Quality Improvement Communication

Did you know LCME approved full accreditation, with our next accreditation review occurring in the 2027-2028 Academic Year?

In addition, the medical school successfully remediated 10 of its 14 Unsatisfactory citations that resulted from our 2020 Site Visit.

Work continues over this academic year to resolve the remaining four citations and monitor six additional areas as we prepare for our first LCME status report in August 2023. 

The significant progress the school has made could not have happened without the critical feedback received from students. 

Our success represents extensive student, staff, faculty and medical school leadership commitments. A special thanks to Dean Tolar for approving the many Duluth and Twin Cities space upgrades and the additional academic advising, faculty advising and career development positions. 

Visit our website to learn more about the LCME and our continued work.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know the medical school’s CQI process has improved performance with observation of history, physical exams and mid-clerkship feedback?

The most recent clerkship evaluation data shows all required clerkships above 95% on performing the indicated assessment, with several at 100%.

Clerkship students can access the EPA and CSA Dashboards using these links to see real-time information on their mid-clerkship and formative feedback:

• EPA 21-22 AY Dashboard
• EPA 22-23 AY Dashboard
• CSA Dashboards

For technical issues contact med-ace@umn.edu.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know closed captioning are now included on all recorded presentations and sessions?

Student feedback highlighted the need to add closed captioning to live and recorded clinical information sessions. All current and future sessions will include closed captioning. Click the "cc" button to turn on closed captioning. 

• Clinical Scheduling Team recordings with closed captioning
• LIC Promo Videos
• LIC Info Sessions

You asked. We listened.

Did you know the medical school supports events, spaces and opportunities for community building?

Student feedback has highlighted a desire to emphasize in-person events and for spaces exclusive to medical students.

In Duluth, in-person community building activities have returned including the White Coat ceremony, Park Point welcome picnic for faculty, staff, students and their families, a student organized Vista Cruise boating party and dinner, and a winter talent show and Farewell Banquet. In addition, the Student Lounge and the 2nd and 3rd floor group rooms have all been remodeled with improved layouts, aesthetics and furniture to support wellbeing and community building needs.

In the Twin Cities, the medical school has refurbished the Adytum, a space designed to be a medical-student community space. The Adytum provides group studying, meeting and relaxation space, and will also be home to the Houses Program Tree.

Both campuses are implementing programs to address food insecurity and support student well-being. In DU, the food pantry and clothing exchange is available in room 103. On the TC campus, the school is partnering with the other Health Science schools to place “Care Corners” in various locations, including on Mayo 1st floor near A110 outside the SPHere Lounge.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know medical students have a voice in shaping the educational experience?

Medical students serve as representatives on numerous governance committees, provide feedback to administration and faculty on the course/clerkship quality, and assist with planning events in all areas of the medical education program. Their engagement has a significant impact on your experiences and the experiences of the next generation of medical students.

To learn more about the student's voice, click here.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know we have a program to help you succeed in an interprofessional health environment?

Almost all health care requires teams of health professionals — we will prepare you to be effective team members. Check out the Center for Interprofessional Health to learn more. 

See this document for the structure and expected outcome of interprofessional education.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know rooms are available for individual study or small group meetings on the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses?

There is an online guide to finding and reserving study and small group space.

Conference rooms with keypad access are available on the 6th floor of Mayo building on the Twin Cities campus for students to study or work in small groups.

Instructions for reserving these Mayo building rooms can be found here. In Duluth, instructions on room reservations can be found here.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know you can help plan the Medical School's first Career Fair?

A Career and Professional Development Advisory Board provides opportunities for students to directly impact career development initiatives.

Students on the Advisory Board:

• Provide ongoing feedback on career development programming and services
• Facilitate Specialty Interest Group Summits linking TC and DU leaders
• Participate in the planning of the school’s first Career Fair on Oct. 18

Students can apply to be on the Career and Professional Development Advisory Board using this form.

To learn more about the Advisory Board or to explore other career planning resources and activities, visit the Career Development webpage or read the September issue of Vital Signs, the UMN Career Development Newsletter.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know accessing healthcare services is easier than ever? Check out your options here.

Boynton Health and UMD Health Services both provide the full range of care to students including emergency and after-hours care.

The Attendance and Excused Absence policy permits students to be excused from school experiences to seek needed care and attend health appointments.

For students with the University Health Plan, you can also access providers and hospitals in the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota worldwide.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know you can apply for student research funds?

Applications for University of Minnesota Foundation Medical Student Research Grants are now open! Apply by Sept. 15 to be considered for a $3,000 grant to fund
8-12 weeks of basic science, clinical or community-based research. 

