Mandate

The Undergraduate Medical Education program is committed to providing faculty and administration with evidence to continuously improve the MD Program. The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will be tasked with the collection and analysis of quantitative and qualitative data on the curriculum, administration, admissions and student affairs to inform decision-making at all levels of the MD Program.

Major Responsibilities

The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will be tasked with:

1. Implementing a program evaluation strategy for the MD Program.
2. Selecting areas for program evaluation each year, in collaboration with the MD Program’s educational leadership, the Assessment, Evaluation and Curriculum (AEC) Office, UGME operations teams, MedTech, and the Student Assessment Subcommittee.
3. Providing oversight for the planning, implementation and evaluation of program evaluation projects including establishing the program evaluation questions, data sources, data collection methods and outcome measures.
4. Identifying opportunities for scholarship resulting from program evaluation initiatives.
5. Producing program evaluation reports with recommendations for consideration by relevant stakeholders.
6. Ensuring compliance with and providing content pertaining to the CACMS accreditation standards and that pertain to program evaluation.

Membership

The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will be chaired by the Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation. The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will include the following voting members:

• Senior Manager (Chair), Accreditation and Program Evaluation
• Vice-Dean, UGME
• Assistant Dean, Curriculum
• Assistant Dean, Admissions
• Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
• Assistant Dean, Academic Implementation
• Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion
• Director, Operations
• Two (2) students, one from each stream, representatives as appointed by the Aesculapian Society

Meetings

The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will ordinarily meet monthly. Quorum shall consist of the presence of one third of voting members.

Other stakeholders will be invited to attend meetings at the discretion of the Chair.

Decision-Making

Agreement on the recommendations will be reached by a process of consensus.

Reporting

The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will report at least annually to the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee (UGEC).

Conflict of Interest

Members are required to declare at the beginning of a virtual or face-to-face meeting or in writing to the Chair prior to a meeting, any conflicts of interest (actual or perceived) that could influence their ability to assess any matter being considered by the subcommittee. Members with a conflict of interest will not participate in discussions or decisions related to the matter in question.

Administrative Support

The Program Evaluation Subcommittee will be provided with administrative support from the Lead Coordinator, Academic Delivery Support.

Agenda and Minutes

Agendas and minutes of subcommittee meetings are to be distributed to the sub-committee members by the Lead Coodinator. Minutes are normally distributed electronically to all members within one week of meetings.

Evaluation

The subcommittee will review its membership, terms of reference, rules and procedures as necessary. The Chair will report the results of the review to the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee.

Policy References

The undergraduate medical education policies are posted to https://med.uottawa.ca/undergraduate/policies-and-procedures

APPENDIX A - CACMS Standards and Elements Effective as of 2024-2025

1.1 Strategic planning and continuous quality improvement

A medical school engages in ongoing strategic planning and continuous quality improvement processes that establish its short and long-term programmatic goals, result in the achievement of measurable outcomes that are used to improve educational program quality, and ensure effective monitoring of the medical education program’s compliance with accreditation standards.

8.2 Use of Program and Learning Objectives

The faculty of a medical school, through the curriculum committee, ensure that the formally adopted medical education program objectives are used to guide the selection of curriculum content, to review and revise the curriculum, and to establish the basis for evaluating program effectiveness. The learning objectives of each required learning experience are linked to the medical education program objectives.

8.3 Curricular Design, Review, Revision/Content Monitoring

The faculty of a medical school are responsible for the detailed development, design, and implementation of all components of the medical education program, including the medical education program objectives, the learning objectives for each required learning experience, and instructional and assessment methods appropriate for the achievement of those objectives. The curriculum committee oversees content and content sequencing, ongoing review and updating of content, and evaluation of required learning experiences, and teacher quality. The medical education program objectives, learning objectives, content, and instructional and assessment methods are subject to ongoing monitoring, review, and revision by the curriculum committee to ensure that the curriculum functions effectively as a whole such that medical students achieve the medical education program objectives.

8.4 Program Evaluation

A medical school collects and uses a variety of outcome data, including national norms of accomplishment, to demonstrate the extent to which medical students are achieving the medical education program objectives and to enhance the quality of the medical education program. These data are collected during program enrollment and after program completion.

8.5 Medical student feedback

In evaluating medical education program quality, a medical school has formal processes in place to collect and consider medical student evaluations of required learning experiences, teachers, faculty members, and other relevant aspects of the medical education program.

Mandate

The Clerkship Committee (CC) is a Subcommittee of the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee (UGEC) and acts in an advisory capacity to UGEC and to the Vice-Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME).

The CC addresses issues pertinent to the design, development, implementation and assessment of the Clerkship UGME Program (years 3 and 4 of UGME at uOttawa).

