Grade Appeals – University of Texas at San Antonio Long School of Medicine

The University of Texas at San Antonio Long School of Medicine (Long SOM) has a reputation as a rising star among US schools. As the ranking of the Long SOM rises, admission has become highly competitive. This competitive atmosphere persists as students complete the curriculum and are graded and ranked based on their performance in courses and clerkships. When the United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) moved from a numeric score to a pass/fail, medical school grades and faculty recommendations became critical to the decision-making of most residency programs.

If you have received an arbitrary or unfair grade at the Long SOM, you may be forced to file a grade appeal. Navigating grade appeal decisions can be complicated and challenging, but the experienced attorneys of the LLF National Law Firm Education Law Team can help. The LLF National Law Firm Team is familiar with the grading system at the Long SOM, and we can advise you on your rights and best practices. The LLF National Law Firm has a proven track record of representing medical students in grade and academic appeals, and we know how to present your case carefully.  Contact us today at 888-535-3686, or fill out our online form.

Trends in Medical School Grade Appeals

If you are frustrated with the seemingly arbitrary nature of medical school grades, you are not alone. Medical students nationwide are increasingly challenging grades and filing grade appeals, as they demand greater transparency and accountability in the grading process. While medical school grading was once shrouded in mystery and possibly influenced by bias or prejudice, today’s grading is much more transparent. However, as grading and ranking systems become increasingly complex, the incidence of errors rises significantly. If you have been affected by a mistake in grading or an unfair or arbitrary grade, you may need to file a grade appeal.

Grading at the Long SOM

Grades are assigned by the course or clerkship director at the Long SOM as follows:

• Honors
  
  Score of 90.00-100 with all components meeting or exceeding Honors benchmarks.

• High Pass
  
  Score of 85.00-89.99 with all components meeting or exceeding High Pass benchmarks.

• Pass
  
  Score of 70.00-84.99 or greater than 84.99 but did not meet all benchmarks for High Pass.

• Fail
  
  Score lower than 70 or a failure on one or more components.

Faculty must enter grades for all assignments, activities, and exams into a grade calculator maintained by the Office of Undergraduate Medical Education. For purposes of class rank, students receive 4 points for honors, 3.5 points for high pass, 3 points for pass, 2 points for remediated pass, and no points for fail. Because these scores become critical during competition for residency spots, students must address unfair or arbitrary grades as they are assigned.

The Grade Appeal Process at Long SOM

Students at the Long SOM may file an academic grievance for any decision or action that may affect a student’s academic status. This includes exam scores, course grades, remediation, and dismissal. Medical students may choose to use either an informal or formal process to challenge a grade. An informal appeal goes through either the Associate Dean for Curriculum or the course or clerkship director, depending on whether the course is clinical or pre-clinical. Alternatively, the student may follow a formal appeal process by using the appeal form. This appeal form is reviewed by the Department Chair and may be referred to the Student Progression and Promotions Committee (SPPC). The grade grievance process includes the following procedures:

Step One – Informal Process – Discussion with Instructor/Associate Dean

Before filing a formal grade grievance, the student may elect to discuss the matter with the course instructor or faculty member. Individual faculty members bear primary responsibility to rectify grading errors.   In pre-clinical years, the discussion may be with the Associate Dean for Curriculum, whereas in clinical years, the discussion should be with the course or clerkship director.

Step Two – Formal Grievance

If the grade appeal cannot be resolved with the instructor, the student will then file a formal written appeal on the Academic and Grade Grievance Form. This appeal may be heard by the SPPC in the medical school in many instances.

Step Three – Appeal to the Dean of the School of Medicine

If the student is not satisfied with the Department Chair’s decision or the decision of the SPPC, they may file an appeal with the Dean of the School of Medicine.

For grade appeals involving allegations of discrimination, students may pursue a claim with the Equal Opportunity Services (EOS) office. EOS will conduct an investigation and notify the student of the result. If allegations of academic dishonesty arise during the grievance process, the matter must be referred to the Student Conduct and Community Standards (SCCS).

What are Typical Grounds of Grade Appeals?

