Street Address

Tulane University School of Medicine
Office of Academic Affairs
131 S. Robertson Street
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-988-6191
Fax: 504-988-6705

Mailing Address

Tulane University School of Medicine
Office of Academic Affairs
1430 Tulane Avenue #8010
New Orleans, LA 70112

https://medicine.tulane.edu/

L. Lee Hamm
M.D., University of Alabama at Birmingham
Sr. Vice President and Dean

One of the nation's most recognized centers for medical education, Tulane University School of Medicine is a vibrant center for education, research and public service. Celebrating its 175th anniversary in 2009, Tulane School of Medicine is the second-oldest medical school in the Deep South and the 15th oldest medical school in the United States.

Tulane School of Medicine recruits top faculty, researchers and students from around the world, and pushes the boundaries of medicine with groundbreaking medical research and surgical advances. From invention of the binocular microscope to robotic surgeries, Tulane School of Medicine remains at the forefront of modern medical innovation. Tulane School of Medicine is equipping the next generation of medical professionals with the tools to succeed in a rapidly changing world and shape the future of health care. On a daily basis, we strive to meet our mission of "Education, Research and Patient Care: We Heal Communities."

Tulane School of Medicine is fully accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education.

Graduate School Policies

A full description of academic policies for all students in Graduate Programs can be found in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.

Program of Nursing Policies

A full description of academic policies for nursing students can be found in the Program of Nursing page accessible through the Academic Department tab of the School of Medicine page.

School of Medicine Policies

• Graduate Student Policies 

  • Requirement to Stay Informed

  • Enrollment Requirements 

  • Processes

    • Absences 

    • Change of Name/Address 

    • Course Audits 

    • Course Changes 

    • Course Registration 

    • Professional/Environment of Learning Program 

    • Transferring Credits 

    • Updating Grade of Incomplete

    • Withdrawals 

  • General Policies 

    • Academic Standards 

    • Class Attendance 

    • Code of Academic Conduct 

    • Policy on Intellectual Property 

    • Student Employment 

    • Technical Standards 

    • The Tulane University Code 

• Medical Students 

  • Non-Curricular Academic Policies​

    • School of Medicine Academic Calendars 

    • Promotion and Graduation Policy 

    • Essential Functions/Technical Standards 

    • Purpose 

    • Overview 

    • Exemption of Basic Medical Science Courses 

    • Clinical Rotation Requirements 

    • HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) Training 

    • Universal Precautions Training 

    • USMLE Requirements: Step 1 and Step 2 

    • Educational Site Requests 

    • Senior Scheduling Requirements 

    • Right to a Healthcare Provider not involved in Evaluation 

  • Grading Policy 

    • Grading Guidelines for Pre-Clinical and Clinical Courses 

    • Grades for Clinical Rotations (T3 and T4 Years) 

    • Reporting of Grades 

    • Preclinical (T1 and T2) Elective Courses 

    • Retention and Student Support 

    • Academic Deficiencies, Resolving Deficiencies and Grounds for Dismissal 

    • Appeal Process for Grades and MSPE 

    • Appeal Process for Re-admission

    • Masters of Medical Sciences 

  • Student Records 

    • Definitions
    • FERPA: Policy on Access to Student Records
    • Transfer Student/Credit Policies

  • Absences and Leaves  

    • Student Excused Absence Policy
    • Leave of Absence

  • Financial Matters 

• Tuition Refunds for Withdrawals 

  • GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT 

  • Accounts Receivable Billing Cycles 

  • Tuition Refunds for Withdrawals 

  • Off-Cycle and Leave of Absence Billing 

  • Billing for Repeated Coursework 

  • Other Refunds 

  • Student Conduct and Behavioral Expectations​

    • Code of Student Conduct (University Policy) 

    • Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct

    • Medical Student Code of Professional Conduct (SOM)

    • Work hours 

    • Dress Code 

    • Email 

    • Policy on Social Media and Out-of-work Conduct 

    • Honor Code 

    • Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy (University Policy) 

    • Narcotics, Marijuana, and Other Controlled Substances 

    • Possession of Weapons 

School of Medicine Policies

Graduate Student Policies

Requirement to Stay Informed

Students are responsible for checking their Tulane issued email accounts daily since announcements from the BMS Program Office, School of Medicine Departments or other entities at Tulane are frequently sent via email. If you have an email other than the one given to you by Tulane, it is a good idea to have your Tulane email automatically forwarded to the email address you use.

Enrollment Requirements

A student admitted to any degree program in BMS must be continuously enrolled in a degree-granting division of the University during the 12-month calendar year and maintain full-time status. A student admitted into any BMS degree program must be in continuous registration in a degree-granting division of the University until the awarding of the  degree. Any student who is not registered for course work in a degree-granting division of the University must be registered in Master’s Research or Dissertation Research every semester, including the summer, in order to remain in continuous registration. Although these courses are zero-credit-hour courses, registration will maintain full-time status.

Processes

Absences

• Medical or Psychological Leave: Medical or psychological leave should be requested in accordance with the Case Management Victim Support Services processes.
• Vacation: Ph.D. students are entitled to 2 weeks of vacation (10 days) per year in addition  to holidays approved by Tulane University (See Academic Calendar). Foreign students holding a student visa who wish to temporarily leave the United States must obtain permission of their department chairman (if applicable) and submit a written request to the BMS Program Office at least 30 days prior to their travel and/or before making any travel arrangements. Students granted permission then apply for a new I20 or IAP-66 in order to return to the United States. Any foreign student who leaves the United States without the consent of the BMS Program Office will be subject to disciplinary action. Students not returning from leave of absence within the approved date may have their  stipends  suspended and may be required to re-apply to the Graduate Program in Biomedical  Sciences.
• Other than Vacation: Master’s students should coordinate absences with their individual Program Director. Any Ph.D. student desiring to take a leave of absence from the Program for any reason except medical/psychological for an extended period of time (more than one week) must submit the request in writing to their Dissertation Advisor and to the BMS Office, stating the reason(s) for the requested absence. Approval for such leave will be granted by the Steering Committee. In emergencies, the Co-Director or the  Assistant Dean will grant this leave and present the request to the Steering Committee as soon as possible. This policy applies to all full-time Ph.D. students in the BMS Program.

Change of Name/Address

Students must complete a change of name/address form and submit it to the BMS Program Office when appropriate. Changes of address may also be made by  logging  into Gibson Online (https://gibson.tulane.edu/tulane/jsp/login.html).

Course Audits

Students may audit any course in the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences that he/she is otherwise qualified to attend except under the following circumstances:

1. The course has reached capacity with “for grade” students and/or;
2. The course is listed as “permission of the instructor required: and permission has not been granted, and/or;
3. Official course registration is required. Usual advisor signatures, tuition and fees and add/drop dates apply. No transfers from audit to credit will be permitted after add/drop date;
4. There are no class work or attendance requirements;

A student may take a course for credit any following semester after taking the course for audit, if otherwise qualified. This requires a second official registration and payment for the course. Students paying audit tuition and fees are entitled to copies of handouts, assignments and/or other class materials. The conditions for student participation and evaluation of student work will be agreed upon in advance by the student and the instructor. Courses taken for Audit will not appear on final transcript.

Course Changes

Student-Driven: Students wishing to add or drop courses should consult the Schedule of Classes for deadlines and instructions. Failure to make schedule adjustments promptly and accurately may result in financial or academic penalties. ALL add/drops must be processed in Gibson Online unless you have two or more classes which have a time overlap. In this case, you need to fill out an add/drop form (from the BMS website or office) and obtain signatures from both instructors. You must fill out the exact course ID and section number even if there is only one section. Students may add or withdraw from a course with approval of the instructor and the BMS Program Office. Refer to the BMS Calendar for the last days to drop a  course with and without record. A student wishing to add a course after general registration should complete the Drop/Add form and have appropriate approval of the course instructor and advisor prior to the start of the course. Registration will not be permitted beyond the first week of a course. Credit will not be given for courses in which the student was not registered.

