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Print Policy No: 2160

Policy No: 2160

Responsible Office: Student Affairs

Last Review Date: 04/01/2026

Next Required Review: 04/01/2028

Policy No: 2160

Responsible Office: Student Affairs

Last Review Date: 04/01/2026

Next Required Review: 04/01/2028

Medical Student Schedule Selection Policy

1. Purpose

For the Frederick P. Whiddon College of Medicine (Whiddon COM)’s Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) degree-seeking students, the preclinical core modules are completed in a two-year cycle. The modules run consecutively and are only offered once each academic year. However, schedules for the clerkship phase (M3 and M4 years) of the curriculum are obtained through a lottery system. Assignment of Primary Care Pathway program (PCP) sites for students selected for this track is facilitated by the
Primary Care Pathway team. This policy defines the process through which a Whiddon COM M.D. degree-seeking student with sufficient and appropriate rationale may request an alternative assignment during the clinical clerkship phase of the M3 year or an alternative assignment of a clinical site within the PCP track.

2. Applicability

This policy applies to all Whiddon COM M.D.-seeking students enrolling or enrolled in the clinical clerkship phase of the curriculum and/or the PCP Track.

3. Definitions

Elective: Self-selected, home, extramural, or abroad experiences used for specialty exploration, skill-building, networking, or experiencing different healthcare systems.
Lottery: A system generating a randomized listing of all students in a given class that assigns each learner one rotation from their prioritized list.
Primary Care Pathway: A longitudinal, 4-year curriculum emphasizing clinical instruction focused on the broad skills necessary for primary care practice.
Selective: Third-year experiences chosen from a pre-approved selection within the curriculum and completed within a specialty at the home institution.

4. Policy Guidelines

Clinical Clerkships are assigned to the students’ schedules based on the outcome of a lottery system conducted in the spring of the preceding academic year. Pursuant to the PCP track, related clinical experience sites are established between the student and the Pathway selection committee once the student is selected for the pathway.

5. Procedures

The following procedures outline the methodology for the assignment, management, and modification of clinical clerkship schedules for M.D. students at the Whiddon College of Medicine. This section details the lottery-based scheduling system for the M3 year, the application workflow for selective experiences,

and the specialized site assignment protocols for the PCP. Furthermore, it establishes a formal administrative framework for students to request alternative assignments or site changes based on documented hardships—such as health, family, or emergent life transitions—and defines the subsequent petition and appeals process to ensure equitable and final resolutions.

5.1 Assignment of Clinical Clerkships
In the spring of the M2 academic year, information regarding the clinical clerkships and the lottery scheduling system is discussed with the enrolled Whiddon COM M.D. degree-seeking students. Following this meeting, students are encouraged to submit multiple proposed schedules through the lottery system. Students are encouraged to consider the length of the clerkships and the rigors of clerkship responsibilities (e.g., night duty, call schedule, etc.) when submitting their proposed schedules for the lottery, taking into account how these factors balance with their other responsibilities. Learners interested in taking a selective experience must complete the selective form provided by the Office of Student Records. The student’s request will then be submitted to the selective director for approval. Once the learner has received approval to enroll in the selective, the Office of Student Records will notify the student with instructions to confirm the course addition to their schedule. Note: Upon student confirmation of enrollment and the selective has been added to the schedule, the learner will not be able to withdraw from the course unless for reasons as outlined in section 5.2. After the spring lottery, all students are informed of their schedules simultaneously.

5.2 Request for alternative assignment in the clerkship phase
Students have five (5) business days from their schedule notification date to submit, in writing, a petition for a schedule change. Additionally, potential reasons for changing a schedule outside of the aforementioned grace period may include, but are not limited to, the following: Health-related concerns that affect the student or someone for whom the student is the primary caregiver; family issues, such as a change in parental status or marital status; emergent changes in life experiences; and disability-related modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary services. Students are encouraged to contact the Office of Student Records as soon as they become aware of a need for an alternative schedule due to any of the aforementioned reasons. Note: Dissatisfaction with the order of clerkships is not a sufficient rationale to change a schedule.

1. Written petitions for consideration of a change in schedule must be submitted to the Director of Student Records and Engagement within five (5) business days of schedule notification.
2. All petitions will be forwarded to the Assistant Dean of Medical Education overseeing the clinical clerkship phase. The Assistant Dean of Medical Education will have five (5) business days to either accept or deny the petition.
3. If the initial petition is accepted, the Director of Student Records and Engagement will manually enter a schedule for the petitioner.
4. If the initial petition is denied, the petitioner will have five (5) business days to file a written appeal with the Associate Dean, Student Affairs.
5. Written appeals, which must include a justification for the original petition with any supporting documents, will be reviewed by a committee composed of the Associate Dean of Medical Education, the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, and the Associate Dean of Health Advancement. The committee can choose to interview both the petitioner and the Assistant Dean of Medical Education for the clerkship phase in order to arrive at a determination. The determination of the committee is final, and there is no further appeal.
6. The final decision is forwarded to the student and the Whiddon COM’s Office of Student Records for manual adjustment of the petitioner’s schedule, if necessary.

5.3 Assignment of Primary Care Pathway Sites
Assignment of Primary Care Pathway program (PCP) sites for students selected for this track is facilitated by the Primary Care Pathway team. This policy defines the process through which a Whiddon COM M.D. degree-seeking student with sufficient and appropriate rationale may request an alternative assignment during the clinical clerkship phase of the M3 year or an alternative assignment of a clinical site within the PCP track.

If a PCP Scholar requests an alternative site assignment, which may result in a change to the student’s overall schedule, based on health-related concerns that affect the student or someone for whom the student is the primary caregiver; family issues, such as a change in parental status or marital status; emergent changes in life experiences; and disability-related modifications, accommodations, or auxiliary services complaints, the Scholar should notify the Site Coordinator and PCP Course Director. The following process will ensue:

1. The PCP Course Director or designee will investigate the request, gathering information from both the site and the Scholar.
2. The PCP Course Director will forward the report to the PCP Committee for consideration. As part of their deliberations, the PCP Committee may meet with representatives of the site and the Scholar in addition to reviewing the report prepared by the PCP Course Director.
3. If the assignment change request is related to other University or Whiddon COM policies (e.g., Title IX complaints), the PCP Course Director will contact those offices to ensure those policies are followed.

6. Enforcement

Students whose actions are found to be in violation of the schedule change policy may receive a Physicianship Early Concern note regarding professionalism.

7. Related Documents

The policies and operating procedures listed below may relate to the attendance guidelines.

7.1 Professionalism Policy
7.2 Physicianship Early Concern Policy