5.4: Evaluation of Performance in Clinical Clerkships

Criterion-Based Evalutation System (CBES) refers to the evaluation system used in required clerkships at Stanford. Student performance is assessed in three domains:  Patient Care, Professionalism and Interpersonal Communication, and Medical Knowledge, as measured by a final written exam. Performance in each domain is reported separately in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), without reference to an overall grade.

Note: Beginning in Clerkship Period 1, 2010-11, all students taking required clerkships will be evaluated using the Criterion Based Evaluation System (CBES) model. From Period 1, 2010-11 to Period 8, 2019-20, students were eligible for a Pass With Distinction (PWD) notation on the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE). The PWD notation applied only to required clerkships; it did not apply to elective clerkships or pre-clerkship courses. PWD notations have not been offered since Period 9, 2019-20 and will not be offered during academic years 2022-23 and 2023-24.

updated August 2023