Department-Driven: Departments often make schedule changes for courses. If a student has registered for a class and a change has been made, that class will automatically be dropped  from their schedule. If the student still wants to take that class, it is their responsibility to re-register. Departments are responsible for notifying students (usually via email) if a class has  been cancelled or a section change has been made.

Course Registration

Students register using Gibson Online (https://gibson.tulane.edu/tulane/jsp/login.html). Class schedules are found on the University Registrar’s website at  www.registrar.tulane.edu. This site also contains a link to the Schedule of Classes. Registration for Summer and Fall semester courses opens in March and Registration for Spring semester courses opens in November. The schedule is updated twice annually. All students are responsible for their own class schedules. Consultation with assigned academic advisors or thesis mentors is strongly encouraged before enrolling in any BMS classes.

The convenience of registration on the web coupled with the delivery of tuition bills via email greatly reduces the time each student must spend on campus dealing with administrative details. Students, however, must know that by registering they assume full financial responsibility for keeping the University informed of any address changes so that bills and priority registration materials may be delivered promptly.

Students should also be aware of the requirement to confirm attendance at the  beginning of  each semester. Notices will be emailed to all enrolled students when the confirmation option becomes available on Gibson. In addition, they must consult the academic calendar on the University Registrar’s webpage when adding or dropping courses once the term has begun. Failure to heed the dates set forth in the official calendar could result in academic or financial penalty.

Registering for Independent Study:

Students must register for Independent Study (BMSP-7990) and Special Topics (BMSP-7500) in person with the BMS Office at the beginning of the semester. If registration is delayed, students run the risk of not receiving credit in  that semester. Please submit forms to the BMS office to register.

Missed Deadlines:

Registration deadlines are in the calendar section of the BMS website. If registration deadlines are missed, you will not be able to use Gibson to register and must fill out a drop/add form, available in the forms section of the BMS website or in the BMS Office.

Registration Holds:

Students who have an outstanding financial balance with Accounts Receivable and/or are blocked by Student Health concerning their immunization records will need to resolve these issues before registering. The BMS Program Office can help with identifying the nature of registration holds.

Enrollment Verification:

If enrollment verification is needed, contact the National Student Clearinghouse: Tel: 703-742-4200 Fax: 703-742-4239

Email: enrollmentverify@studentclearinghouse.org Web: www.studentclearinghouse.org

Professional/Environment of Learning Program

The Tulane University School of Medicine (SOM) is committed to creating and maintaining a positive environment for its faculty and learners. This environment is based on mutual respect and accountability. The BMS Program is designed to provide an environment that is professional, respectful, inclusive, and intellectually-stimulating. Our program allows for individuals to report concerns. Most important is early intervention to prevent concerning behavior from escalating. Exemplary behavior by individuals who are exceptional role models for professionalism can also be acknowledged within the system.

The School of Medicine has developed a reporting/tracking system for concerns about the environment of learning and workplace. Incidents are reported by a variety of mechanisms, documented in the system, and recorded in a confidential database. Each report will be investigated following the method of the Professionalism Pyramid for Graduated Interventions (first developed at the Vanderbilt School of Medicine). https://medicine.tulane.edu/student-affairs/professionalismenvironment-learning-program.

Transferring Credits

Students may request transfer of credits any time after the successful completion of one semester as a registered student in the BMS Program. In order to successfully complete a semester, a student must enroll in all core courses in the first semester and every semester thereafter until their formal request for transfer of credits is approved. Acceptance of graduate credit for work done at other graduate institutions or in another division of Tulane University must first be submitted in writing to the Steering Committee through the BMS Office, who will review the transfer request and make a recommendation for approval.

In general, up to 12 semester hours of transfer credit may be accepted for a master’s degree, and up to 24 semester hours of transfer credit may be accepted toward the Ph.D. degree. To be considered for transfer credit, graduate work done at another institution or in another division of Tulane University must carry a grade of B or better and must have been completed no more than four years from the date of first registration for graduate work if applied towards a master’s degree and no more than six years from the date of first registration for graduate work if applied toward a Ph.D. degree. The transfer of credits taken earlier may be approved by the Assistant Dean or Co-Director in unusual cases only.

Updating Grade of Incomplete

At the end of the semester, if the student has earned an “I” (incomplete) in a class, he/she has 30 days after the semester to clear this up. Incomplete grades that are not resolved within 30 days of the end of the semester are changed to Fs. The “I” will remain on the student’s transcript, accompanied by the final course grade. Extensions of the 30-day deadline must be requested in writing by the student and must be approved by the instructor and the BMS Assistant Dean or Co- Director.

Withdrawals

Voluntary: A student who has registered for a semester and plans to withdraw from the program must inform the BMS Program Office in writing. After appropriate action has been completed with the Assistant Dean or Co-Director, confirmation of withdrawal will be sent to the student. The official date of the withdrawal from the program must be approved by the Assistant Dean or Co- Director and usually is the date of formal notification. The withdrawal date is important for determining possible refunds. Students who officially have withdrawn from the program must surrender their student identification cards at the time of withdrawal. After the last day to drop courses, a student withdrawing from the program without adequate reason, as determined by the Assistant Dean or Co-Director, will receive WF grades. A W grade will be recorded if withdrawal has been approved for medical reasons.

Medical: Students may experience medical and/or psychological conditions as well as problems around substance misuse that significantly impacts their ability to complete their academic pursuits. During such circumstances, a medical withdrawal and leave of absence from the University provides the student an opportunity to remain a matriculated student while also allowing time away for appropriate treatment and recovery. Students must request a medical withdrawal in accordance with the checklist on the Case Management and Victim Support Services Website: https://cmvss.tulane.edu/content/medical-withdrawal-leave-return. Students must notify the BMS Office of their intent to request a medical withdrawal or leave prior to beginning the process.

Involuntary Withdrawals: A student may be required to withdraw from any course or from the University, temporarily or permanently, for any of the following reasons:

1. Work below the standard specified by the college in which the student is enrolled.
2. Violation of the honor system or other misconduct.
3. Possibility of danger to the health of the student or to other students if enrollment is continued.
4. The University reserves the right to forbid any student’s continued enrollment without assignment of reason. The Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences, however, will provide a student with a statement of reason in writing from the department. An appellate procedure has been established in cases involving academic performance or possible infringement of academic freedom. The  Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences also has appellate procedures in cases involving non-reappointment of fellowships or scholarships when the formal terms of the first award have given reasonable expectation of renewal. Such procedures may also apply to cases in which a graduate, teaching, or research assistant, is relieved of a position before the end of the term of the appointment or is not reappointed when the formal terms of the first appointment have given reasonable expectation of reappointment. Copies of these procedures are available in the Program Office.

General Policies

Academic Standards

Quality of Work Requirements: A minimum average quality-point average ratio of 3.0 (B) must be maintained by a student in the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.

If a student receives one B- grade, the student is immediately considered for probation. If a student receives two grades of B-, or one grade less than B- during his/her tenure in the BMS program, the student is placed on probation and considered for dismissal by the Assistant Dean or Co-Director, in consultation with the Steering Committee. The student’s advisor will be consulted and will submit information to the Steering Committee on the student’s academic progress and research work. The student will be recommended to be removed from probation if they receive no further grades of B- or less in the following semester, as long as the student maintains a grade point average of 3.0 or better in BMS studies.

Grades in BMS are reported as shown below.

Grades

Grade	Description
A	4.00
A-	3.667
B+	3.333
B	3.000
B-	2.667
C+	2.333
C	2.000
C-	1.667
D+	1.333
D	1.000
D-	0.667
F	Failure
I	Incomplete
IP	In progress
S	Satisfactory
U	Unsatisfactory
W	Withdraw
WF	Withdraw Fail

I -- Incomplete – This grade will automatically become F unless the work is made up within 30 days after the beginning of the following semester, excluding Summer School. This grade is not to be used as an automatic extension but only for unavoidable delays caused by illness or other emergencies.

R -- Research – In those cases where research or experimentation, or both, cannot be completed within the 30-day limit following the end of the semester, this grade will be given to indicate this circumstance. This grade carries a different meaning from that of IP which is given at the end of the first semester of a two-semester course.