This program aims to encourage medical students to conduct independent, mentored and academic research using a protocol of their own design.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know our incoming class of 2026 continues to build on our diversity?

This is who they are: 

• 88 different undergraduate majors
• 25 with advanced degrees
• 82.5% Minnesota residents
• 41 different languages in addition to English

Learn more about the class here.

A warm welcome to all new students.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know our Summer Internship in Medical Education (SIME) students have completed projects focused on enhancing the quality of your educational experience?

This year’s SIME students are presenting their projects in the areas of student affairs, curriculum, RPAP/MetroPAP, assessment and evaluation, admissions, graduate medical education, data/analytics and wellness/wellbeing.

Join us on Wednesday August 17, 11:00 to 1:00 PM to hear about what the SIME students have accomplished.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know the medical school maintains clear policies to facilitate an environment for effective learning, keep you safe, enforce rules consistently, and provide you with the best possible education?

Our policies, which are reviewed regularly, are disseminated through various communications, linked in course syllabi and Canvas, and reinforced during relevant student forums and course sessions. 

Visit the Medical Student Policies webpage to see the complete list of policies for medical students across all years and both campuses.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know our Confidential Bridge Counseling (CBC) has expanded and is available to all students?

More than 25% of our students are taking advantage of the CBC. In just the past two years we’ve expanded the CBC to include a full-time psychologist and a psychology Fellow in the Twin Cities, as well as a new dual counselor & learner development specialist in Duluth. All of these people are available to support your mental health and wellness.

Featuring free, confidential & convenient in-person or telehealth appointments with little to no wait time, the CBC provides dedicated “bridging” services for medical students needing brief psychological support, awaiting the start of services elsewhere, or for those who would like a referral.

98% of students indicated they would recommend the services to their peers.

To schedule an appointment: For Twin Cities students use this link or email Dr. Maryanne Reilly-Spong at maryanne@umn.edu. For Duluth students contact Dr. Elizabeth Teschner at eteschn@umn.edu.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know the medical school has resources for reporting, tracking, and reducing instances of student mistreatment?

The University uses UReport, an online way for students to anonymously report instances of alleged mistreatment. Submissions are investigated by the Office of EOAA, Office of Community Standards, or by the medical school’s internal Mistreatment and Harassment Oversight Team.

The medical school also monitors mistreatment through anonymous course/clerkship evaluations, Pulse Surveys, and national surveys like the AAMC Graduation Questionnaire and Y2Q.

To learn more about the medical school’s role in preventing and addressing mistreatment, including examples of what constitutes mistreatment, read the Mistreatment of Medical Students policy. Students can also contact the Mistreatment and Harassment Oversight Team with any questions they may have.

You asked. We listened.

Did you know there is a dashboard in MedIS to track the Required Clinical Encounters (RCE) that you must complete to successfully pass your core required clerkships and to graduate?

Each core clerkship requires you to experience a subset of the conditions, procedures, and presenting symptoms during your rotation in order to successfully meet the clerkship's learning objectives. 

A video explainer walks you through the RCE list and explains how to log and view your encounters and the Required Clinical Experiences policy provides important information about your RCE requirements. More information and links to the logging survey and RCE log reports can be found on each of the core clerkship’s Canvas sites.

You asked. We listened

Did you know students engage with their communities during RPAP and MetroPAP rotations?

Students presented their work at the Community Health Poster Session held on June 24, 2022. View posters at this site.

You asked. We are listening.

Did you know accessible and secure storage for personal belongings, and spaces for studying are available at our clinical sites?

A Clinical Space Fact Sheet in Canvas helps you find secure storage and study space for each clerkship at our major clinical sites.

You may also submit issues, corrections, or updates about secure storage or study space using an online Clinical Space Update Request Form.

You asked. We listened

Did you know you can track your clinical performance?

Updated daily, these dashboards provide live, real-time data from your clinical assessments as you receive them. This provides you with ongoing, timely formative feedback from your EPA and CSA assessments. The dashboards can be accessed using these links:

EPA AY 22-23 Dashboard

CSA Dashboards 

For technical issues contact med-ace@umn.edu. 

Did you know residents and fellows teach and assess our students to improve your clinical skills?

All incoming residents and fellows receive training in effective teaching skills, providing coaching and feedback, and are made aware of mistreatment and work hours policies. Co-created by medical students and residents, the "Residents as Teachers" learning modules maximize engagement with the content (focused, asynchronous, multimedia). 

Learn more about how we prepare our residents and fellows here.

You asked. We are listening.

