Curriculum Scheduling - Pre-Clerkship

Purpose:

To clarify expectations regarding anticipated scheduled curriculum hours within the pre-clerkship core curriculum

Scope of this Policy:

This policy applies to the Year 1 and Year 2 pre-clerkship program.

1. The Curriculum Committee will be responsible for regularly reviewing and designating the relative time allocations for each of the individual courses within each term.
2. The curriculum is based on a 40-hour work-week within the start and end dates for each term as endorsed by the University of Saskatchewan. Curriculum time is to be scheduled between Monday and Friday, inclusive, and will typically be organized between the hours of 0830–1630 hours. There will be not routinely be curriculum scheduled on Saturday or Sunday.
   • There may be exceptions to this. Such exceptions must be sanctioned by the College of Medicine Curriculum Committee.
3. Students will have a 1-hour lunch break scheduled within each day of the work-week. Therefore, there is a maximum of 35 hours per week available for curriculum scheduling. This will generally result in 4 hours available in the morning half-day and 3 hours available in the afternoon half-day for scheduled activities.
   • Given the nature of some Clinical Skills teaching sessions exceptions may occur. Such exceptions must be sanctioned by the College of Medicine Curriculum Committee.
4. The maximum number of scheduled teaching hours in a day shall not routinely exceed 7 hours.
   • Exceptions may occur, such as experiential or service-learning sessions that may be scheduled outside of typical curricular hours due to the unique needs of those components of the program. Such exceptions must be sanctioned by the College of Medicine Curriculum Committee.
5. On average, there will be a minimum of 7 hours per week of unscheduled time for independent study , exclusive of the 1 hour lunch break each day or scheduled breaks during half-day sessions.
6. A wellness break for students will be scheduled at a minimum of every two hours of large group sessions.
7. Scheduling of in-term and final exams may occur outside of these parameters in order to meet unique needs of students and/or program needs.
8. Mandatory Sessions are scheduled well in advance with possible exceptions in Clinical Skills where changes to the schedule may be made up to 48 hours in advance of the scheduled session to accommodate the clinical schedules of physician preceptors. If a change is made to the schedule within 48 hours, students will be notified by email as well as the change being made in One45. (Also see Pre-Clerkship Attendance and Absence Policy)

1. The Curriculum Committee will regularly review and designate the relative time allocations for each of the individual courses within each term.
2. Administrators who schedule classes will work with the Curriculum Specialist to identify sessions outside the policy hours.
3. The Curriculum Specialist will review the class schedule for the upcoming academic year and prepare a report for the Curriculum Committee that details sessions scheduled outside the prescribed hours.
4. Should a session need to be scheduled or changed to hours outside the usual policy, the session, details of timing, and reasons will be presented to the Curriculum Delivery Subcommittee by the faculty, module, or course lead. The CDSC will then discuss the exception and vote to approve or not the change. Decisions will be reported to the Curriculum Committee who may question, discuss, or overturn the subcommittee’s decision.
5. Concerns around this policy may be reported by the students using the ‘Program Feedback Tool’ and/or through Class Representatives. Student-generated tickets relating to concerns around this policy will be reviewed and addressed by the Year Chairs supported by the UGME Manager and Assistant Dean, Academic. In the event of lack of resolution around concerns, the matter will be referred to the Curriculum Committee.
6. The Year Committees will monitor the implementation and effectiveness of this policy and provide an annual update to the Curriculum Committee.

Distribution:

This policy will be distributed to students via the UGME website, to Pre-clerkship Course and Module Directors, and to UGME Administrative Coordinators.

Review:

This policy will be reviewed at a minimum every 2 years by the Curriculum Committee.

Assistant Dean, Curriculum

Phone: 306-966-5623

Email: ugme.policies@usask.ca