IP -- In Progress – Satisfactory progress at the end of the first semester of a year-long course; grades are assigned upon completion of the course.

W -- Courses may be dropped without record within six weeks of the first day of classes. Refer to Academic Calendar for exact dates each semester. Withdrawals with the grade of W after these dates may be accomplished only if the instructor notifies the dean that the student is passing and recommends permission to withdraw. WF (withdrawn failing) will be assigned if the student’s work in a course is unsatisfactory at the time of withdrawal.

In some departments grades for certain courses are reported as follows: S Satisfactory; U Unsatisfactory. In some departments, grades for certain other designated courses may also be reported simply as S or U at the student’s option, provided that the option is declared by the student no later than the end of the second week of class.

Grade or Academic Complaints: University procedures for grade and other academic complaints are available in the BMS Office.

Student Request for Review of Status: Any degree candidate enrolled and placed in jeopardy by these policies may request a review of status by the Steering Committee. The procedure for a request of a review is to submit to the BMS Steering Committee through the BMS office, a written explanation of extenuating circumstances or other matters pertinent to the request for hearing. The decision of the Steering Committee shall be considered final.

Class Attendance

Students are expected to attend all classes unless they are ill or prevented from attending by exceptional circumstances. Instructors may establish policies for attendance of their classes, which are announced at the beginning of the semester. Students who find it necessary to miss class must assume responsibility for making up the work covered during that session, including quizzes, examinations, and other exercises; they also are responsible for obtaining notes on material covered in lectures or other class sessions. Students are responsible for notifying professors about absences that result from serious illnesses, injuries, or critical personal problems. See Absences and Withdrawals in the Process section.

Code of Academic Conduct

The Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences expects students to conduct their academic endeavors with honesty and integrity. Activities covered by the Code of Academic Conduct include course work, examinations, and research. This Code outlines individual responsibilities as well as procedures to be followed if there is a question concerning a student’s academic honesty or integrity. These values are held in common by all departments and enforced by the sanctions of the Assistant Dean and the Co-Director of the program. All students enrolled in BMS are subject to these regulations and should be familiar with this Code of Academic Conduct. A copy of the Code of Academic Conduct is available in the program office. Principles and activities not covered by this Code may fall under the purview of university or departmental research and/or ethics committees. Questions concerning jurisdiction should be addressed to the Assistant Dean of Graduate Studies or the BMS Program Co-Director.

Policy on Intellectual Property

The University policy on intellectual property applies to all graduate students. Any invention or discovery resulting from projects supported in whole or in part by funds, personnel, or facilities provided by or administered by the Board of Administrators of Tulane University is the property of Tulane University. The University has a policy of sharing with the inventor any income derived from such discoveries. For more information on Tulane’s policy, see "Intellectual Property Policy and Procedures" in the Tulane Faculty Handbook, a copy of which is available in the Graduate program office.

Student Employment

PhD students are not permitted to be employed off campus during their entire program. Any off- campus employment for remuneration may disqualify a student from receiving financial aid from the Graduate Program in Biomedical Sciences.

Technical Standards

Technical Standards are non-academic requirements essential for meeting the academic requirements of certain graduate programs in the School of Medicine of Tulane University. Within any area of specialization, students must demonstrate competence in those intellectual and physical tasks that together represent the fundamentals of research in their chosen discipline.

The PhD degree programs and some MS degree programs at the Tulane University School of Medicine require a dissertation or thesis based on independent research. Granting of those degrees implies the recipient has demonstrated a base of knowledge in their chosen field of study and possesses the ability to independently apply that knowledge to form hypotheses, design and conduct experiments, interpret experimental results, and communicate these findings to the scientific community. Thus, a candidate for the PhD or some of the MS degrees in the health sciences must possess abilities and skills that  allow for observation, intellectual and conceptual reasoning, motor coordination, and communication. The use of a trained intermediary is not acceptable.

The following technical skills are required of the successful student:

• Observation: The candidate must be able to acquire knowledge by direct observation of demonstrations, experiments, and experiences within the research and instructional setting.
• Intellectual/Conceptual Abilities: The candidate must be able to measure, calculate, analyze, reason, integrate and synthesize information to solve problems.
• Motor Skills: The candidate must possess motor skills necessary to perform procedures required for experimentation within the chosen discipline. Those individuals with physical challenges are encouraged to contact the appropriate administration to determine their educational options within the chosen discipline.
• Communication: The candidate must be able to communicate and discuss his or her experimental hypotheses and results to the scientific community.
• Behavioral and Social Attributes: The candidate must possess the emotional and mental health required for appropriate utilization of his or her intellectual abilities, the exercise of good judgment, the prompt completion of responsibilities inherent in managing a scientific setting, the ability to function under the stress inherent in research, and the ability to understand and comply with ethical standards for the conduct of research.

The Tulane University Code

The University requires of all of its student’s behavior compatible with its high standards of scholarship and conduct. The Vice President for Student Affairs is responsible for formulating appropriate procedures and regulations concerning student behavior and for the judicial consideration of violations. A more detailed description can be found at: https://catalog.tulane.edu/university/#academicpoliciestext.

Medical Students

The Office of Admissions and Student Affairs (504.988.5331) is your primary source for answers to academic questions and problems. Dr. Elma LeDoux has been the Associate Dean of Student Affairs since 2020. The Office of Admissions and Student Affairs staff schedules dean’s hours, keeps up-to-date on curriculum requirements, processes paperwork for USMLE testing, and serves as a general resource for student issues. The office also administers the application process for Tulane medical students applying to residencies. The Office of Admissions and Student Affairs is responsible for the annual White Coat Ceremony, graduation, and orientation activities for incoming first-year students and for third-year students’ transition into the clinical years.

The Office of Admissions and Student Affairs has a website at http://medicine.tulane.edu/student-affairs . You can find pictures of the staff, along with staff email addresses and phone numbers. The areas of responsibility for each staff member are listed. The website also has information related to career planning, pre-clinical and clinical courses, and life as a medical student.

DISCLAIMER : Please note that School of Medicine (SOM) policies for the MD program may change after publication of the Tulane University catalog.  For the most current policies, please check the SOM Student Handbook (https://medicine.tulane.edu/student-affairs) and LCME policy library (https://medicine.tulane.edu/lcme-accreditation/lcme-accreditation-policy-library).

Non-Curricular Academic Policies

School of Medicine Academic Calendars

The T1/T2 preclinical academic calendars are maintained by the T1/T2 course curriculum committee in the Office of Academic Affairs. Detailed calendars are available to students in eMedley.

The T3/T4 clinical academic calendar are posted in eMedley’s eCurriculum: https://he.emedley.com/univ/tu/common/adfs/login.php .

Promotion and Graduation Policy

All students are required to pass all courses, electives, and required clinical clerkships with the grade of 70% or better.

Students must pass USMLE Step 1 prior to beginning fourth-year rotations.

All senior students are recommended to sit for USMLE Step 2 before December 31 of their senior year to be successful in the Match. Step 2 must be passed in order to graduate.

Before graduation, the Admissions and Student Affairs staff and administration will ensure that all students have met the requirements for graduation. The Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee will recommend to the dean candidates for graduation.

Essential Functions/Technical Standards

Purpose

Delineation of technical standards is required for the accreditation of U.S. medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME).

Overview

The MD degree is a broad undifferentiated degree attesting to general knowledge in medicine and the basic skills required for the practice of medicine. Essential abilities and characteristics required for completion of the MD degree consist of certain minimum physical and cognitive abilities and sufficient mental and emotional stability to assure that candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation are able to complete the entire course of study and participate fully in all aspects of medical training. Tulane School of Medicine intends for its graduates to become competent and compassionate physicians who are capable of entering residency training (graduate medical education) and meeting all requirements for medical licensure. The avowed intention of an individual student to practice only a narrow part of clinical medicine, or to pursue a non-clinical career, does not alter the requirement that all medical students take and achieve competence in the full curriculum required by the faculty.