If a student decides to challenge a grade on an assignment or a course, they must provide a basis for the challenge in their written statement. This basis will vary depending on the situation. The reasons why a grade does not accurately reflect student performance are numerous and varied, but common reasons for grade appeals include:

• Simple Miscalculation (Math Errors)

• As difficult as it may be to believe, many grading errors stem from simple calculation mistakes. These mistakes are common, and often the student must challenge the grade to rectify the error.  

• Record Keeping Errors

This is another common mistake made by course instructors involving a failure to record assignments and exams accurately. Instructors who are lax in record keeping will sometimes believe that assignments were handed in late, or they may have lost or erased the assignment.

• Unfair Treatment or Arbitrary Grading
  
  Unfortunately, grading decisions are sometimes based on discrimination or may be motivated by personal animus. Conversely, sometimes the instructor grades in an arbitrary manner, entirely based on subjective criteria.

• Academic Dishonesty
  
  Although the instructor should have addressed suspicions of cheating when they arose, some instructors will avoid confrontation and grade the assignment poorly. This results in belated accusations of cheating or plagiarism during a grade appeal. While this is frustrating for the student, the attorneys at the LLF National Law Firm have encountered similar situations before and can effectively defend against accusations of academic dishonesty.  

• Failure to Follow Syllabus or Grading Rubric
  
  Sometimes, an instructor makes an impromptu change to the course content without adequately informing the students. If an instructor fails to follow a course syllabus or grading rubric, it can serve as the basis for a grade appeal.  

Whatever the reason for the grade appeal, a savvy student will approach challenging a grade carefully and strategically.

The Risks of a Grade Appeal

Students at the Long SOM rely on faculty recommendations for residency applications and many other career opportunities. Therefore, it is essential to address any grade appeal carefully. An instructor may strongly resent having their judgment questioned and may provide negative input during the faculty recommendation process. Therefore, a grading error should be addressed as early in the process as possible, ideally through informal discussion. However, sometimes a student must pursue a formal appeal and hearing.  

Building Your Grade Appeal Case

Students should begin building a grade appeal file at any time they suspect that their grading is unfair or arbitrary. Although students at the Long SOM typically file a grade appeal after receiving a poor final grade in a course, the pattern of unfair or arbitrary grading typically begins early in the course.

It is crucial to approach a grade appeal seriously and to work to build a successful appeal. Begin your appeal file with the following:

• Assigned Materials
  
  Collect all class activities and assignments completed during the course and note the time and date they were submitted to the instructor.  

• Exams
  
  Students should keep copies of all examinations and quizzes along with any grade explanations. This is a good time to collect the scores and explanations of classmates who are willing to share. This may establish unfair treatment or uneven or arbitrary grading.

• Course Syllabus
  
  The course syllabus and policies are essential to any grade appeal. If the syllabus and grading rubric were not followed, it may form the basis of a grade appeal.

• Correspondence on Grade
  
  As you progress with your grade appeal, it is vital to save all emails and other correspondence on your grade, particularly if they involve your instructor. If you have a verbal conversation, write down what was said by all parties as soon as possible after the conversation occurs.

• Proof of Arbitrary Grading
  
  While you should never view or collect the work of another student without their permission, if another student is willing to share their work and grade, it is essential to document this. This is particularly true if you are arguing that grading is arbitrary and subjective without an objective basis.

It is a good idea to keep a grading file in any situation where you suspect that the grading is arbitrary or unfair. Don’t wait until you hire counsel, but begin early to document everything.

Protecting Your Rights

If you are facing a medical student appeal, having an experienced attorney from the LLF National Law Firm on your side can make all the difference. The attorneys on our team can help you:

• Gather and present evidence effectively.

• Prepare a complete and effective appeal statement.

• Prepare you to speak or testify at a hearing or interviews.

The LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team has established relationships with numerous medical schools throughout the US, and we are well-equipped to negotiate for an early resolution of your appeal. We have a record of success defending medical students in grade and academic appeals nationwide. Call the LLF National Law Firm at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online form, and we will contact you.