College of Medicine:Student Assignment Policy

The assignment of students to electives, selectives, training sites, clinical teams, or supervision by a given faculty member should be made in a manner that is equitable, allows each student to complete all requirements of the experience, and work in an environment that ensures fair assessment and appropriate supervision:

• Students are to be allowed to express their preference for assignments prior to the schedules being created and clerkship/elective directors should take these preferences into account.  All other assignments are to be made randomly.
• Student assignments must abide by the Conflict of Interest Policy
• Students may request a trade of clinical assignments within their clerkship with their peers subject to the approval of the clerkship/rotation director. Requests for trades must be agreed upon by both students and submitted in writing and to the department’s educational coordinator no later than 7 days after receipt of the clerkship schedule/assignment.
• Students may request an alternate assignment after being notified of their schedule per the Requesting Alternate Assignment Policy
• When applicable, the assignment of students in Phase 2 clerkships has priority over those in Phase 3 electives
• COM students have primacy over visiting students in assignment to electives, selectives, and clinical teams.

Clerkship/elective directors are responsible for verifying that the above process is used and give final approval for all student assignments. Students may appeal their assignment to the Phase Director, followed by the Associate Dean for Medical Education. The latter's decision is final.

Approved by the Curriculum Committee: May 25, 2021