6.3: Promotion

The CP3 will conduct a systematic review of all medical students at four specific intervals of their progress towards completion of the MD degree. Those reviews will encompass all areas of academic, professional, and technical, non-academic standards required for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP). Students whom CP3 determines have met these standards will be eligible for formal promotion as follows:

A.   Promotion to Second Year Pre-clerkship Student

The CP3 will review all medical students prior to enrollment in the second year of the pre-clerkship curriculum. Criteria for promotion to Second Year Pre-clerkship Student include (but are not limited to):

  1. Satisfactory completion of all first year pre-clerkship courses.
  2. Satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine Professionalism Principles.
  3. Satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine, Technical, Non-Academic Standards.

Students who have not met one or more of the criteria above may be provisionally promoted, with a remediation plan, to Second Year Pre-clerkship Student at the discretion of the CP3.

B.  Promotion to Clinical Medical Student

The CP3 will review all medical students prior to enrollment in clinical clerkships. Criteria for promotion to Clinical Medical Student include (but are not limited to):

  1. Satisfactory completion of all required pre-clerkship courses with a passing grade. Students must remediate all non-passing grades (e.g., Failure, Marginal Pass, Continuing, Incomplete) in pre-clerkship courses in order to be promoted to clinical medical student.
  2. Satisfactory performance (passing score) on the Mini-CPX.
  3. Satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine Professionalism Principles.
  4. Satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine, Technical, Non-Academic Standards.
  5. Satisfactory progress in a Scholarly Concentration.
  6. In order to maintain clinical medical student status, students must meet requirements regarding USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK.

Students who are determined by the CP3 as not fulfilling the standards for Promotion to Clinical Medical Student, or who do not satisfy the remediation measures required by the CP3, may be dismissed by the CP3 from the MD or MD/PhD program. Students who do not achieve successful promotion to Clinical Medical Student cannot continue as MD candidates in the Stanford University School of Medicine.

C.  Promotion to Candidate for Residency

In January of the anticipated year of graduation, the CP3 will review students’ progress to certify formally those students who are eligible for the residency match. Criteria for promotion include:

  1. Satisfactory completion of all required clinical clerkships, or acceptable documentation to the CP3 that the remaining required clerkships will be successfully completed by June of the graduation year.
  2. Continued satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine Professionalism Principles throughout the residency application process.
  3. Continued satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine, Technical, Non-Academic Standards throughout the residency application process.
  4. Completion of (or documented satisfactory progress in) a Scholarly Concentration, as certified by a student’s Scholarly Concentration Director.
  5. Documentation that USMLE Step 2 CK will be taken by April 1 of the graduation year.
  6. Student's are expected to adhere to the School of Medicine’s Standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) throughout the residency application process. Concerns raised about a student's academic performance or professional behavior may be included in the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE).

D.  Promotion to Eligible for MD Degree

In May of the anticipated year of graduation, the CP3 will review students’ progress to determine their eligibility for promotion to “eligible for MD degree.” If promoted, a student will be included on the list to be transmitted to the Dean and Registrar of the University for Conferral of the MD degree. Criteria for promotion are:

  1. Satisfactory completion of all degree requirements, including a passing score on the USMLE Step 2 CK exam (or an institutionally administered equivalency exam).
  2. Continued satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine Professionalism Principles.
  3. Continued satisfactory fulfillment of the School of Medicine, Technical, Non-Academic Standards.
  4. Completion of a Scholarly Concentration.
  5. No unresolved concerns regarding academic performance or fulfillment of the technical standards.

updated August 2023