6.1: CP3 Introduction

The Committee on Performance, Professionalism and Promotion (CP3) is a standing committee of the Stanford School of Medicine Faculty Senate. The purpose of the CP3 is to provide all medical students with periodic and systematic reviews of their overall progress towards completion of the MD degree, as well as reviews on an as-needed basis. The committee will monitor student development and will provide guidance, recommendations, and remediation as appropriate.

Stanford School of Medicine has an obligation to evaluate the performance of each student on an ongoing basis from matriculation until graduation with an MD degree, and to endorse each student as being suitable in terms of meeting academic, professional, and technical, non-academic standards for the practice of medicine. It is therefore the responsibility of the faculty – through this committee – to review any concerns regarding the ongoing fulfillment of the Standards for Satisfactory Academic Performance (SAP).

A. Membership

The CP3 is composed of 13 voting members, including its chair. A total of seven voting members are required for a quorum. Voting members are basic science or clinical faculty who have been appointed by the Stanford School of Medicine Faculty Senate for three-year terms. A quorum of voting members of the CP3 is required to be in attendance (either physically or via speaker phone) for decision-making activities. Ex officio non-voting committee members may include (but are not limited to) the Academic Advising Deans, the Assistant Dean for Medical Education, Assistant Dean for Medical Student Affairs and the Associate Dean of Minority Advising and Programs.

B. General Operating Procedures

  1. The primary responsibility of the committee is to review the development and performance of each student on an ongoing basis in the areas of the fulfillment of academic, technical, and professional standards. This includes:
    1. Evaluation of achievement of all requirements for promotion. 
    2. Identification of students having difficulty meeting requirements and/or expectations for academic, professionalism, or technical performance, and recommendation of individualized learning plans that support academic and professional development, which may include academic support and required remediation, as necessary.
    3. Evaluation of achievement of required remediation.
    4. Taking such action (including dismissal from the Stanford School of Medicine MD program) as the CP3 deems appropriate under the facts and circumstances.
  2. The CP3 generally will meet once quarterly. The chair may call additional meetings if necessary.
  3. Except for the CP3 chair, the Academic Advising Deans, the Assistant Dean of Medical Education, the Assistant Dean for Medical Student Affairs and the Associate Dean of Minority Advising and Programs, members of the committee will not discuss decisions or pending actions with students and should not be approached by students with inquiries.

C. Petitions

The CP3 also considers student petitions on various matters, including for:

  1. An extension of medical education beyond the number of years limitations outlined in Section 6.2, Standards for Satisfactory Progress (SAP).
  2. Leaves of absence that either individually or cumulatively exceed a total of one year. 
  3. Applications for reinstatement.
  4. Requests regarding USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK examinations.
  5. A reconsideration request of CP3 decisions.

Inquiries regarding CP3 petitions may be directed to a representative from the Office of Medical Education.

updated August 2023