cause burnout or discontent.
The stronger your grades are at CUSOM, the stronger your residency placement will likely be, and the more fulfilling professional opportunities you will have available after graduation.
The Right to Appeal Grades Comes with the Cost of Tuition—You May Want to Take Advantage
Some students believe they’ll be viewed as a problem if they appeal a grade or evaluation. This is a fair concern, as you may be hoping for a professor who issued the initial grade to write a letter of recommendation in the future. You don’t want to unnecessarily ruffle feathers if a grade change appeal will not bear fruit. Our Student Defense Team understands these concerns and considers them fair.
At the same time, appealing is your right. If you have a legitimate reason to believe a grade is inaccurate, it’s generally worth seeking a change. Fear of upsetting an instructor is legitimate, but it should not motivate you to accept a grade that is less than you have earned.
We will help you balance this delicate situation. If you ultimately elect to appeal, our Student Defense Team will help you do so tactfully and respectfully, so that all of your potential professional bridges remain standing.
The Pathways for Appealing Grades (or Grading Practices) at CUSOM
Campbell Medicine lists a few possible ways to rectify an incorrect grade, and those pathways include:
A Grievance for an Academic Issue
The CUSOM Academic Bulletin describes the grievance process as students’ opportunity to “seek resolution to problems, disagreements with faculty/administrators, or interpretations of institutional policy.” Disagreements about a student’s grade certainly fit this description.
CUSOM’s procedures for filing a grievance related to “Academic Issues” are as follows:
- The student seeking a grade change is first expected to speak with their instructor about the issue
- If the student cannot negotiate an acceptable resolution with the instructor, they have 14 days from their discussion with the instructor to file a grievance with the “appropriate Associate Dean”
- If their appeal to the Associate Dean does not produce the intended outcome, the student can then appeal to the Dean, “whose decision will constitute the final resolution”
CUSOM policies also add that, if a student has any issue with course grading policies, they should address it “through the Class President to either the Associate Dean for Biomedical Affairs or the Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs.” The Class President may appeal to the Vice Dean for Academic Affairs and, if necessary, to the Dean.
Simply filing a grievance is not straightforward (as you can see), and it’s just one of several options you may need to consider. Our Student Defense Team will help you identify all available strategies for appealing a grade and execute the plan we determine is most appropriate.
An Academic Performance, Promotion, and Standards (APPS) Committee Review
CUSOM policy makes clear that the university’s APPS Committee is integral to the school’s operations and is a central decision-maker in academic and disciplinary matters.
The aforementioned Academic Bulletin notes that when students fail a clinical or exam, their case “will be reviewed and acted upon by the Academic Performance, Promotion and Standards (APPS) Committee.”
The APPS Committee may grant a student the opportunity to remediate a clinical round or examination. While this is not the same as a traditional grade change, it is a potential way to avoid a failing grade on your CUSOM transcript.
The APPS Committee also typically rules on students’ allegations that a grade was calculated inaccurately. If the APPS Committee does not sustain a student’s appeal to change an inaccurate grade, that student may have one more opportunity to enact the grade change they seek.
An Appeal to the Dean
The Academic Bulletin notes that “A student may appeal to the Dean for consideration of a grade change.” This step is necessary only if the APPS Committee hears and does not sustain a student’s initial petition for a grade change.
What Are the Grounds for Appealing a Grade at CUSOM?
The two primary grounds for appealing a grade that are mentioned in CUSOM policies are:
- A factual error: If you believe that an evaluation contains inaccurate information or that an instructor’s assessment of your work was based on any flawed details, this can be grounds to change the grade or assessment.
- A “typographical” error: Many incorrect grades result from technical errors. Most medical school instructors and administrators were not Mathematics majors, after all. Software bugs and other factors beyond the instructor’s control can also cause typographical errors in the grading process.
If a grade is wrong, that fact is sufficient to engage the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team. We will help you identify the root cause of the incorrect grade and the best strategy to correct it.
Our Student Defense Team Steps Up in Complex, High-Stakes Circumstances Like These (When Students Need Us the Most)
Graduating from a DO program like CUSOM is difficult enough when everything goes to plan. When you face unexpected hurdles like an incorrect grade, you must take the time and effort to address a problem that you should never have had to face.
Yet, here we are.
Knowing that a grade is incorrect, and that you’re unwilling to let an incorrect grade slide (and suffer the harm that comes with substandard academic marks), choose to make the grade appeals process as painless as possible. Also, choose to position your appeal for success by engaging our Student Defense Team as your representatives.
The LLF National Law Firm can assist you by:
- Protecting your rights, first and foremost: We take a protective stance first, ensuring that nobody violates your rights, talks you out of actions that might benefit you, or coerces you in any way.
- Setting the strategy: Each student seeking a grade change benefits from a personalized approach. We will evaluate your unique circumstances and recommend a course of action we believe is right for you. We will want your feedback on that strategy, as this is your case.
- Demanding the grade(s) you deserve: We will share the mission of securing the change of grade that you seek and deserve.
DO programs typically have rules about how a student’s advocate can assist. While we respect those rules, we also get creative in delivering value to our students—our concern is fair outcomes, and we don’t allow rules or obstacles to stand in the way of securing those outcomes for students like you.
We Consider Alternative Strategies When “Plan A” Does Not Produce the Desired Outcome
We are familiar with CUSOM’s rules and procedures, and we will work within those procedures as we lead your grade-change appeal. However, standard rules and procedures do not always produce the right outcome. When we need to (or when it’s best for the student we represent), our attorneys negotiate with the schools’ attorneys to reach a student-friendly resolution.
We accept cases like yours with the intention of achieving the best possible outcome for the student. You want us on your side. Call the LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team at 888-535-3686 or contact us online as soon as possible.