The CC collaborates with community and hospital sites as well as distributed medical education (DME) partners who welcome and instruct clerkship students in their learning environments. The scope of the CC includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Clerkship Curriculum design, development and implementation:
   1. Ensure that the Clerkship curriculum is designed, developed and implemented effectively, collaboratively and in a manner consistent with the accreditation standards of the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS).
   2. Work with the Director of Competency Based Medical Education on the implementation of Entrustable Physician Activities (EPAs).
   3. Collaborate with longitudinal program leads for the integration of activities within Clerkship, including but not limited to Eporfolio on Core Competencies, social medicine, interprofessional, virtual care and other emerging and changing longitudinal program components.
   4. Advise on human, physical, financial, logistical, technical and other resources required for the effective delivery of the Clerkship curriculum.
2. Clerkship Curriculum Program Review:
   1. Objectives:  In collaboration with the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee (CC), review the objectives of each clerkship rotation and ensure that these objectives reflect the educational objectives of the MD Program.
   2. Educational Design:  Regularly review the design of the Clerkship educational objectives to ensure integration and coordination within each rotation, between streams and in longitudinal manner throughout Clerkship.
3. Curriculum content delivery/implementation:  Regularly review delivery/implementation of the clerkship objectives to ensure effective delivery. Clerkship Program Assessment:
   1. Provide a regularly scheduled and structured venue to receive feedback from members of the Clerkship committee, including students, to ensure that the educational objectives, curricular design, and implementation are achievable in both language streams and meet the educational needs of students and Faculty.
   2. Develop, support and implement Clerkship program evaluation methods assessing objectives, design and implementation.
   3. Review Clerkship program evaluation data and participate in ongoing curriculum improvement.
4. Student Assessment:
   1. Work closely with the Evaluation Subcommittee to determine and review the appropriate methods and configuration of formative and summative examinations, clinical evaluations and all other evaluations of students.
5. Faculty Assessment:
   1. In collaboration with the Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion and Evaluations Committee, review and advise on Faculty evaluations and performance related to Clerkship.
6. Collaborate with UGME Preclerkship Directors to ensure continuity and coordination between Preclerkship and Clerkship.
7. Advise on human, physical and other resources required for the effective delivery of the Clerkship curriculum.
8. Report regularly to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee through the Directors of Clerkship.

Membership

The Clerkship committee shall be composed of:

1. Directors, Clerkship, one Anglophone and one Francophone (Co-Chairs)
2. Leads, Rotations, one Anglophone and one Francophone of each rotation (16 members)
3. Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation
4. Assistant Dean, Curriculum
5. Assistant Dean, Academic Implementation
6. Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion
7. Director, Distributed Medical Education
8. Senior Advisor, Indigenous Affairs
9. Director, MDPhD
10. Directors, Preclerkship, one Anglophone and one Francophone
11. Assistant Dean, Professionalism
12. Pillar Director, Medicine and Society
13. Pillar Director, Clinical Sciences
14. Pillar Director, Foundational Sciences
15. Lead, Portfolio on Core Competencies
16. Co-Leads Transition to Clerkship
17. Co-Leads Transition to Residency
18. Leader, Virtual Care
19. Leaders, SIM
20. Vice-Dean, Francophone Affairs
21. Five (5) student representatives, one Anglophone and one Francophone from third and fourth year, and the Senior Vice-President of Academic Affairs of the Aesculapian Society
22. Assistant Dean, Student Affairs (non-voting member)
23. Chief Examiner, Year 3 OSCE (non-voting member)
24. Director, Technology Services (non-voting member)
25. Director, Operations (non-voting member)
26. Hospital coordinators from each rotation and both streams (non-voting member)
27. Coordinator, Academic Administration Clerkship-providing administrative support (non-voting member)
28. Lead Coordinator, Year 3 (non-voting member)
29. Lead Coordinator, Year 4 (non-voting member)
30. Manager, Academic Programs Management Clerkship (non-voting member)
31. Manager, Academic Programs Management Preclerkship (non-voting member)
32. Supervisor, Academic Delivery Support (non-voting member)
33. Lead Coordinator, Accreditation and Program Evaluation (non-voting member)
34. Invited guests from partner community or hospital institutions (non-voting guests).

The quorum shall consist of one third of the voting members.

Purpose

The Curriculum Committee (CC) is established to ensure that the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) program complies with the accreditation standards set by the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS). The CC is entrusted with the responsibility of overseeing the design, management, integration, evaluation, and enhancement of a coherent and coordinated curriculum, ensuring that all program objectives are met and that medical students are provided with required learning experiences in alignment with CACMS Standards.

The Curriculum Committee (CC) is a committee responsible for conducting timely and systematic reviews, revise the content and evaluate the curriculum’s structure and intended outcomes to ensure it is current, coherent, coordinated, and fulfills the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) program objectives of the Faculty of Medicine. All proposals for major curricular change including new or revised content, format, educational design and sequencing must be approved by this committee (see Appendix: UGME Curriculum Change Request Guidelines).

Authority

The CC is constituted by the Faculty of Medicine under the authority of the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) Program and reports directly to the Vice Dean of UGME, Faculty of Medicine. Its establishment and functions are in accordance with the Faculty of Medicine bylaws and CACMS accreditation requirements.

Meetings Frequency

Once per month

Quorum requirements

The quorum shall consist of 50 percent of the voting members.