Did you know a standardized clinical assessment and coaching system across all sites improves your skills?

Join the Student Support Session. June 17th, 3-4 PM via Zoom. Representatives from both Assessment and Clinical Coaching will be available to answer questions about clerkship assessments.

The Clinical Skills Assessment (CSA) assesses clinical performance and its uniformity across required clerkships. This new assessment replaces the previous Global Rating Scale (GRS).

The Core Entrustable Professional Activities for Entering Residency (Core EPAs) ensure students are observed performing the relevant portions of the H&P.

Did you know we are increasing the diversity of our faculty?

Over the past. year, 26% of newly hired faculty were from underrepresented minorities.

Since July 2020 increases in faculty diversity include: 

• American Indian/Alaska Native - from 11 to 17

• Black/African American - from 46 to 76

• Hispanic/Latinx - from 46 to 61

 We continue to build the infrastructure and support needed to continue to increase the diversity of our faculty.

You asked. We are listening.

Did you know we are adding resources to support your success?

New positions being added include:

1. A fourth Academic Advisor - To schedule an advising appointment you can go to z.umn.edu/MedAdvisingAppt 

2. A career advising coordinator focused on MS1 and MS2 students

3. Adding a 6th Faculty Advisor on the Duluth Campus

4. A combined psychologist and learner development position for the Duluth Campus

5. Creating a DEI Lead Mentor focused on the clinical learning environment

6. Filling vacant DEI Thread Director roles for a total of 3 positions

You Asked. We Responded.

Did you know we continue to improve on-campus and clinical spaces?

• The Adytum - the Twin Cities medical student-only study & lounge space
• Room 68 - the Duluth Active Learning classroom
• Student Study and Relaxation Spaces on the Duluth Campus
• Secure Storage at major clinical sites

You Asked. We Responded.

Did you know we are enhancing faculty DEI skills and anti-racist awareness to improve your educational experience?

A six part series for course directors on "Anti-racism in Action" has been completed. 

Our Curriculum Cafe for all faculty has focused on "Fostering Inclusive Classrooms".

Our medical school is part of the national collaborative "Anti-Racist Transformation in Medical Education".

If you are interested in getting involved in DEI curricular work, reach out to Brian Muthyala, DEI Thread Lead for UME. 

You asked. We are listening.

Did you know the medical school provides time off for needed healthcare appointments and other wellness needs?

Did you know you have easy access to study and secure storage spaces at clinical sites?

Did you know we are improving student study space?

• Refresh and refurnish current spaces
• Increase the number of study rooms and individual study carrels

• Keypad access has been added to six conference rooms on the 6th floor Mayo building for medical students to study or work in small groups. Instructions for reserving these Mayo building rooms can be found here. 

Did you know we continue to improve because of you?

Did you know that our medical students are taking advantage of the online AAMC Careers in Medicine website earlier than the national average?

Did you know we responded to your request for a standardized clerkship assessment system?

Did you know guidance, tools and tips are available for managing financial aid and medical school debt?

Did you know you can nominate yourself or others for medical school honors and awards?

Did you know you can apply for a grant to support your research?

This customizable approach follows the four phases of your career development process: Understand Yourself, Explore Options, Choose a Specialty, and Prepare for Residency. 

We are committed to your success.

Did you know race is no longer included in the clinical formula to calculate and report estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR)?

Did you know we want to be better for YOU?

We appreciate the many students who are serving as champions to address the findings from our accreditation survey to do just that — help us become better for you. Meet our Student Champions here and see how each of them are involved. 

Who better to let us know how we can improve than you. Please reach out to these students to learn more and provide feedback as we welcome your engagement!

Did you know accessing healthcare services is easier than ever? Check out your options here.  

Boynton provides a full range of care to students including video telehealth appointments, pharmacy services, and a 24/7 nurse line (612-625-7900).

Did you know there are many places for medical students to study and for small group meetings on the Twin Cities and Duluth campuses?

We also have recently added keypad access to our conference rooms on the 6th floor Mayo building on the Twin Cities campus for students to study or work in small groups as a result of your feedback. 

Instructions for reserving these Mayo building rooms can be found here. 

Did you know there is programming across the four years of medical school to ensure you are competent to work in an interprofessional health environment? 

Almost all health care requires teams of health professionals — we will prepare you to be effective team members. Check out the Center for Interprofessional Health to learn more. 

See this document for the structure and expected outcome of interprofessional education. 

There is an app named MedEd To Go students can download to navigate clinical rotation sites for an inside scoop on participating hospitals, including study and lounge spaces, important contacts, local restaurants, and much more.