Grading:

Your grade in Microscopic Anatomy is determined by your performance on quizzes, scavenger hunts, practical exams, and written exams (including the cumulative final). Except for the cumulative final, each numbered question counts for one point, no matter if it came from a quiz, scavenger hunt, or exam. The final exam has 100 questions, each of which counts for half a point, for a total of 50 points. The total number of possible points in the course will probably be approximately 475 - 500.

At the end of the course, we add up the total number of questions you answered correctly. Next we determine the total number of questions we asked. Then we reduce the total number of possible course points by 5. Your final numerical course grade is calculated by dividing the number of questions you answered correctly by this new reduced number of possible points. For example, if there are 500 possible points in the course and you earned 400 of these, your final grade will be 400/495 = 80.8%. This process is used in lieu of dropping a quiz.

The quizzes will account for approximately 10- points & scavenger hunts for 20 points. Approximately 55% of the remaining questions will be on written exams, and 45% on practical exams.

Decisions about the cut-off points for final grades are made after the course has ended. However, the following guidelines will apply:

• Final averages below 65% are likely to be Unsatisfactory.

• Averages between 65-70% are likely to receive a Marginal Unsatisfactory.

• An average of 70% or above will definitely be a passing grade, providing that the cumulative final is also passed.

• A grade of Highly Satisfactory will only be given to a small number of students who very narrowly miss getting Honors.

• An average of 90% or better will definitely receive Honors, providing that the cumulative final is also passed. This will not change even if the entire class scores above 90%. If you master 90% or more of the material we present, we feel that you deserve Honors, no matter how many other people do the same.

The cut-offs for Satisfactory & Honors grades may drop slightly below 70% and 90%, respectively, based on the final distribution of grades.

Remediation:

Students who receive a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) or Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) in Microscopic Anatomy and those who pass the course but fail the final exam are referred to the Student Promotions Committee for review of their academic record. If the student has few or no deficiencies in other courses, the deficiencies in Microscopic Anatomy can usually be remediated as follows:

• Students who receive a U must take and pass an approved summer course in Microscopic Anatomy, or repeat our course the following year. A remedial summer course is offered online by our department, and several other medical schools offer residential summer courses.

• Students who receive an MU and those who pass the course but fail the final exam must take and pass a written remediation exam. Remediation exams will be given on at least two different dates during the summer. The student may choose the more convenient date. The exam should be successfully completed no later than two weeks before first year classes begin in August. A student who fails the remediation exam late in the summer, when remediation courses are no longer available, cannot progress into the second year of medical school. Students who need remediation should consult with the course director as soon as possible after the end of the course.