1. Review, on a regular basis, the content of the curriculum within and across all four years, by considering (but not necessarily limited to) the following key elements:
   1. CanMEDS roles and competences;
   2. MCC objectives
   3. AFMC EPAs
   4. societal health needs;
   5. common clinical and procedural skills and representative conditions;
   6. accreditation issues;
   7. student feedback and performance;
   8. patient and community feedback;
   9. comparison with curricula at other schools;
   10. excessive redundancies and deficiencies;
   11. timing and flow of topics.
2. Ensure an appropriate integration and sequencing of the various segments of the curriculum both within and across the academic periods of study;
3. Ensure that a balanced viewpoint is achieved between the generalist and specialist perspectives in the curriculum;
4. Form ad hoc working groups (as needed) to conduct a more detailed review of areas or issues relevant to the undergraduate curriculum, with an appropriately appointed leadership and membership including students;
5. Consider reports of audits, special committees, task forces, and working groups relevant to the curriculum;
6. Liaise with the Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation to evaluate the overall curriculum as well as the effect of curricular changes.

Membership

The Curriculum Committee shall be composed of the following voting members:

1. Assistant Dean, Curriculum (Chair)
2. Assistant Dean, Academic Implementation
3. Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion
4. Vice-Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education (ex officio)
5. Pillar Director, Medicine and Society
6. Pillar Director, Foundational Sciences
7. Pillar Director, Clinical Sciences
8. Year 1 medical student representative
9. Year 2 medical student representative
10. Year 3 medical student representative
11. Year 4 medical student representative
12. One patient member (TBD)
13. One resident member
14. Senior Advisor, Indigenous Affairs
15. Preclerkship Director (EN)
16. Preclerkship Director (FR)
17. Clerkship Director (EN)
18. Clerkship Director (FR)
19. Director, Distributed Medical Education (DME)
20. Vice-Dean, Francophone Affairs
21. Director, Electives

Other non-voting members are:

1. Director, Operations  
2. Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation
3. Manager, Academic Programs Management (Preclerkship)
4. Manager, Academic Programs Management (Clerkship)
5. Supervisor, Academic Delivery Support
6. Senior Coordinators, Academic Delivery Support

When issues require further clarification, one or more guests shall be invited to the meeting(s).

Decision-Making

Agreement on the recommendations will be reached by a process of consensus.

Reporting

The Curriculum Committee (CC) will report at least annually to the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee (UGEC).

Conflict of interest

Members are expected to declare a conflict of interest if their real or perceived personal interests might be seen to influence their ability to assess any matter before the committee objectively.  They can do so either by personal declaration at the beginning of a meeting or in writing to the Chair. They will be excused from any discussions regarding the matter in question.  The declaration and absences will be recorded in the minutes.

Mandate

The scope of the activities of the Electives Subcommittee will encompass, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Oversee the development and implementation of elective experiences in the MD Program;
2. Review regularly the elective programs to ensure that the educational objectives reflect the educational objectives of the MD Program;
3. Obtain feedback from students on elective experiences to initiate improvement of the program;
4. Review the evaluation of student performance during electives and bring forward to the appropriate Promotions Committee students with performance issues;
5. Determine the need to change policy/procedure regarding electives;
6. Report regularly to the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee.

Membership

The Electives Subcommittee shall be composed of:

1. Director, Electives (Chair)
2. Director, Office of Global Health
3. Director, Distributed Medical Education
4. One (1) Francophone preceptor
5. Six (6) student representatives nominated by the Aesculapian Society, one from each language stream for years 1, 2 and 3
6. Electives Coordinator (non-voting member)
7. Manager, Academic Programs Management in Clerkship (non-voting member)

The quorum shall consist of one third of the voting members.

General Provisions

This committee is a standing committee of the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Medicine. Its mandate is to hear any academic appeal by a student or postgraduate trainee registered within the Faculty of Medicine. The Faculty Council Appeals Committee reports to the Dean who shall inform the Faculty Council of the cases that it received. The decisions of this committee may be appealed according to the University's Senate Appeal’s procedure.

Membership

• Chair, appointed by the Faculty Council (three years, renewable once);
• 1 Vice-Chair, appointed by the Faculty Council (three years, renewable once);
• 6 faculty members including two members of the undergraduate medical education leadership that are not members of the Student Promotion Executive Committee. The other members should provide a broad representation of the clinical and basic science departments (three years, renewable once);
• 1 undergraduate medical student (two years, renewable once);
• 1 postgraduate trainee (two years, renewable once).

Note: Faculty, student and trainee members will be appointed by the Faculty of Medicine Nominating Committee.

Meetings

This Committee will meet 8 times a year from September to June, or at the prerogative of the Chair. Quorum will be 5 members, at least one of which must be the Chair or Vice-Chair and at least one of which must be a student or trainee. If the appeal is from an MD student, at least one member of UGME leadership must be present.

Conflict of Interest

A member of the Committee should recuse him or herself when dealing with an appeal where the member was materially involved in the completion of an evaluation and/or made a recommendation and/or rendered a decision in the matter, which is the subject of the appeal. Members should also recuse themselves from a particular appeal where they feel that, in the circumstances, they are not sufficiently objective to evaluate the appeal.

