Pace Handbook

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Progressive Academic Education (PAcE) Handbook

Table of Contents Handbook ...............................................................................................................

Purpose of the PAcE Program .......................................................................... 1 About the PAcE program ................................................................................... 1 Mediasite ........................................................................................................... 1 How PAcE Works .............................................................................................. 2 Admission to PAcE in Semester 1.…….…………………………………………...3 Grading ............................................................................................................. 3 Attendance Policy .............................................................................................. 3 Opting out of PAcE ............................................................................................ 4 PAcE in Semester 2, 3 and 4………………………………………………………..4 Program Administration ..................................................................................... 5

Head of PAcE ............................................................................................... 5 Semester 1, 2, 3 & 4 PAcE Directors ............................................................. 5 Administrative Assistants ............................................................................... 5

Purpose of the PAcE Program The PAcE program at Ross University expects to stimulate students to become lifelong, self-directed learners, through small group learning exercises. These skills are invaluable to students throughout their medical careers.

About the PAcE program Ross University School of Medicine developed the PAcE program as a self-directed learning option, which is a flexible approach to the RUSM curriculum during the preclinical years. Students use faculty-written learning objectives and handouts to direct their learning, and the faculty are available, as needed, to assist the students through difficult concepts and material.

Mediasite Self-study is also facilitated by Mediasite, an online site where all recorded lectures from Ross University can be viewed. PAcE students have on- and off-campus access to Mediasite for convenient viewing of lectures. Access to off-campus Mediasite is via a student’s e-mail login and is a privelidge restricted to PAcE students. Allowing other individuals access to a PAcE student’s login and password is not permitted and violation of this rule may lead to serious consequences for all parties involved.

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How PAcE Works The PAcE program includes a group learning component, designed to promote teamwork and problem solving. All PAcE students will meet for regularly scheduled sessions on a weekly basis, where group quizzes and cases studies with teaching faculty will be presented. In addition to promoting group collaboration, these sessions are designed to help students gauge their progress and identify areas of weakness in their studies. Attendance is mandatory at all scheduled sessions. At the beginning of the semester, all students will be divided into groups of six. This process will be carried out by faculty and students will not be allowed to choose their own group members. Once assigned to a group, students will stay within this group for the remainder of the semester. The team based learning (TBL) process used in PAcE has three phases. • Phase 1 is the Presentation Phase, where student will attend lectures or learn

the material being taught in whatever way best suits their learning style. • Phase 2 is the Readiness Assurance Phase, where students attend a “quiz

session” and complete a Readiness Assessment Test (RAT). The RAT is a multiple choice style assessment which students will complete once as an individual (iRAT), and again with a group (gRAT). Both of these RAT’s are graded and the responses are discussed with faculty members.

• Phase 3 is the Application Phase, where students work as a group to study 1-

2 complex clinical problems that have multiple choice questions associated with them. The group answers to the multiple choice questions will be submitted simultaneously to faculty who will discuss the suitability of the answers.

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Admission to PAcE in Semester 1 The criteria for admission are based on GPA and MCAT scores. To be invited into the program students must have:

• An overall undergraduate GPA of at least 3.2 • A pre-requisite GPA of at least 3.0 • An MCAT score of at least 20

Due to space limitations, it is possible that not all invited applicants may be accepted into the program.

Grading PAcE students are currently graded by their performance on examinations in the same way as all other students on campus. In addition, PAcE students must maintain an average grade of 60% on their iRAT and 80% their gRAT. The PAcE grades will not be recorded officially, nor will they appear on any transcripts. They are simply an internal measure that helps to determine eligibility for PAcE in subsequent semesters.

Attendance Policy Attendance at all PAcE sessions (quiz and case) is mandatory. Attendance will be taken at every PAcE session and any students recorded as absent will be notified via e-mail after the session. All e-mail notifications for absences will require action on the student’s part in one of the following ways:

1. Excused absences for emergency or medical purposes are permitted, and must be accompanied by a written excuse from the Health Center or Dean of Students within three days of the missed session.

2. Students are permitted one unexcused absence per semester. If a student misses a PAcE session for an unexcused reason, he/she must contact the PAcE director within two days of the missed session (via e-mail, phone, or in person) to offer an explanation for the absence. We consider this an issue of professionalism, and students not reporting their unexcused absence to the PAcE director may be issued a professionalism card.

3. If you receive an absence notification e-mail in error (i.e. you did attend a session but got marked absent), you must notify the PAcE director within three days of receiving the notification so the error can be corrected in the PAcE records. Requests for clarification of errors reported later than three days after the e-mail notification will not be entertained.

All students successfully completing a full semester of PAcE by maintaining a cumulative GPA of 3.00, failing no courses or course blocks, attaining at least a 60% average on the iRAT and 80% average on the gRAT, and meeting the PAcE

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attendance policy, will have a statement about their PAcE participation in their Dean’s Letter. Students earning an average iRAT score above 80% and an average gRAT score above 95% will have a special note in their Dean’s Letter about their excellent performance in PAcE.

Opting out of PAcE Students may opt out of the PAcE program at any time during the semester, as long as the PAcE director is notified. Students who simply stop attending PAcE sessions without opting out of the program will be considered in attendance violation, risk failing the PAcE program requirements, and may be issued a professionalism card. Students who have left the PAcE program, for whatever reason, may not be eligible for re-admittance in later semesters.

PAcE in Semester 2, 3, and 4 To continue in the PAcE program after semester 1, students are required to meet several criteria:

1. Must have an average of 60% or greater on the iRAT, and 80% or greater on the gRAT.

2. Must maintain a cumulative GPA at Ross of a least 3.00 3. Must not have failed any courses at Ross.

New admission to the PAcE program after semester 1 is possible and is dependent upon available space. Students can be admitted to the PAcE program, up to and including, the 4th semester. Criteria for admission to the PAcE program after semester 1 are as follows:

1. Must have a cumulative GPA of a least 3.00 2. Must have no failed courses at Ross.

Program Administration

Dr. Sheakley Sem 1 PACE Director 767-255-6293 [email protected]

Dr. Royer Sem 2 PACE Director 767-255-6367 [email protected]

Dr. Sloma Sem 3 PACE Director 767-255-6226 [email protected]

Dr. Drummelsmith Sem 4 PACE Director 767-255-6241 [email protected]

Ms. Bedneau Admin Assistants 767-255-6379 [email protected]

Ms. George Admin Assistants 767-255-6379 [email protected]

Pace Handbook

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