Grading Policies for the clinical rotations:
- Hospital Chemistry MT 408
- Hospital Microbiology MT 410
- Hospital Hematology MT 412
- Clinical Elective MT 413
- Hospital Blood Bank MT 414
Clinical rotations are designed to allow students to develop entry-level professional skill and attributes in all areas of clinical practice. By the end of each clinical rotation students are expected to have acquired and developed cognitive, affective and psychomotor traits of an entry-level practitioner.
Grades for MT 408, MT 410, MT 412, MT 413 and MT 414 (hereafter referred to as Clinical Rotation Courses) are based on performance at the clinical rotation and on a specialty proficiency examination. Each source (performance at the clinical rotation and the specialty proficiency examination) is worth 50% of the final grade.
Grading standards for each source is as follows:
- Teaching clinical faculty at affiliated institutions will assign each student a grade for their clinical rotation (three weeks in length). Clinical faculty members have great flexibility in determining clinical mastery and assigning the grade. Methods of evaluation and grading will be explained to students at the beginning of the rotation. If the evaluation and grading is not clear, each student should ask the teaching clinical faculty.
- Specialty Proficiency Examinations will be given in each Rotation Course to insure mastery in all curricular areas (Clinical Chemistry, Immunohematology, Clinical Immunology, Clinical Hematology, Coagulation, Clinical Microbiology, Molecular Diagnostics, Laboratory Operations, Urinalysis and Body Fluids and others).
The following evaluation and grading process will be employed for the Specialty Proficiency Examinations:
- Specialty proficiency examinations will be administered on the third Friday morning of the rotation at an announced time. One hour (sixty minutes) will be allowed for the examination. The test question format will be all objective type questions (multiple choice, matching, multiple-multiple choice, etc.). The examination will consist of 50 questions. A computer adaptive format will be used. N.B.: in the event of no computer lab access, the format will be paper exam.
- No proficiency examinations will be scheduled in the summer or fall semesters.
- Students who fail a rotation based on a failing grade from the clinical performance and a failing grade on the proficiency exam will be required to repeat the failed course in the following Spring semester and repeat the specialty proficiency examination(s). Successful completion of the repeated proficiency examination will again be governed by the rules stated above.
- Specialty Examination Content areas.
- MT 408: Clinical Chemistry/Urinalysis/Body Fluids
- MT 410: Microbiology/Virology/Parasitology/Mycology
- MT 412: Clinical Hematology/Hemostasis/Coagulation
- MT 413: Clinical Immunology/Laboratory Operations/Biomolecular Techniques
- MT 414: Immunohematology
- Test questions are generated from the required course textbooks, course materials used in the MT 300-400 level courses, and a review book.
Students should assiduously and systematically prepare for the proficiency examinations at every possible opportunity during the Program and particularly during the clinical rotations. The ultimate goal of the Medical Laboratory Science Program curriculum, clinical rotations and proficiency examinations is to enable students to acquire a mastery of the Profession, to successfully pass national certification examinations, be New York State license-eligible and become valued practitioners in the nation’s health care delivery system.