Functions of the Committee

In relation to the Faculty of Medicine education programs, and on behalf of the Faculty Council, the Committee:

1. At the request of a student or a trainee registered within the Faculty of Medicine, hears any academic appeal in accordance with the appellant’s program’s respective Evaluation and Appeal Policy.
2. Reviews the matter to determine whether the original decision was correct.
3. Renders a decision regarding the appeal.

Processes of the Committee for undergraduate medical education student appeals

1. Notice of Appeal. Any student wishing to appeal a decision must notify the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee in writing of his/her intention to do so ("the Notice of Appeal") within a maximum of 10 working days after receiving written notice of their final grade and/or academic sanction. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will acknowledge receipt of the appeal.
2. Statement of Appeal. The appellant must provide the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee with a written Statement of Appeal setting out the grounds for the appeal together with any supporting documentation. The statement must include a) the title of the course, Unit or Rotation, the grade assigned or the academic sanction being appealed, b) the grounds for the appeal, c) other relevant documents. The Statement of Appeal must be filed with the Faculty Council Appeal Committee within 10 working days after filing the Notice of Appeal. Failure to file will be considered an abandonment of the appeal and the appeal will not be considered further. The Chair or a Vice-Chair may, at his/her discretion, extend this time limit at the request of the appellant where exceptional circumstances exist.
3. SPEC Response. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will provide a copy of the Statement of Appeal and supporting documentation to the Chair of the SPEC within 5 working days. The Chair of SPEC or a delegate (SPEC representative) will be invited to provide a Responding Statement and supporting documentation in response to the appellant’s Statement of Appeal. This material must be filed with the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee within ten (10) working days of receiving the Statement of Appeal. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will forward a copy to the appellant. The Chair (or a Vice-Chair) may, at his/her discretion, extend this time limit at the request of the Chair of the SPEC where exceptional circumstances exist.
4. Right of Reply. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will provide a copy of the Program Response and supporting documents to the appellant. The appellant will have 10 working days to provide a response, after which the Committee will proceed with the appeal.
5. Scheduling the Appeal. Following receipt of the Statement of Appeal and the responses from the Chair of the SPEC and the appellant, the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee, or his/her delegate, will schedule the appeal within 15 working days, in consultation with the appellant and the Chair of the SPEC. The appellant and the SPEC representative will be invited to attend to make an oral presentation. Once the appeal is scheduled, the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will write to the appellant, with a copy to the SPEC representative, to:

Inform the appellant of the date, time and place of the hearing of the appeal;

Inform the appellant that, should she/he decide not to attend the hearing on the date and at the time and place aforesaid, the Committee may proceed in her/his absence, and the appellant will not be entitled to any further notice of the proceedings, except for notice of the decision of the Committee.

1. Material for Hearing. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will distribute, on a confidential basis, a copy of the Statement of Appeal, the Responding Statement, the appellant’s Reply and all supporting documents submitted by the parties, to each member of the Appeals committee, at least 7 days prior to the hearing.
2. Powers of Chair or Vice-Chair. The Chair or Vice-Chair is responsible for determining any pre-hearing issues that arise, including any dispute as to scheduling or pre-hearing compliance with the guidelines in this section. Any request for such a determination will be made in writing to the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee.
3. Hearing. The Committee will meet to hear the oral presentations and review the written submissions.
4. Decision. The Faculty Council Appeals Committee may uphold an appeal, in whole or in part, or reject an appeal. The decision of the Committee will be by a show of hands, and will be determined by a majority of the members present. The Hearing Chair will vote in the event of a tie. The student and the Chair of the SPEC will be informed of the Committee's decision within ten (10) days and it will be recorded in the written report.

