Overview
The MD Program’s policy website and corresponding handbook contains a compilation of the relevant policies for the University of Washington School of Medicine’s (UWSOM) undergraduate medical education program leading to the awarding of the Doctor of Medicine degree.
The Dean of the School of Medicine has the delegated responsibility for the development and maintenance of the academic program in medical education and has further delegated that authority to the Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs (VDARRA). The Faculty Council on Academic Affairs (FCAA) is chaired by the VDARRA and provides a forum for presentation and discussion of topics important to the development of the medical student educational program, for reviewing reports from the education standing committees on current issues and activities, and for approval of recommended changes in operational or program management. Major MD Program changes are typically reported to the Medical School Executive Committee (MSEC) for information and may under certain circumstances be presented to MSEC for review and endorsement and submitted to the Dean of the School of Medicine for approval.
Revisions in MD Program policies or the development of new policies may arise from recommendations from the School of Medicine’s relevant medical education standing committees (e.g. Admissions, Curriculum, and Student Progress), that hold delegated responsibility in their respective areas; initiatives put forth by FCAA: collaborations with other School of Medicine vice deans, such as the Vice Dean for Academic, Rural and Regional Affairs, Graduate Medical Education, and Research and Graduate Education; or requests from the Dean of the School of Medicine. Recommendations for significant changes to admissions requirements, the curriculum, retention or promotion criteria, and/or graduation requirements are reviewed by FCAA. Responsibility for maintaining MD Program policies and incorporating revised or new MD Program policies falls within the purview of FCAA.
The School of Medicine reserves the right to revise policies, requirements, procedures and guidelines that modify the program, curriculum, system of evaluation, or graduation requirements as deemed appropriate by the faculty. Changes to school policies, requirements, procedures, or guidelines will be provided in updates at meetings, in emails, on web pages, and/or in information memos. Administrators, faculty, staff and students are expected to understand, stay continuously informed of and abide by the policies, requirements, procedures and guidelines that impact their programs and responsibilities. Policies are centrally maintained and electronically published for transparency in accordance with the medical education program’s Policy on Policies.