Federal regulations for Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) require that medical schools have reasonable policies for determining whether otherwise eligible students are meeting the requirements for SAP in their educational programs and may receive assistance under the Title IV, Higher Education Act (HEA) programs.

SAP refers to the successful completion of requirements leading to a degree within defined time limits. For the purposes of this policy, the term “course” refers to all curricular entities in the M.D. program for which credit is issued. These include master and longitudinal courses, clinical clerkships, supervised research or study blocks, electives, subinternships, seminars, and any current or future entity for which curricular credit is issued.

Full-time enrollment represents the minimum number of credits a student must be enrolled in and accrue in a term to be eligible for full-time financial aid disbursements for tuition and living expenses.

Credits are the standard unit of measure assigned to courses based on the number of hours in structured classroom, laboratory, supervised research and study, or clinical settings in addition to the number of hours of preparation and study expected outside of the learning settings to successfully complete the course. Enrollment in courses and accrual of credits is used to document full-time enrollment. In general, full-time learning and engagement in the M.D. program (greater than or equal to forty hours per week) is equal to one credit per week; for example, a four-week full-time clinical elective or supervised research block is equal to 4 credits, and a twelve-week clinical clerkship is equal to 12 credits. Supervised study blocks earn 3 credits for four weeks. subinternships earn 6 credits.

To meet Title IV criteria for SAP in a given year, students must have successfully completed a specified number of courses in that year and cumulatively for the degree at the time of the review. In the pre-clerkship and clerkship periods, each course and clinical clerkship is equal to one course. In the advanced training period, a four-week full-time block or elective is equal to one course; a two-week full-time elective or block is equal to one-half course; a four-week seminar or half-time block is equal to one-half course. Students must demonstrate satisfactory performance in the courses taken in that year, documented through reaching a threshold of achievement defined by each course on a standardized, numeric scale (e.g., four-point scale). For the purposes of determining SAP, all courses in the M.D. program are graded as Pass (4 points) or Fail (0 points), except in the advanced training period, where four-week electives and subinternships are graded as Honors (4 points), High Pass (3 points), Pass (2 points), and Fail (0 points).

Maximum time frame represents the total amount of time that a student may spend in any one year or cumulatively within the degree program, excluding approved leaves of absence.

1. Full-time Enrollment

1.1. To meet Title IV criteria for full time enrollment in the YSM M.D. program and receive full financial aid disbursements, students must be enrolled in a minimum of 12 credits in the fall and spring terms, and 6 credits in the summer terms. Year one in the M.D. program curriculum does not have a summer term.

2. Frequency of Evaluation

2.1 The M.D. program registrar reviews academic progress using quantitative and qualitative criteria at the end of each academic year for the purpose of determining whether a student has met the criteria for SAP.

3. Quantitative Criteria

3.1. To meet Title IV criteria for SAP, students must have completed and earned credit for 67 percent of all required courses for that year and cumulatively for the degree at the time of the review.
3.2. In year one, students must complete seven out of ten courses (Intro to the Profession, Scientific Foundations, Genes and Development, Attacks and Defenses, Homeostasis, Energy and Metabolism, Professional Responsibility, Scientific Inquiry, Clinical Skills/Foundations of Patient Care Year 1), earning at least 24 credits.
3.3. In year two, students must complete five out of seven courses (Connection to the World, Across the Lifespan, Human Anatomy, Populations and Methods, Clinical Skills/Foundations of Patient Care Year 2, clinical clerkships, or additional courses), earning at least 30 credits.
3.4. In year three, students must complete two clinical clerkships and at least two out of three additional courses (consisting of blocks of supervised research or study, electives, subinternships, or seminars), earning at least 30 credits.
3.5. In year four, students must complete six out of nine courses (consisting of blocks of supervised research or study, electives, subinternships, seminars, and capstone course), earning at least 24 credits.

4. Qualitative Criteria

4.1 To meet criteria for SAP, students must achieve a minimum of a 2.0 grade point average each year.

5. Maximum Time Frame

5.1. Maximum time frame (excluding approved leaves of absence) in any one year of the M.D. program curriculum is two years.
5.2. Maximum time frame (excluding approved leaves of absence) for the M.D. degree is five years. In extraordinary circumstances, students may be approved for up to one additional year of study by the YSM M.D. Program Progress Committee.

6. Withdrawals

6.1. Course withdrawals that occur prior to or within the first five days of a course do not count as attempted courses.
6.2. Withdrawals more than five days after the course has begun will be counted as attempted courses and the student will receive an Incomplete (see 7. Incomplete).
6.3. In the advanced training period, withdrawals less than thirty days before the beginning of a scheduled elective or seminar will result in a “late withdrawal” entry on the student’s transcript. Subinternships, depending on specialty, may have more stringent withdrawal deadlines.

7. Incomplete

7.1. A student receiving an Incomplete for a deficiency in a course or for a course withdrawal more than five days after the course has begun is allowed a specified period of time to remediate the deficiency or complete the course.
7.2. Any deficiencies (e.g., incomplete submission of materials) resulting in an Incomplete must be remediated within four weeks immediately following the course unless further time is approved by the associate dean for curriculum.
7.3. In the pre-clerkship and clerkship periods, a student receiving an Incomplete due to withdrawal more than five days after the course has begun must complete the course or clerkship by or within the term immediately following the term in which the Incomplete was issued, unless the course is not offered until a later term. For SAP calculations, credit will be issued for the term in which the course is completed.
7.4. In the advanced training period, a student receiving an Incomplete due to withdrawal more than five days after the course has begun must complete the course at least one month prior to the end of the student’s last term. For SAP calculations, credit will be issued for the term in which the course is completed.
7.5. If the deficiency is not remediated or the course is not completed with satisfactory performance within the stipulated time, then the grade is automatically converted by the registrar to a grade of Fail (0 points).

8. Medical Leave

8.1. Students who are approved for a medical leave will receive a grade of Incomplete for any course they are enrolled in beyond the fifth day of the course.
8.2. Incomplete grades due to medical leave will need to be remediated/completed within one year of a student’s return and will not count as attempted or completed in Title IV SAP calculations until they are completed.

9. Failure to Meet the Requirements for Satisfactory Academic Progress

9.1. A student who fails to demonstrate SAP is ineligible for financial aid beginning the academic year immediately following the end of the academic year in which this determination is made.
9.2. At the end of each academic year, the M.D. Program registrar will notify YSM Progress Committee, the associate dean for financial aid, and the associate dean for student affairs of any students who have not maintained SAP.
9.3. After review and confirmation that the student has failed to meet the requirements for SAP, the associate dean for financial aid will notify the student in writing about any change in eligibility for financial aid based on failure to maintain SAP.
9.4. The associate dean for student affairs or their delegate will meet with the student to create a plan for successfully returning to the status of SAP.
9.5. Eligibility for continued financial aid will be reestablished when the student is determined by the M.D. program registrar and YSM Progress Committee to be demonstrating SAP. The registrar will notify the associate dean for financial aid when this occurs, and the associate dean will notify the student that their eligibility for financial aid has been reestablished.

10. Appeals

10.1 In extenuating circumstances, a student may appeal the determination that they are not meeting the criteria for SAP.
10.2. Appeals will be reviewed by the associate deans for financial aid, student affairs, and curriculum, or their appointed delegates. If the appeal is approved, the student will be placed on financial aid probation and will continue to receive financial aid for the next payment period.
10.3. At the end of one payment period on financial aid probation, the YSM Progress Committee will review the student’s progress toward meeting the requirements for SAP. At this point the student must meet the requirements of the academic plan and for SAP, or they will become ineligible for financial aid.