Processes of the Committee for postgraduate medical education student appeals

1. Notice of Appeal. Any student or trainee wishing to appeal a decision must notify the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee in writing of his/her intention to do so ("the Notice of Appeal") within a maximum of 10 working days after receiving the decision to be appealed. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will acknowledge receipt of the appeal.
2. Statement of Appeal. The appellant must provide the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee with a written Statement of Appeal setting out the grounds for the appeal together with any supporting documentation. Documentation should contain all relevant evidence, arguments and statements; witnesses will not be allowed at the appeal hearing. The Statement of Appeal must be filed with the Faculty Council Appeal Committee within 20 working days after filing the Notice of Appeal. Failure to file will be considered an abandonment of the appeal and the appeal will not be considered further. The Chair or a Vice-Chair may, at his/her discretion, extend this time limit at the request of the appellant where exceptional circumstances exist.
3. Program Response. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will provide a copy of the Statement of Appeal and supporting documentation to the appropriate program representative. The program representative will be invited to provide a Responding Statement and supporting documentation in response to the appellant’s Statement of Appeal. Documentation should contain all relevant evidence, arguments and statements; witnesses will not be allowed at the appeal hearing. This material must be filed with the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee within twenty (20) working days of receiving the Statement of Appeal. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will forward a copy to the appellant. The Chair or a Vice-Chair may, at his/her discretion, extend this time limit at the request of the appropriate program representative where exceptional circumstances exist.
4. Right of Reply. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will provide a copy of the Program Response and supporting documents to the appellant. The appellant will have 15 working days to provide a response, after which the Committee will proceed with the appeal.
5. Scheduling the Appeal. Following receipt of the Statement of Appeal, the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee, or his/her delegate will schedule the appeal in consultation with the appellant and the program representative. The appellant and the program representative will each be allotted 30 minutes to make an oral presentation. Once the appeal is scheduled, and time allocated, the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will write to the appellant, with a copy to the appropriate program representative, to:
   1. Inform the appellant of the date, time and place of the hearing of the appeal;
   2. Inform the appellant that she/he may be accompanied by one person of his/her choice for assistance, or support;
   3. Inform the appellant that if the appellant wishes to appear with legal counsel, he/she must notify the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee at least 10 working days prior to the date of the hearing; and,
   4. Inform the appellant that, should she/he decide not to attend the hearing on the date and at the time and place aforesaid, the Committee may proceed in her/his absence, and the appellant will not be entitled to any further notice of the proceedings, except for notice of the decision of the Committee.
6. Program Representation. The program representative will be invited to attend or send a delegate to the hearing. The program representative may be accompanied by one person of his/her choosing for assistance or support. If the program representative wishes to appear with legal counsel, he/she must notify the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee at least 10 working days prior to the date of the hearing.
7. Material for Hearing. The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will distribute, on a confidential basis, a copy of the Statement of Appeal, the Responding Statement, the appellant’s Reply and all supporting documents submitted by the parties, to each member of the Appeals committee, at least seven (7) days prior to the hearing.
8. Powers of Chair or Vice-Chair. The Chair or Vice-Chair is responsible for determining any pre-hearing issues that arise, including any dispute as to scheduling or pre-hearing compliance with the guidelines in this section. Any request for such a determination will be made in writing to the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee.

Conduct of Hearing

1. The hearing will be closed.
2. The hearing will be chaired by the Chair or a Vice-Chair (“the Hearing Chair”). The Committee will decide any issue as to procedure or evidence at the hearing.
3. At the commencement of the hearing, the Hearing Chair will summarize the procedure for the hearing, and reaffirm the allocated time provided for the hearing among the appellant and the program representative in the case of PGME.
4. The appellant will make his/her presentation after which the members of the Committee will be given the opportunity to question the appellant.
5. The program representative (PGME) will then make his/her presentation after which the members of the Committee will be given the opportunity to question the program representative.
6. Members of the Committee will be given a final opportunity to question the appellant and the program representative (PGME). The appellant and the program representative (PGME) will be given the opportunity to make brief closing statements.

Decision of the Committee

The Faculty Council Appeals Committee may:

1. Uphold an appeal in whole or in part;
2. Reject an appeal.

Minutes

The minutes of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will include the date and time of the appeal, those present, a brief summary of the appeal, and the Committee’s decision and reasons.

Report to the Faculty Council

The Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee will prepare annually a written report to be presented at the Faculty Council summarizing the activities of the Committee and its decisions, without disclosing the name(s) of the student(s) or trainee(s) involved, and any recommendations.

Appeal of Committee’s decision

Decisions of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee are final and binding as far as the Faculty of Medicine is concerned. A student or trainee may appeal the decision of the Faculty of Medicine Faculty Council Appeals Committee to the University’s Senate Appeals Committee. To do this, the student or trainee should consult the Office of the Vice-Rector Governance concerning the preparation and submission of such an appeal and the applicable deadlines.

Confidentiality

The documents provided to the Committee at meetings shall be retained by the Chair of the Faculty Council Appeals Committee. All deliberations of the Committee and all information received by the Committee shall be confidential except for such disclosure as is necessary for the Committee’s Reports.

Mandate

The Preclerkship Subcommittee acts in an advisory capacity to the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee of the Faculty of Medicine and to the Vice-Dean, UGME. It addresses all issues pertinent to the delivery of the Undergraduate Education Program in years I and II of the curriculum (Preclerkship). The scope of the activities of the Preclerkship Subcommittee will encompass, but is not limited to, the following areas:

1. Ensure that the Preclerkship curriculum is presented effectively, and in a manner consistent with the accreditation standards described in the document “Functions and Structure of a Medical School”;
2. In cooperation with the Curriculum Committee, review the Preclerkship objectives and ensure that these objectives reflect the educational objectives of the Faculty of Medicine;
3. Regularly review the methods of implementation of the educational objectives to ensure integration and coordination of Preclerkship as a whole. Receive feedback from the Unit Committees and students to ensure that the educational objectives are achieved in both languages;
4. Work closely with the Evaluation Subcommittee to determine the appropriate methods and configuration of formative and summative examinations and other evaluations of students;
5. Develop and support methods of evaluation of the Preclerkship program, of its educational components and educators;
6. Maintain communication with the Clerkship Subcommittee to ensure continuity and coordination between Preclerkship and Clerkship;
7. Advise on human, physical and other resources required for effective delivery of the Preclerkship curriculum;
8. Strive for representation of the basic and clinical sciences in both languages in each of the Unit Committees;
9. Report regularly to the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee through the Directors of Preclerkship.