The School of Medicine has a societal responsibility to train competent healthcare providers and scientists who demonstrate critical judgment, extensive knowledge and well-honed technical skills. Although students learn and work under the supervision of the faculty, students interact with patients throughout their medical school education. Patient safety and wellbeing are therefore major factors in establishing requirements involving the physical, cognitive, and emotional abilities of candidates for admission, promotion, and graduation. The essential abilities and characteristics described herein are also referred to as technical standards. They are described below in several broad categories including: observation; communication; motor function; intellectual-conceptual, integrative, and quantitative abilities; and ethical, legal, attitudinal, behavioral, interpersonal, and emotional attributes.

Candidates must adhere to universal precaution measures and meet safety standards applicable to inpatient and outpatient settings and other professional activities. Individuals whose performance is impaired by use of alcohol or other substances are not suitable candidates for admission, retention, promotion or graduation.

Delineation of technical standards is required for the accreditation of U.S. medical schools by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME). The following abilities and characteristics are defined as technical standards and are requirements for admission, retention, promotion, and graduation. Candidates and current students who have questions regarding the technical standards are encouraged to contact the dean of Admissions and Student Affairs; candidates and current students who believe they may need to request reasonable accommodation(s) in order to meet the standards are encouraged to contact Tulane’s Goldman Center for Student Accessibility or Tulane’s ADA/504 Coordinator.

DEFINITIONS
For purposes of this Policy, the following terms and definitions apply:

• “Candidate” means candidates for admission to medical school as well as Tulane University medical students in the MD program who are candidates for retention, promotion or graduation.

POLICY GUIDELINES

General Requirements

OBSERVATION: Candidates must be able to acquire information from demonstrations and participate in experiments of science, including but not limited to such things as dissection of cadavers; examination of specimens in anatomy, pathology, and neuroanatomy laboratories; and microscopic study of microorganisms and tissues in normal and pathologic states.  Candidates must be able to accurately acquire information from patients and assess findings. These skills require the use of vision, hearing, and touch or the functional equivalent. They must be able to observe a patient accurately both directly and through indirect methods (at a distance and close at hand), to obtain and analyze medical history.  Medical students must be capable of viewing and interpreting diagnostic modalities and to detect and interpret non-verbal communication from the patient. They must be able to perform a full and complete physical examination in order to integrate findings based on this information and to develop an appropriate diagnostic and treatment plan.

COMMUNICATION: Candidates must be able to communicate effectively and efficiently with patients, their families, health care personnel, colleagues, faculty, staff, and all other individuals with whom they come in contact. Candidates must be able to read and write in standard format, and must be able to interact with computers when necessary in rendering patient care. Candidates must obtain a medical history in a timely fashion, must be able to record information accurately and clearly in a written patient work-up, and orally present the work-up in a focused manner to other healthcare professionals. Candidates must be able to listen carefully and develop rapport with patients and their families, in order to elicit information and perform appropriate examinations; observe patients attentively; perceive changes in mood, activity and posture; and interpret non-verbal communication such as facial expressions, affects, and body language.  Candidates must communicate effectively and efficiently in English with other health care professionals in a variety of patient settings.

MOTOR FUNCTION: Candidates must, after a reasonable period of training, possess the capacity to perform physical examinations and diagnostic maneuvers, e.g., elicit information from inspection, palpation, auscultation, percussion, etc. Candidates must be able to respond to clinical situations in a timely manner and execute the movements reasonably required to provide both general and emergency care. These activities require some physical mobility, coordination of both gross and fine motor neuromuscular function, balance, and equilibrium. Specifically, candidates must be able to manipulate equipment and instruments, perform basic laboratory tests and procedures, and possess the physical capacity to examine patients in order to identify both normal and abnormal clinical findings. Finally, candidates must be able to adhere to universal precaution protocols and meet the safety standards applicable to all required clinical settings, e.g., inpatient, outpatient, emergency department, etc.

INTELLECTUAL-CONCEPTUAL, INTEGRATIVE, AND QUANTITATIVE ABILITIES: Candidates must be able to assimilate the detailed and complex information presented in the medical student curriculum. They must be able to learn through a variety of modalities including, but not limited to, classroom instruction; small group, team and collaborative activities; independent study; simulation; use of computer technology; observation; and through direct patient care. Candidates must be able to memorize, measure, calculate, reason, analyze, synthesize, and transmit information. They must recognize and draw conclusions about three-dimensional spatial relationships and logical sequential relationships among events. They must be able to formulate and test hypotheses that enable effective and timely problem-solving in diagnosis and treatment of patients in a variety of clinical settings and health care systems.

ETHICAL, LEGAL, ATTITUDINAL, BEHAVIORAL, INTERPERSONAL, AND EMOTIONAL ATTRIBUTES: Candidates must demonstrate the maturity and emotional stability required for full use of their intellectual abilities. Because the medical profession is governed by generally accepted ethical principles and by state and federal laws, candidates must have the capacity to learn and understand these values and laws to perform within their guidelines. Students must be of the highest ethical and moral behavior.  As such, candidates and current students must meet the legal standards to be licensed to practice medicine in Louisiana as well as the standards of Tulane School of Medicine, even as students may choose to practice in other locations after graduation. Candidates for admission must pass the criminal background check, as required by AAMC. In addition, after matriculation, students who are enrolled in Tulane’s School of Medicine’s medical education program must immediately notify the Associate Dean of Students of any arrest, charge, conviction or institutional investigation or action occurring thereafter. Felony conviction or failure to disclose prior or new offenses can lead to disciplinary action by the school that may include dismissal.

In addition to legal requirements, candidates must accept responsibility for learning, exercising good judgment, and promptly completing all responsibilities attendant to their curriculum and to the diagnosis and care of patients.

Candidates must be able to relate to patients, patients’ families, staff, and colleagues with honesty, integrity, dedication, and non-discrimination. Students must be able to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients. Students should be self-reflective, must be able to identify personal reactions and responses, recognize multiple points of view, and integrate all of these appropriately into clinical decision-making.  Students must be able to communicate and provide treatment to persons whose culture, sexual orientation, or spiritual beliefs are different from their own.  Candidates must not let their own personal attitudes, perceptions, and stereotypes compromise care of the patient.

Candidates must behave in a manner that is conscientious, altruistic, with a spirit of cooperation and teamwork. Candidates must be able to contribute to collaborative, constructive learning environments and integrate constructive feedback from others in order to modify behavior. Candidates must have the physical and emotional stamina and resilience to tolerate physically and emotionally taxing workloads and function in a competent and professional manner. Candidates must be able to tolerate and adapt to changing environments, display flexibility, and manage the uncertainty inherent in the care of patients and the health care system.

Ability to Meet the School of Medicine's Technical Standards:

The School of Medicine intends for its students and graduates to become competent and compassionate physicians through an undifferentiated medical degree. SOM expects its graduates to be capable of entering residency training (graduate medical education) while meeting all requirements for medical licensure. Criminal background checks may be conducted as part of the process of admission, participation, promotion, and/or graduation.

Should a candidate have or develop a health condition that would cause a direct threat to the health or safety of the patients, the candidate, or others, an evaluation with Tulane School of Medicine and the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility may be necessary. As in initial assessments, a complete and careful reconsideration of the objective requirements to participate in the program, as well as the qualifications of the candidate, with or without accommodation, to meet such requirements will be evaluated. In addition, Tulane will take into account the student’s willingness, desire, and ability to complete the medical curriculum and fulfill all requirements for medical licensure, and Tulane recognizes that students with varied types of disabilities are able to successfully practice medicine. Failure to meet these technical standards, with or without reasonable accommodations, requires a student to appear before the School of Medicine’s Professionalism and Promotion Committee to determine a plan for the student to regain a successful path within Tulane School of Medicine. 

Equal Access to the School of Medicine's Educational Program:

Tulane University School of Medicine has a history of training physicians with disabilities and provides reasonable accommodations for all qualified individuals with disabilities who apply for admission to the MD degree program and who are enrolled as medical students. Otherwise qualified individuals will not be excluded from admission or participation in the School of Medicine's educational programs and activities based solely on their status as a person with a disability.

