The Grade Debate: Evidence, Knowledge Gaps, and Perspectives on Clerkship Assessment Across the UME to GME Continuum

Abstract

Core clerkships are typically a medical student's first fully immersive clinical experiences where they learn to work in teams and contribute to patient care across specialties. Assessment of student clinical performance in the core clerkships can serve many purposes, including providing feedback that guides learning, ensuring achievement of competencies defined by each medical school, and determining readiness for advancement in the curriculum. With the increasingly competitive nature of the residency match, the purpose of assessment for determining grades may supersede the initially intended purposes for both students and educators.