Membership

The Preclerkship Subcommittee shall be composed of:

1. Directors of Preclerkship, one Anglophone and one Francophone (Co-Chairs)
2. Assistant Dean, Curriculum
3. Assistant Dean, Academic Implementation
4. Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion
5. Pillar Director, Clinical Sciences
6. Pillar Director, Medicine and Society
7. Pillar Director, Foundational Sciences
8. Unit leaders, one Anglophone and one Francophone, for each unit
9. Senior Advisor, Indigenous Affairs
10. Director, Distributed Medical Education
11. One (1) representative of the Evaluation Subcommittee
12. Director, Technology Services (non-voting member)
13. Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation
14. Directors of Clerkship, one Anglophone and one Francophone
15. Five (5) student representatives: one Anglophone and one Francophone from first and second year, and the Junior Vice-President of Academic Affairs of the Aesculapian Society
16. Director, Operations (non-voting member)
17. Manager, Academic Programs Management Preclerkship, UGME (non-voting member)
18. Manager, Academic Programs Management Clerkship, UGME (non-voting member)
19. Coordinator, Accreditation (non-voting member)
20. Lead Coordinators, Implementation (non-voting member)
21. Coordinator, Academic Administration (non-voting member, providing administrative support)

The quorum shall consist of one third of the voting members.

Preamble

1. In compliance with Academic Regulation I-16 - Academic Accommodations (Approved by the Senate on June 10, 2019), the Policy outlines how the University of Ottawa meets its legal duty to accommodate in relation to academic accommodation for students and student applicants with disabilities under the Ontario Human Rights Code. Under item 16, it describes Academic Accommodations Service as the central resource for disability advising and the development of accommodation plans for students with disabilities. The Academic Accommodations Service is responsible for co-ordinating the academic accommodations process for students, including obtaining and storing relevant disability related information (e.g. documentation related to any permanent, temporary, or fluctuating functional limitation)
   Consult the Academic Regulation
2. In consultation with all Faculties of Medicine in Ontario, it was understood that all accommodations are centralized at their respective University level and a final approval of accommodations cannot be done by a promotion committee such as the Student Promotion Executive Committee (SPEC).

Mandate

Determine, at the request of Academic Accommodations Service for a medical student or an applicant to the MD program, reasonable accommodation, pursuant to the Ontario Human Rights Code, to demonstrate the required Essential Skills and Abilities to succeed in the MD Program. The goal is that students meet the required objectives of the program and to ensure fairness to all students in the program.

This determination will consider that students or prospective students must also be eligible to take the Medical Council of Canada Qualifying Examination Part I and II licensing examinations in order to practice medicine in Canada.

Membership

• Assistant Dean Student Affairs (chair) (voting member)
• Faculty Ethicist (voting member)
• Academic Accommodations Service representative (voting member)
• Faculty clinician (voting member)
• Counselor from Student Affairs Office (non-voting member)
• Supervisor of Academic Services - Pre-Clerkship (non-voting member)
• Supervisor of Academic Services - Clerkship (non-voting member)
• Other experts may be asked to contribute, on a case by case basis, at the discretion of the Chair.

The Committee recommendations will be brought to the Academic Accommodations Service.

A quorum will consist of the chair plus any two voting members.

In specific circumstances with urgent situation, where quorum cannot be obtained, the Assistant Dean Student Affairs in consultation with the learning specialist at Academic Accommodations Service can make a decision. Any ad hoc decisions would be reported to the committee membership for discussion and further action as needed.

The Student Affairs Advisory regroups 8 SAO student advisors, one for each cohort and language stream, as well the three Vertical mentorship program student-coordinators, the student mentorship center coordinator and as ex-officio position, the VP Community Health, as they are responsible for all student interest groups.

The student advisors serve for the 4 year duration of their training, are recruited for each of the two Year 1 classes, anglophone and francophone, on the basis of an application, CV, letter of motivation and interview. They are responsible for reporting to SAO, on behalf of their cohort, the opinions, feedback and ideas of their constituents as they relate to the Student Affairs mandate.

The Vertical mentorship program student-coordinators are also members and are recruited with the same scrutiny at the end of their 1st year of study to transition to become student leaders of this program during their 2nd year.

Mandate

The mandate of the SAFE Committee is twofold; first to ensure that student assessment methods in the Undergraduate Medical Education (UGME) curriculum are designed, managed, evaluated and revised in a coordinated fashion, and second to ensure methods to evaluate faculty (teachers, preceptors, tutors, lecturers) are designed, managed, evaluated and revised in a coordinated fashion. These tasks should be consistent with accreditation and current educational standards.