Should, despite reasonable accommodation (whether the candidate chooses to use the accommodation or not), a candidate or student’s existing or acquired disability interfere with patient or peer safety, or otherwise impede the ability to complete Tulane SOM’s undifferentiated undergraduate medical degree 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.

It is the responsibility of a candidate with a disability, or a candidate who develops a disability, who requires accommodations in order to meet these technical standards, to self-disclose to Goldman Center for Student Accessibility and request accommodations (https://accessibility.tulane.edu/). Candidates must provide documentation of the disability and the specific functional limitations during the registration process with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility. Candidates who fail to register with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility or who fail to provide necessary documentation shall not be considered to be claiming or receiving accommodations under the federal or state disability laws. Students are held to 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.

While Tulane SOM administration works in consultation with the Goldman Center for Student Accessibility to determine and coordinate approved accommodations, disability documentation remains confidential.

(Approved by SOM Executive Faculty April 2021.)

Exemption of Basic Medical Science Courses

Goals of the undergraduate medical program include integration across all basic science disciplines and developing teamwork skills that are necessary to practice medicine in the evolving healthcare system. While it is recognized that students may enter medical school with advanced training in a basic science discipline, even if obtained at Tulane, they will not be exempted from course work or examinations. 

Clinical Rotation Requirements

During the third and fourth years of medical school, students are required to complete 82 weeks of educational activity. Clinical clerkships are assigned according to a predetermined order (“the donut”). Students receive detailed information about clinical scheduling and registration generally in mid to late October, a few months before each annual registration period begins.  (In rare cases, curricular exceptions/changes for entire classes may be made, for example in the wake of pandemics or natural disasters.  Students are required to monitor their Tulane emails daily to learn of critical curriculum updates.)

Required rotations include the following:

Required Core Clerkships (generally T3 year)

Clerkship Requirements Table

Clerkship	Weeks
Internal Medicine	8 Weeks
Family Medicine	6 Weeks
Surgery	8 Weeks
Pediatrics	8 Weeks
Psychiatry	4 Weeks
Neurology	4 Weeks
OB/Gyn	8 Weeks

Required Rotations (generally T4 year)

Rotations Requirements Table

Rotations	Weeks
Community Medicine	2 Weeks
Radiology	2 Weeks*
Emergency Medicine	2 Weeks*
Acting Internship	4 Weeks*
Electives (may include MD/MPH rotation)	26 Weeks*

*may be completed outside of Tulane University affiliated hospitals

Descriptions and requirements for clinical rotations can be found on eMedley at https://he.emedley.com/univ/tu/common/adfs/login.php .

HIPAA (Health Information Portability and Accountability Act) Training

Patient information must remain confidential. To ensure proper confidentiality, the federal government enacted HIPAA legislation. Each student must complete HIPAA training. This generally occurs during orientation for the third-year clerkships.

Universal Precautions Training

Blood-borne pathogen (BBP) training is mandatory for all medical students and must be updated annually. Training is offered online via Training Wave and is documented by the Office of Environmental Health and Safety. BBP training can be accessed by clicking here and logging in using your Tulane credentials. Students will also receive an email regarding the course once assigned.

USMLE Requirements: Step 1 and Step 2

1. A passing score for USMLE step 1 must be recorded by NBME before students can begin fourth-year rotations. However, students are advised to complete Step 1 BEFORE third-year clerkships begin for the best possible fourth-year scheduling and Match outcomes.  Students not passing Step 1 are required to take a leave of absence until a passing score on Step 1 is achieved. 

Please note the following scheduling considerations:

2. All students are required to pass USMLE Step 2 prior to graduating medical school.

3. Students not passing Step 2 by April of their fourth year of medical school will be required to take a leave of absence until a passing score is achieved.

4. These two USMLE exams must be passed to graduate from Tulane University School of Medicine. Failure to pass USMLE Step 1 or Step 2 will result in a student’s being withdrawn from the academic rolls as a medical student.

5. All senior students are recommended to sit for USMLE Step 2 CK before December 31 of their senior year to participate in the Match.

6. A student may accumulate a maximum of 24 months of leave for the purpose of meeting the USMLE requirement. After 24 months, if USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 are not passed, students will be dismissed.

7. The Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee and the associate dean for admissions and student affairs may recommend a delay in a student sitting for Step 1 until a study program is satisfactorily completed.

Educational Site Requests

Students are assigned to clinical rotations through the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs. The specific geographic location of the rotation is determined by the department in which the rotation takes place. Assignment is made via a lottery with provision for special circumstances.

Students can appeal their assignments through the individual departments. In the case of no resolution, the matter can be referred to the associate dean for resolution.

Changing the order of rotations for the required third-year rotations is discouraged unless there are extenuating circumstances. Students should monitor their Tulane emails for the process for modifying or delaying their third-year rotations.

Fourth-year students should follow schedule-change request rules and deadlines outlined in eMedley’s eCurriculum.

Senior Scheduling Requirements

Fourth-year scheduling strategies depend a great deal on students’ specialty choices. All students are expected to take an active role in matching their career objectives to their senior scheduling: this process begins in the first year with self-exploration, participation in AAMC’s Careers in Medicine software, and attendance at multiple career-focused activities such as brown-bag informational sessions.

Each specialty has identified specialty-specific advisors, with whom students are encouraged to meet regularly, and particularly before the fourth-year scheduling process begins (initial informational sessions are generally held in October of the third year; fourth-year scheduling appointments begin in mid-January of the third year). Watch your Tulane email for information about career advising activities, services, and expectations.

Right to a Healthcare Provider not involved in Evaluation

Students have the right to be provided healthcare by individuals who are not involved in their assessment or instruction as medical students. As such, it is the policy of the School of Medicine that healthcare providers for students are not involved in the assessment of those students.

In the rare exception in which a faculty member is the only content expert in the region, a student may choose a faculty provider. In this instance, the faculty member will recuse himself/herself from participation in any academic or promotion evaluation of the involved student.

Grading Policy

The following general grading rules apply to students entering the first year of the School in Academic Year 1987-88 and thereafter.

Grading Guidelines for Pre-Clinical and Clinical Courses

All pre-clinical courses are graded Pass/Fail or Condition. Condition grades are converted to C/P or F.

Following Hurricane Katrina, preclinical courses were graded on a Pass (P)/Fail (F) basis only. This policy was in effect beginning in the 2005 – 2006 academic year.

The MD program's grading policy is available in the SOM MD policy library.

Grades for Clinical Rotations (T3 and T4 Years)

For questions about how a specific rotation is graded, please consult the course director.

In general, all two-week rotations are graded on a pass/fail basis, and four-week rotations (with a few exceptions) are graded according to the following criteria:

