Formative Assessment and Feedback

Formative Assessment and Feedback Policy

Policy Statement

Boston University Chobanian & Avedisian School of Medicine ensures that each medical student is provided with formative assessment early enough during each required course or clerkship to allow sufficient time for remediation. Formative assessment occurs at least at the midpoint of each required course or clerkship four or more weeks in length.

Responsible Parties

Course and clerkship directors are responsible for ensuring that students receive formative assessment in each required course or clerkship.

The Medical Education Committee and Medical Education Office are responsible for compliance oversight and non-compliance follow-up.

Defined Terms

Formative Assessment: assessment intended to provide feedback to learners about their progress (e.g., knowledge self-assessments, UWorld questions, practice open-ended questions and multiple-choice questions, simulated patient feedback, documentation and oral presentation assignments, mid-clerkship feedback)

Procedures

Required Pre-clerkship Courses

  • Students must receive formative assessment at least once, but ideally multiple times, in a course before any final summative assessment.
  • Students must have access to course directors and faculty throughout the course to solicit additional feedback regarding their performance.
  • • In the course guidelines, course directors must define the formative assessments in the course under “Assessment for Learning” within the “Assessment and Grading” section.

Required Clerkships

  • A mid-clerkship review meeting must occur by approximately the midpoint of each required clerkship with the clerkship director(s) or site director. This meeting should include reviewing the student’s required clinical encounters log to ensure that the student is on track to meet all required diagnoses and procedures for that clerkship. If deficiencies are found, a plan will be developed with the student to ensure all requirements are met by the end of the clerkship.
  • The student will sign the mid-clerkship review form at the end of the meeting.
  • Students must have access to clerkship directors (or their faculty designees) throughout the clerkship to solicit additional feedback regarding their performance.
  • In the clerkship guidelines, clerkship directors must define the formative assessment in the clerkship under “Assessment for Learning” within the “Assessment and Grading” section.

Monitoring

The Medical Education Committee monitors course and clerkship assessment methods annually to ensure students are provided with sufficient feedback on their performance.

The Medical Education Office monitors clerkships for compliance at the mid- and end-of-year to ensure compliance with this policy.

Non-compliance is reported to the Associate Dean of Medical Education and the Assistant Dean of Medical Education for Curriculum & Instructional Design for action.

Relevant LCME Element(s): 9.7 Formative Assessment and Feedback

Approved by the Medical Education Committee (MEC) on October 21, 2026.