Major Responsibilities

The SAFE Committee functions under the authority of the Undergraduate  Education Executive Committee (UGEC), which reviews, approves and disseminates policies and procedures relevant to the overall program. The SAFE Committee has oversight for all student assessment practices and faculty evaluations in the MD Program. This encompasses the following general areas of responsibility:

1. Through the Undergraduate Education Executive Committee (UGEC), assist the subcommittees in developing the appropriate evaluation instruments to be used for the assessments of knowledge, skills and behaviours of students;
2. Collaborate with the Preclerkship and Clerkship Subcommittees to determine the timing and configuration of the formative and summative examinations and evaluations;
3. Collaborate with Pre-clerkship and Clerkship committees to determine the timing and configuration of evaluations of faculty;
   1. If applicable, follow the requirements of the Association of Professors of the University of Ottawa (APUO) collective agreement.
4. Assist the Curriculum Committee (CC) in the development of appropriate methods for the program evaluation of the educational units;
5. Act in an advisory capacity to the chairpersons of the educational units;
6. Form ad hoc working groups (as needed) to conduct a more detailed review of areas or issues relevant to the assessment of students or evaluation of faculty;
7. Ensuring compliance with and providing content material for the University of Ottawa Institutional Quality Assurance Process (IQAP) and of the elements for the Committee on Accreditation of Canadian Medical Schools (CACMS) accreditation standards that pertain to student assessment
   1. Curricular Design, Review, Revision/Content Monitoring
   2. Comparability of Education/Assessment
   3. Assessment System
   4. Narrative Assessment
   5. Setting Standards of Achievement
   6. Timely Formative Assessment and Feedback
   7. Fair and Timely Summative Assessment
8. Report regularly to UCC

Membership

The SAFE Committee shall be composed of:

1. Assistant Dean, Student Assessment and Promotion (Chair)
2. One Director or delegate, Pre-clerkship Francophone stream
3. One Director or delegate, Pre-Clerkship Anglophone stream
4. One Director or delegate, Clerkship Francophone stream
5. One Director or delegate, Clerkship Anglophone stream
6. Director, UGME Distributed Medical Education
7. Assistant Dean, Continuing Professional Development – Education Programming, Faculty Development
8. One (1) faculty representative from the Electives Subcommittee
9. Assistant Dean, Curriculum
10. Director, UGME Competency Based Medical Education
11. Director of the Ottawa Exam Centre
12. Two (2) student representatives nominated by the Aesculapian Society
13. One Hospital Coordinator (non-voting member)
14. Manager, Academic Programs Management Preclerkship (non-voting member)
15. Manager, Academic Programs Management Clerkship (non-voting member)
16. Supervisor, Academic Delivery Support (non-voting member)
17. Lead Coordinator Pre-clerkship (non-voting member)
18. Lead Coordinator Clerkship (non-voting member)
19. Lead Coordinators, Assessment (non-voting member, providing administrative support)
20. Other guests at the discretion of the chair (non-voting)

Meetings

The SAFE Committee will meet at least five times during the academic year. The quorum shall consist of one third of the voting members.

Mandate

1. To act as the delegated body of Faculty Council in the review and ratification of undergraduate medical student (hereafter, referred to as student) performance based on the Academic Policies of the UGME Program.
2. To receive, review and approve the results of student examinations from all units, courses and rotations of the MD program.
3. To decide on awarding “pass” or “fail” to medical students in individual units, courses, or rotations during the course of the academic year;
4. To decide on allowing medical students to write a supplemental exam;
5. To institute appropriate remediation when necessary;
6. To promote medical students to the succeeding year after having successfully completed all educational requirements of the year in question;
7. To allow medical students to repeat some educational components of the program which would not affect the year of graduation;
8. To award medical students a failure on the basis of unsatisfactory performance in the domain of attitudes and professional behaviors;
9. To make final decisions regarding a student application for a return from a Leave of absence;
10. To hear students who are not satisfied with their summative evaluation or accommodation or who are subject to an academic sanction approved by the Student Promotion Executive Committee.
11. To make recommendations for counseling.
12. To inform the Undergraduate Curriculum Committee of their activities on a yearly basis.

The Student Promotion Executive Committee will recommend to Faculty Council as to whether students should be:

1. allowed to repeat part or the entire academic year which would affect the year of graduation;
2. recommended for the awarding of the MD degree for students successfully completing all the requirements of the program;
3. required to withdraw from the Faculty after failing in a unit, course, or rotation.

Membership

• Vice-Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education (Co-Chair), non-voting member
• Assistant Dean of Undergraduate Medical Education, Academic Affairs (Co-Chair)
• Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, (non-voting)
• Director of Clerkship, Anglophone Stream
• Director of Clerkship, Francophone Stream
• Director of Preclerkship, Anglophone Stream
• Director of Preclerkship, Francophone Stream
• Director of Student Assessment and Faculty Evaluation
• Director of MD/PhD Program
• 2 departmental members (nominated by the Faculty Nominating Committee)
• UGME Director of Professionalism
• Director, UGME (non-voting)
• Supervisor of Academic Services in Preclerkship (non-voting)
• Supervisor of Academic Services in Clerkship (non-voting)

A quorum shall consist of the Chairperson plus any three voting members.