Grades

Grade	Description
H - Honors	Grade assigned when performance in all phases of the rotation surpasses the minimum standards and is clearly superior to that of the average student. In clinical rotations for which an overall final numerical grade is derived, “Honors” might correspond to a grade of 94% (on a scale of 100) or higher.
HP - High Pass	Grade assigned when performance surpasses the minimum standards and is distinctly above average for students taking the rotation. In clinical rotations for which an overall final numerical grade is derived, “High Pass” might correspond to grades in the range 86 – 93%.
P - Pass	Grade assigned when performance in the rotation meets the minimum standards required. In clinical rotations for which an overall final numerical grade is derived, “Pass” generally corresponds to a grade in the range 70 – 85%.
C - Condition	In pre-clinical courses, “Condition” should be assigned to a student whose performance was marginal. In pre-clinical courses for which an overall final numerical grade is derived, “Condition” generally corresponds to a grade in the range 65 – 69. It may also be assigned to a student who failed to meet the minimum standards required in one or more sections of a course, despite an overall final passing average (e.g., a student who scored well on written examinations but who did not perform satisfactorily in the laboratory component). Invariably, this grade constitutes an academic deficiency requiring remedial work consisting of at least passing a repeat comprehensive final examination and possibly successful repetition of the course. In clinical clerkships, “Condition” is Grade assigned when a student’s performance is satisfactory on the wards and other clinical aspects of the rotation, but the student fails to achieve the required minimum passing score on the NMBE Shelf Exam. Note that ‘C’ grades are considered an academic deficiency and are ultimately converted to either C/P or F on the transcript based on performance on the remediation exam (see policy on Academic Deficiencies and Student Progress). All condition coursework must be completed within 6 months of initial assignment of the ‘C’ grade or will be converted to a grade of Fail (F).
F - Failure	Grade assigned when student performance on the wards or other clinical aspects of the rotation is unsatisfactory, regardless of whether the student successfully passed the NBME Shelf Exam.
I - Incomplete	Assigned in cases where there is an unavoidable delay, caused by illness or other emergencies, in completion of course requirements. This grade will be assigned at the end of the course(s) when all but a minor portion of the course requirements have been completed. The “I” is a temporary grade and will be replaced on the transcript with the grade earned by the student. The student must satisfactorily complete the course requirements, thus earning at least a passing grade before being eligible for promotion to the succeeding year of study. All incompletes must be completed within six months of receiving the incomplete grade. After six months, incomplete grades are converted to failures. Grades of incomplete will be considered academic deficiencies for the purposes of advancement. Students with incomplete grades in pre-clinical courses must resolve the incompletes before they can advance to the next year. Students in the clinical curriculum who have two or more unresolved academic deficiencies (including any combination of incomplete grades, failures, or condition grades) must stop clinical rotations until all deficiencies are resolved. Students may not graduate with an incomplete on their transcript, even if they have completed all other graduation requirements. All incompletes must be resolved or converted to failures before a student is eligible to graduate. For example, if the student has earned an incomplete in an elective he or she does not need to meet graduation requirements, the incomplete must be converted to an F on the student’s transcript if the student opts not to resolve the incomplete.
W - Withdrawn	Assigned for all courses currently being taken in cases where a student must be placed on leave-of-absence for a medical condition, as certified by a physician, or in cases where the student is suffering serious personal difficulties, as judged by the senior associate dean or his appointed delegate, and is thus unable to complete course requirements. Generally, a “W,” as opposed to an “I,” will be recorded on the transcript in cases where the student is forced to discontinue studies before completing approximately two-thirds of the course requirements. The “W” is also assigned in all courses currently being taken when the student voluntarily and permanently withdraws from the School of Medicine.

The School of Medicine reserves the discretion to determine the time frame distinguishing between the grades of “I” and “W,” as described above. This determination will be made by the senior associate dean in consultation with the course director(s).

Reporting of Grades

Grades are to be posted within 6 weeks of course completion. Grades are submitted by departments and are posted on the Banner System, available any time for students to view. 

Extramural Reporting

No numerical grades for any course will be reported extramurally. The official transcript for each student will show only the letter grade earned, whether pass/fail or H, HP, P, C, F, I or W, depending on the type of rotation.

Preclinical (T1 and T2) Elective Courses

Students are required to complete one pre-clinical elective during the first two years (four semesters) of medical school. This pre-clinical elective does not count toward the required minimum number of clinical electives students must complete in their T3/T4 years. This may include research, MPH classes, MBA classes, or other electives listed on the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs website. These are graded P (Pass) or no-credit (no indication on transcript). The specific grade awarded to each student shall be based on the following criteria:

Distribution Requirements

Distribution	Credits
Pass	Awarded to a student whose performance met or surpassed the minimum standards required by the faculty
No Credit	Assigned to a student whose performance failed to meet the standards required by the faculty

Courses graded on a Pass/Fail basis will be noted as such on the official transcript.

Retention and Student Support

The Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee meets monthly, but no less frequently than quarterly, to review the academic progress of all students who have accrued deficiencies. The committee’s role is to support as well as to evaluate students to assure their future success as physicians.  Retention is a top priority of the committee and of the administration and faculty of the school.

Struggling students are encouraged to seek help from the course and clerkship directors, the learning specialist, tutors, and the Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs.

Counseling services for students is encouraged and supported. While adhering to fair and consistent policies, the committee shall also consider all extenuating circumstances that may affect a student’s performance.

An emphasis solely on academic performance runs contrary to the fundamental conviction of the faculty and administration at Tulane. Grades do not provide the sole criteria to determine the future performance of a physician; nevertheless, the academic standards of the School of Medicine must be maintained. Considering the responsibility to the public, the Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee and the Executive Faculty shall be as flexible and as reasonable as possible under the circumstances regarding academic deficiencies. Reasons for dismissing a student include incurring excessive academic deficiencies as judged by the Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee and detailed in this handbook, failure to remove academic deficiencies, failure of one or more courses in a repeated year, multiple and repeated academic special action, and/or unprofessional conduct.

The faculty of the school of medicine wants every student to be successful and to graduate. It is expected that students having difficulties will take advantage of every resource available to them including going to class, meeting with course directors, meeting with the Office of Medical Education, and meeting with the Deans.

Academic Deficiencies, Resolving Deficiencies and Grounds for Dismissal

A failing, or “Condition (C),” or incomplete grade in any course or clerkship constitutes an academic deficiency.   All students with academic deficiencies require review by the Professionalism and Promotions Committee (PPC). The PPC, in accordance with policy and in consultation with relevant course/clerkship directors, makes a recommendation as to the how the deficiency is to be resolved and the impact on the student’s promotional status. More information is available in the Academic Deficiencies and Student Progress policy, available in the SOM MD policy library.

Appeal Process for Grades and MSPE

General Policy Statement:

Tulane's MD program has policies and procedures in place that permit a medical student to review and to challenge the student’s educational records, including the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), if the student considers the information contained therein to be inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate.  Students can read more about the policy and procedures in the policy titled "Review and Challenge of Educational Records" in the SOM MD policy library.

Student Records

Tulane University complies with the provisions of FERPA, the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (Buckley Amendment), which was enacted to protect the privacy of education records, to establish the right of students to inspect and review their education records, and to provide guidelines for the correction of inaccurate or misleading data. Under FERPA, education records are defined as records that are directly related to a student and are maintained by an educational agency or institution or by a party acting for the agency or institution. A school official with legitimate educational interests may review a student’s education record in order to fulfill the official’s professional responsibility without prior written consent.

Transfer Student/Credit Policies

Request for transfer are generally not entertained without significant extenuating circumstances. Students transferring into either the sophomore or junior class (there is no transfer permitted into the senior class) from other American and Canadian medical schools, which are accredited by the Liaison Committee on Medical education of the American Medical Associate/Association of American Medical Colleges, are generally given full and equal credit of all passing coursework completed for the first year or first two years of curriculum. In the very rare instances where a transfer student is considered, admission is at the prerogative of the Admissions Committee with approval by the Student Professionalism and Promotion Committee.

Absences and Leaves

Student Excused Absence Policy

Students are expected to attend all required pre-clinical sessions and to participate fully in clinical coursework. Part of becoming a professional is to think beyond self and to work for the betterment of the medical profession and patients. However, certain life events including sickness, family emergencies, marriages, etc. may necessitate missing class or patient care activities.  

Students in all years should not expect to extend breaks or holidays with Excused Absence requests. For example, travel costs to or from a Thanksgiving destination are not considered legitimate reasons for excused absence requests, and these requests are routinely denied.

More detail is available in the "Excused Absences" policy available in the MD program's policy library.

Leave of Absence

Students on LOA are not eligible for federal financial aid.

Students taking a leave of absence for other than medical or emergency reasons should notify the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs by May for those entering the third year, by June for those entering the second year.

Leaves of absence will generally be granted for one year. Students may request one additional year of leave. Requests are to be made directly to the senior associate dean for Admissions and Student Affairs. Leaves of absence will not be granted for additional time after two years have been granted. Students failing to report following a leave of absence will be dismissed. All reasonable attempts will be made to notify students that an approved leave of absence is nearing expiration.

Students may be placed on leave of absence to complete requirements, including remediation and USMLE requirements. Students are allowed 24 months total LOA to complete all USMLE requirements. Failure to successfully complete USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 in the prescribed time will result in dismissal. For more information, see handbook section specifically devoted to USMLE requirements.

