MD PROGRAM ADMISSIONS REQUIREMENTS

A candidate must be able to acquire information from demonstrations and participate in laboratory exercises. A candidate must be able to assess and comprehend the condition of all patients assigned to him or her for examination, diagnosis, and treatment. These skills require the use of vision, hearing, and touch or the functional equivalent.

A candidate must demonstrate proficiency in the English language such that he or she can communicate in both oral and written form effectively and sensitively with patients and members of the health care team. This includes the ability to speak, to hear and to observe patients by sight in order to elicit information, describe changes in mood, activity and posture, and perceive nonverbal communications. In a case where a candidate’s ability to communicate is compromised, the candidate must demonstrate alternative means and/or abilities to communicate with patients and members of the health care teams.

A candidate must be able to attend and participate in classes and activities which are a part of the curriculum. A candidate’s motor and sensory functions must be sufficient to diagnose and deliver patient care consistently, quickly and accurately. A candidate must be able to perform physical exams and diagnostic procedures using techniques, such as: palpation, auscultation, percussion, and other diagnostic maneuvers. A candidate must be able to respond in a timely manner and safely execute motor movements reasonably required to provide general care and emergency treatments to patients. A candidate must be able to participate in physically taxing duties over long hours.

A candidate must have sufficient cognitive abilities and effective learning strategies to assimilate the detailed and complex information presented in the medical school curriculum. A candidate must be able to learn through a variety of modalities, such as: class instruction, small group, team, and collaborative activities, and independent study. A candidate must have the ability to learn, memorize, measure, calculate, reason, organize, analyze, and synthesize complex information in a coherent manner. A candidate must be able to comprehend three-dimensional relationships and understand the spatial relationships of structures. A candidate must be able to formulate a hypothesis, investigate the potential answers and outcomes, and formulate appropriate and accurate conclusions in a timely manner.

A candidate must demonstrate the maturity and emotional stability required for full utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, and the timely completion of all responsibilities attendant to his/her academic work, team work, and patient care. A candidate must demonstrate the ability to develop mature, sensitive, and effective professional relationships with faculty members and peers, patients, and all members of the healthcare team. A candidate must be able to function effectively under stress and proactively make use of available resources to help maintain both physical and mental health. A candidate must be able to adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and function in the face of uncertainties inherent in the educational and patient care setting.

Professionalism, compassion, integrity, concern for others, interpersonal skills, interest, and motivation are expected throughout the education process. The candidate must be willing to interview, physically examine, and provide care to all patients regardless of their race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, or disability.

The TSOM is committed to providing all students with opportunities to take full advantage of the medical education program. It recognizes that students with documented disabilities may require reasonable accommodations to meet the technical standards described above. During the Admissions process, candidates with a disability are encouraged to discuss their disability with the Assistant Dean of Admissions so that jointly, they may consider technological and other facilitating mechanisms necessary to train and function effectively as a physician. Upon admission, the Office for Medical Education and the Office of Student Affairs are committed to removing potential barriers that may prevent a student from accurately reflecting their abilities in the medical education program. The goal of the multi-perspective approach described below is to support medical students with disabilities in order to provide reasonable and accessible opportunities to complete the medical education program.

Requesting Disability Accommodations

A candidate must comply with the following process for requesting and receiving appropriate reasonable accommodations, in a timely manner, to enable the candidate to have the opportunity to meet the TSOM requirements for completion of the medical education program.

1. It is the responsibility of a candidate with a disability, or a candidate who develops a disability, who requires accommodations in order to meet TSOM technical standards, to self-disclose to the Office of Student Affairs and request accommodations. The candidate must provide requested documentation of the disability to the Office of Student Affairs during the registration process. A candidate who fails to register with the Office of Student Affairs or who fails to provide the necessary documentation shall not be considered to be claiming or receiving accommodations under federal or state disability laws. A candidate is encouraged to register with the Office of Student Affairs prior to the beginning of his or her first or subsequent semester or as soon as a disability is established in order to ensure access to accommodations to the fullest extent possible. Candidates are accountable for their performance, with or without accommodation. No candidate will be assumed to have a disability based on poor performance alone. Accommodations are not applied retroactively, and a disability-related explanation will not negate poor performance.
2. Any request, design and implementation of accommodations for an individual candidate to participate and complete the medical education program must include full collaboration with the Office of Student Affairs, as well as review by the TSOM Accommodations Committee.
3. In review of a student’s accommodation request, the Office of Student Affairs will make every effort to recommend the appropriate accommodation for academic success. Upon receipt of a student’s request for accommodations, the TSOM will convene the TSOM Accommodations Committee. The Accommodations Committee is an ad hoc committee reporting directly to the TSOM Curriculum Committee. The Accommodations Committee is responsible for reviewing requests for accommodations in light of the TSOM appropriate course standards and learning objectives. Membership consists of the Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs and two volunteer faculty members approved by the Assistant/Associate Dean of Student Affairs.
4. Following review by the Accommodations Committee, the implementation of accommodations for first and second year students will be facilitated by the TSOM Office of Student Affairs. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs will notify the student of the approved accommodation and the office of testing & evaluation. The Assistant Dean of Assessment and Testing will inform the faculty about a student’s accommodation for internal exams.
5. Rising third year students with current academic accommodations should review their accommodations with the Office of Student Affairs in advance of their clinical years. This review is important for all students requesting accommodations, especially for students who may request the support of non-academic accommodations. Following review by the Accommodations Committee, the implementation of accommodations for third and fourth year students will be facilitated by the TSOM Office of Student Affairs. If accommodations are requested for NBME exams, the school’s NBME administrator/ executive chief proctor (ECP) is responsible for ensuring that the approved accommodation is included when the student’s information is uploaded in the NBME roster management system.
6. Each student is responsible for following USMLE guidelines for requesting accommodations for USMLE Step examinations.
7. The Office of Student Affairs will notify clerkship directors of requested accommodations via a student’s accommodation letter.
8. An accommodation may be deemed unreasonable if it poses a direct threat to the health or safety of the student, patients or others, causes a fundamental alteration of the medical education program, does not meet TSOM academic or technical standards, or poses an undue hardship on the College of Medicine. In review of a student’s request, the Committee will work to request additional assessment or evaluation, as needed, and provide a determination of the review to the Office of Student Affairs.
9. Accommodation through the use of a trained intermediary or other aid may be appropriate or reasonable if the intermediary or aid functions as an information conduit. The intermediary or aid may not provide a selective function, cognitive support, or medical knowledge or act as a substitute in performing essential skills or supplement clinical and ethical judgment.
10. Should, despite reasonable accommodation (whether the candidate chooses to use the accommodation or not), a candidate’s existing or acquired disability interfere with patient or peer safety, or otherwise impede the ability to complete the TSOM medical education program and advance to graduation, residency, training, or licensure, the candidate may be denied admission or may be separated, discontinued, or dismissed from the program.
11. While the Office of Student Affairs works to determine and coordinate approved accommodations, disability documentation remains confidential and housed at the Office of Student Affairs.