Mandate

The Undergraduate Education Executive Committee (UGEC) is charged with oversight of all aspects of the MD program at the University of Ottawa including design, content, program evaluation and operations.  Its primary functions are therefore to: 

1. To establish overall goals and strategic plan of the MD program and make these known to all faculty and students
2. To conduct an in-depth review of the overall goals and strategic plan every 5 years at minimum
3. To oversee the program evaluation output to ensure the MD program is meeting its stated goals annually
4. To oversee the operation of the key committees within the MD program by:
   1. Having representation of key committees on the committee
   2. Receiving annual reports at minimum from each key committee
   3. Receiving, reviewing, and approving practice and policy changes arising from those committees (note that the Admissions Executive Committee is a subcommittee of Faculty Council and as such practice and policy changes within this committee are approved at that level and not at UGEC)
5. To maintain an inventory of all policies relevant to the operation of the MD program, and to ensure review every 3 years at minimum
6. To maintain an inventory of all committee terms of reference relevant to the operation of the MD program and to ensure review every 3 years at minimum
7. To develop or approve any new policy required for the operation of the MD program
8. To develop or improve any new procedure that has a significant impact on resources
9. To form and maintain appropriate linkages with affiliated teaching hospitals and any other bodies or organizations relevant to the operation of the MD program

Membership

Ex officio members

1. Vice-Dean, Undergraduate Medical Education (Chair)
2. Assistant Dean, Curriculum
3. Assistant Dean, Student Evaluation and Promotion
4. Assistant Dean, Academic Implementation
5. Assistant Dean, Admissions
6. Assistant Dean, Student Affairs
7. Senior Manager, Accreditation and Program Evaluation
8. Director of Operations
9. Senior Vice-Dean of Medical Education
10. Member, Hospital Advisory Group

Appointed members

1. President of the Aesculapian Society

Corresponding members - these are non-voting members who will receive agendas and minutes from the UGEC but will not be expected to routinely attend meetings, however, they are welcome to attend at any time, and may occasionally be called upon to explicitly attend

1. Pre-clerkship director, Anglophone
2. Pre-clerkship director, Francophone
3. Clerkship director, Anglophone
4. Clerkship director, Francophone
5. Director, Distributed Medical Education
6. Director, Electives
7. Associate Director, MD/PhD Program
8. Pillar Director, Clinical Sciences
9. Pillar Director, Foundational Sciences
10. Pillar Director, Society and Medicine
11. VP Academic Junior, ASOC
12. 3^rd year Class President, Anglophone
13. 3^rd year Class President, Francophone
14. Senior Advisor, Indigenous Affairs
15. Assistant Dean, Professionalism
16. Assistant Dean, EDI
17. Vice Dean, Francophone Affairs
18. Associate Dean, Social Accountability
19. Vice Dean, Continuous Professional Development
20. Vice Dean, Faculty Affairs
21. Director, CiMED

Duties of the Chair

• To prepare meeting agendas
• To ensure meetings are conducted in an efficient fashion and that all members have an opportunity for input
• To ensure discussion items are carried through and appropriate mechanisms for follow-up are in place
• To represent UGEC at Faculty Council

Meeting procedures

Frequency and procedures of meetings

• The committee will meet at least monthly
• Additional meetings may be called at the discretion of the Chair
• The committee will establish regular meeting times
• The committee will establish regular reporting schedules for key committees
• Agendas and meeting materials will be pre-circulated
• Minutes will be kept, pre-circulated before each meeting and approved by vote
• Issues will normally be decided by consensus.  When issues require a vote, as decided by the chair, all ex-officio and appointed members will have a vote. The Chair will cast deciding votes in the event of ties

Quorum

Quorum for the purpose of approving minutes or passing motions will be 50% plus one of all voting members, either present in person or via teleconference/videoconference.  Meetings may be held in the absence of a quorum, but no decisions will be made.

Conflict of interest

Members are expected to declare a conflict of interest if their real or perceived personal interests might be seen to influence their ability to assess any matter before the committee objectively. They can do so either by personal declaration at the beginning of a meeting or in writing to the Chair. They will be excused from any discussions regarding the matter in question.  The declaration and absences will be recorded in the minutes.

Reporting structure, policy development and implementation

UGEC reports to the Faculty Council of the Faculty of Medicine.  Terms of Reference of UGEC and all component committees require review and ratification at Faculty Council. 

Policies can be developed by any committee, Assistant Dean, Director or Associate Director within the program.  All policy issues require review and ratification at UGEC, followed by the same at Faculty Council.  During this process, UGEC, the Dean or Faculty Council may seek input from affiliated hospitals, departments or any other body whose review or involvement may be appropriate.  Once approved at Faculty Council, policies are considered binding throughout the MD program.

Subcommittees that must provide an annual report to UGEC include:

• Admissions Executive
• Curriculum
• Preclerkship
• Clerkship
• Student Assessment and Faculty Evaluation
• Student Promotions Executive
• Program Evaluation
• Social Accountability
• Student Accommodation
• Student Affairs Advisory