Financial Matters

The School of Medicine MD program has a dedicated Director of Financial Aid with an office on the 15th floor of the Murphy Building, and students are each assigned to individual Financial Aid advisors.  The Tulane University School of Medicine Financial Aid Office is located in the Tidewater Building, 1440 Canal Street, Suite 1213. You may phone Financial Aid at 504.988.6135

Tuition Refunds for Withdrawals

GENERAL POLICY STATEMENT

This policy addresses tuition and fee refunds for students in the MD program who are withdrawing from School of Medicine (SOM) MD courses or rotations.  Students in combined degree programs should consult with their combined degree program for other schools’ tuition/fee refund policies.  In addition, students who are considering a leave of absence must adhere to SOM’s policies for leaves of absence (and, for medical leaves of absence, Tulane University’s policies for beginning and returning from medical leaves of absence.  The Associate Dean of Admissions and Student Affairs can provide students with direction for beginning or returning from a medical leave of absence).

Accounts Receivable Billing Cycles

Given the unique, lock-step nature of a medical curriculum, Tulane's MD program has a tuition refund policy that differs from other divisions of Tulane University. Students can read specifics, including refund dates, in the "Tuition Refunds" policy, housed in the SOM MD program policy library.

Students enrolled in dual degree programs should also consult with their combined degree program for relevant tuition/fee refund policies for their secondary degree program. 

Student Conduct and Behavioral Expectations

Code of Student Conduct (University Policy)

Tulane University maintains a code of conduct applicable to all students. Please click here and follow the download link for the full Code of Student Conduct document, which is updated annually.

Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct

Tulane University maintains a unified code of conduct that was passed by Graduate Council and GAPSA and covers all graduate and professional students, including MD students. The Unified Code of Graduate Student Academic Conduct does not replace professional or ethical codes specific to MD students regarding their training as medical professionals.  The unified code may be found here.

Medical Student Code of Professional Conduct (SOM)

Tulane University expects and requires behavior compatible with its high standards of scholarship, and maintains codes of academic and student conduct that establish and govern the expected behavior of students in classrooms, laboratories, and studios; the performance of any work upon which academic achievement will be evaluated; and procedures corresponding to the judicial processes applicable to alleged code violations. In addition to the University’s Unified Code of Graduate Student Conduct which applies to all graduate and professional students, including medical students, the School of Medicine maintains a code of professional conduct, which recognizes and addresses multiple responsibilities to patients, colleagues, communities, families, and self.  Students can read the MD program's "Code of Student Conduct" in the SOM MD program policy library.

Work hours

Students are expected to follow work-hour restrictions established by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education for interns. Generally, students are required to work no more than 80 hours per week. They are also required to have at least one day off in seven days. Work hours are monitored by the departments and reviewed by the curriculum committee on an annual basis.

Dress Code

Because MD students are in training to enter a profession that requires interaction with a patient population, the MD program has a specific dress code.  MD students may read more about the Student Dress Code in the SOM MD program policy library.  

Email

Students receive important information through email listservs; therefore, students should check email at least once each day. If you learn that classmates are receiving listserv email but you are not, please contact the Office of Admissions and Student Affairs and give your email address and your graduation year (i.e., Class of 2028, graduating in 2028). You can contact the office by phone (504.988.5331).

Policy on Social Media and Out-of-work Conduct

Tulane SOM's most current "Social Media Policy" may be found with other current LCME policies. 

Alcohol and Other Drugs Policy (University Policy)

Tulane University is concerned about the abuse of alcohol, illegal drugs, and controlled substances on campuses and in the workplace. In addition to having an alcohol and drug policy (found here), the medical center complies with the Drug Free School Act of 1989. That act mandates that university officials turn over to local police authorities for arrest and prosecution any person who illegally uses drugs.

Tulane University circulates its drug and alcohol policy annually to students and employees. A drug education and counseling program for medical center students is provided on a confidential basis through the Phoenix Society.

Narcotics, Marijuana, and Other Controlled Substances

The use of certain drugs for “recreational” purposes is illegal and can have devastating consequences for you professionally. The Medical Practice Act of the State of Louisiana (Louisiana Revised Statutes 37:1261 through 37:1291) clearly states the following:

“Conviction of a crime or entry of a plea of guilty or nolo contender to a criminal charge . . . habitual or recurring use of morphine, opium, cocaine, or other drugs having a similar effect . . . constitutes . . . causes for non-issuance, suspension, revocation, or the imposition of restrictions on any license . . . to practice medicine or surgery.”

All other states of the Union have laws that are substantively the same as those in effect in Louisiana.

It should go without saying that it is totally unacceptable for medical students, physicians, nurses, and other medical personnel to attend to patient care or other professional duties while under the influence of alcohol or any of the drugs mentioned above.

Possession of Weapons

Carrying a rifle or handgun on Tulane University property is not allowed. Any student in possession of a rifle or handgun is subject to severe disciplinary action that may include expulsion.

It is expected that medical students will conduct themselves within the boundaries of the law and in accordance with the standards expected of members of the medical profession.

Degree Requirements

• General Graduate School Requirements 

• Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program -Master of Science (MS)

  • ​One Year Programs
  • Two Year Programs

• Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program - Doctor of Philosophy 

• Doctor of Medicine 

General Graduate School Requirements

A full description of Master's and PhD Degree requirements for all students can be found in the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies section of this catalog. Students should review these policies thoroughly.

Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program -Master of Science (MS)

One Year Programs (Applications open October 1st)

The one-year M.S. programs are designed to enrich and improve academic credentials of graduates and strengthen their academic foundation for further intellectual development, including entrance into medical, dental, or other health profession-related programs. These programs are offered in the Departments of Anatomy, Biochemistry & Molecular Biology, Medical Genetics and Genomics, Microbiology & Immunology, Pathology, Pharmacology and Physiology. 

Two Year Programs (Applications open October 1st)

Two-year, research-intensive M.S. programs are designed to enhance the academic credentials and scientific research experience of graduates and prepare them for careers in academic or industrial research. 

The two-year thesis-required program In Biochemistry and Molecular Biology leads to a Master of Biomedical Science in Biochemistry and Molecular Biology degree. Our distinctive program emphasizes student development in five areas to broaden and strengthen their academic foundation, and equips students with basic and advanced lab skills for a career in academic or industrial research.

The MS Clinical Anatomy degree is a 2-year non-thesis program of study of cadaveric dissection-based gross anatomy, embryology, cell biology and histology, and neuroscience leading to a MS degree in Anatomy. It is designed specifically for candidates who wish to develop careers in teaching and research in the anatomical sciences. 

The MS Anatomy Research program is a 2-year thesis program of study of gross anatomy, embryology, cell biology, and histology leading to a Master of Science degree in Anatomy by research. It is designed specifically for candidates who wish to develop research careers in biomedical science and medical education.

The Masters in Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology is a full-time two-year thesis-based post-baccalaureate program leading to a Master of Science in Molecular and Cellular Pathobiology. This program is designed to enrich the scientific research experience and improve the academic credentials of students interested in careers in the biotech and pharmaceutical industries, as well as in academia. 

Biomedical Sciences Graduate Program - Doctor of Philosophy

Street Address

131 South Robertson Street, Suite 1520
New Orleans, LA 70112
Phone: 504-988-5464
TulaneGME@tulane.edu

Mailing Address

1430 Tulane Ave, #8025
New Orleans, LA 70112

https://medicine.tulane.edu/education/gme

We are extremely proud of the training opportunities offered by this health sciences center. Collectively, we have thirty-nine residency and fellowship programs. The goal of the GME office, in conjunction with our eighteen affiliated training institutions, is to provide an excellent basis for postgraduate education by offering comprehensive clinical and research programs, didactics and supervision in the care of our patients. While in residency and fellowship training at Tulane, skills are developed which equip our graduates for a lifetime of learning, professional advancement, and quality patient outcomes.

Our physicians-in-training are encouraged to develop their knowledge, skills and judgment to the maximum potential while at the same time meeting and exceeding the goals and objectives of their respective programs. Tulane residents and fellows are exposed to a rich academic environment which is designed to foster careers as contemporary clinical investigators, teachers, and practitioners of the medical arts and sciences.

Mission

The Office of Graduate Medical Education is responsible for ensuring that all residents and fellows at Tulane University School of Medicine are provided an accredited educational experience of the highest quality.

An Aging Population

The demographic reality today and in the foreseeable future is a graying population, both in terms of an increase in life expectancy and in the number of people over the age of 65. The retirement of the baby boomers, 77 million strong, will place a strain on Social Security and Medicare in the next decades. Only a compression of morbidity, coupled to changes in health systems management and healthcare delivery, can relieve this pressure. This will require significant research effort, in biological sciences, clinical medicine, behavioral and social sciences, as well as demography, economics, and policy planning. The research will engage basic, clinical, and translational scientists in multidisciplinary teams. The issues surrounding the expansion of the elder population transcend medicine and public health. The design and implementation of elder-friendly communities is emerging rapidly with abundant economic impact on this state and country. Furthermore, the increase in elder health that is an essential social and economic imperative will require planning for second and even third careers. The concept of 'active retirement' is taking on new meaning under current economic conditions. This in turn engages universities in forms of continuing education that have yet to be thoroughly explored, and it also has important implications for the model of the workplace.

Mission

The Tulane Center for Aging is dedicated to the enhancement of the quality of life of an aging population through research, education, and innovative approaches to healthcare and community planning and design.

Vision

The Tulane Center for Aging will foster and support the development of research programs across a broad spectrum of disciplines that will provide solutions to the problems associated with aging at the level of the individual, the community, and the population. Special emphasis will be placed on multidisciplinary efforts that harness the extensive resources available at the Uptown and Downtown Campuses and at the Tulane National Primate Research Center. In the process, these efforts will strengthen individual programs, departments, and disciplines throughout Tulane University. They will also contribute to the development of new initiatives. Virtually any area of endeavor at the University becomes a focus for the Center when the dimension of aging is applied. The Tulane Center for Aging will from the outset play a leading role in the strengthening of geriatrics and gerontology training at the University. This will be achieved by coordinating research, training/education, and service efforts. Our long term goal is to create a policy planning think tank that will serve the state and the region.

Program

Combined Degrees

• MD/MBA 

• MD/MPH 

• MD/MS in Bioethics 

• MD/PhD 

MD/MBA

Future leaders in medicine must excel as clinicians as well as managers in the complex and rapidly evolving environment that now dominates health care. A growing number of medical students are complementing their medical education with MBA degrees. MD/MBA holders can operate their clinics more effectively, run a healthcare organization, manage a research project, or advocate for their patients and work to fix the healthcare system.

The School of Medicine is partnering with the internationally recognized A. B. Freeman School of Business to offer medical students two options for completing a joint MD/MBA program. These opportunities allow students to complete both degrees more rapidly than when done separately.

MBA Overview

In the MBA program, students take 49 credit hours at the Freeman School. Classes teach business fundamentals including leadership, management, operations, accounting, statistics, and analytics. In modules on the Practice of Management, students get hands-on business experience. Elective courses further their education in areas of finance, strategic management and leadership, marketing, analytics, and entrepreneurship. Students develop the ability to analyze opportunities for and likelihood of success of organizations operating in various environments.

MBA/MD joint degree candidates complete a minimum of 49 semester hours of coursework in the A.B. Freeman School of Business in addition to the coursework required for the MD degree. Requirements are details below. 

Course List

Course ID	Title	Credits
Year 1
MD Coursework
Year 2
MD Coursework
Year 3
Apply to MBA
MD Coursework
Year 4
MBA Coursework
Fall (First Seven Weeks)
ACCN 6000	Financial Accounting	2
FINE 6010	Economics for Managers	2
MCOM 6000	Corporate Communications	2
MGSC 6010	Introduction to Business Statistics	2
Fall (Second Seven Weeks)
FINE 6030	Managerial Finance	2
MGMT 6000	Strategy	2
MGMT 6010	Managing People	2
MGSC 6030	Analytics for Managers	2
Fall Credit Hours Total		16
SPRING SEMESTER
Intensive Spring Immersion
MGMT 7030	Sustainability in a Dynamic Global World Includes trip	2
Spring (First Seven Weeks)
ACCN 6010	Managerial Accounting	2
MGSC 6040	Supply Chain and Operations Management	2
MKTG 6000	When Data Lie	2
MKTG 6010	Marketing Management	2
Spring (Second Seven Weeks)
FINE 6040	Financial Models for Business Decisions	2
LGST 6000	Essentials of Business Law	2
MGMT 6090	Data-Driven Strategic Management	2
Spring Credit Hours Total		16
Year 5
Intensive Fall Immersion
MGMT 7000	Leading for Success	2
MBA Electives (Fall and/or Spring)		15
Remaining MD Requirements
Total MBA Credits		49

Questions about the MBA program should be directed to the A.B. Freeman School of Business. 

MD/MPH

Tulane's MD/MPH combined degree program is open to students who have been accepted to Tulane's School of Medicine and who wish to pursue both an MD from Tulane and an MPH from Tulane's School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine (SPHTM).

The MD/MPH program is a global, integrated program in an excellent learning environment which:

• Integrates healthcare training for individuals and populations;
• Provides the foundation for a holistic approach to patient care;
• Encompasses diverse and challenged populations domestically and internationally;
• Provides in-depth training in population and public health knowledge, behaviors, and skills; and,
• Allows students to match their specific population interest with a degree concentration in the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine.

Program Information

Tulane's MD/MPH combined degree program offers Tulane School of Medicine students a unique opportunity to build on their patient-based medical education with a population-based public health degree. The combined degree program is designed to be completed in four or five years, integrating the requirements for the School of Medicine with those from the School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine. Browse the links below to learn more general information about the program.

MD/MS in Bioethics

Recognizing local needs and national trends, an interdisciplinary faculty from the Program in Medical Ethics and Human Values in Tulane University’s School of Medicine has created a new major degree within a currently existing program. The Master of Science in Bioethics and Medical Humanities will be a special track within the Biomedical Sciences (BMS) Graduate Program at Tulane School of Medicine. It will include an option for a dual degree (MD/MS) similar to the other combined degrees shown on this page.

This is a two-year, 33 credit hour post-baccalaureate program leading to a Master of Science in Bioethics and Medical Humanities. This program is designed to improve the credentials of learners who are:

1. Dual-degree students in Medicine;
2. Interested in applying for admission to medical, dental, and other health-related professional schools;
3. Mid-Career Professionals who wish to enhance their scholarly and clinical background in these areas for future service or scholarship.

MD/PhD

Tulane brings together some of the nation’s most talented young people with nationally- and internationally-recognized teachers and researchers: all in the context of a vibrant city replete with opportunities both in and out of the lab and classroom. Whatever studies you pursue, your learning will intersect with the city’s unique mix of influences- ethnic, musical, architectural, geographical, commercial, political, environmental, and social. Beyond the classroom and lab, Tulane also provides you with multiple opportunities for career development and possible career exploration, both in and outside of academia. As a Tulane graduate student, you will find unmatched opportunities:  opportunities to pursue ideas and work that matters to others, and opportunities to grow and mature.

There are two tracks to receiving a combined MD/PHD degree, also known as the Physician Scientist Program (PSP).  Both tracks start with Medical School for 2 years, followed by 3-4 years in the BMS Phd program before returning to Medical School for the last 2 years.

PSP-A students apply through the Medical School AMCAS application process for both degrees. Applicants cannot apply to the PSP-A program and Medical School.  They must choose one.

• 2 students are accepted each year. Must have exceptional academic credentials and prior research experience.
• Accepted students receive a fellowship covering both medical and graduate school tuition costs.
• A stipend is paid for the duration of study in both the Graduate School and Medical School.
• Accepted students must begin research lab rotations the summer prior to entry into medical school.
• Accepted students must complete both the PhD and MD degree.

Track B or PSP-B students must have applied for and been accepted into Tulane Medical School. PSP-B track students apply for the PhD program through the Biomedical Sciences application system any time after beginning medical school studies but no later than the beginning of their third year of medical school.

• A stipend is paid for the duration of the program after acceptance.
• PSP-B students receive tuition remittance only for the PhD portion of their studies, not Medical School.