John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering policies

The mission of the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering is to cultivate physicians who can integrate their medical expertise with leading-edge engineering and augmented intelligence skills within a human-centered framework, and to develop innovative solutions to health care challenges. Faculty advance clinical practice and knowledge through education and translational research to deliver a groundbreaking medical education experience that fosters uncompromised excellence in patient care, biomedical discovery, engineering solutions, and an entrepreneurial mindset. Graduates of the school will be equipped to identify, envision, and implement creative answers to the evolving obstacles in health care for their individual patients, communities and beyond.

Academic honesty is taken very seriously. While interaction among students is encouraged, students are expected to adhere to the ASU Student Academic Integrity Policy. Plagiarism of any kind is not tolerated. Students must properly cite sources used for assignments. Students must take exams independently without assistance from others. Students may not submit papers written by persons other than themselves. Students must submit original work for courses and may not submit papers previously submitted to another class. Consequences of non-compliance can be significant, including: failing the assignment or course, receiving a permanent “XE” grade for the course, removal from a major or program of study, expulsion from the university, among others.

The ASU Student Academic Integrity Policy lists violations in detail. These violations fall into five broad areas that include:

1. cheating on an academic evaluation or assignment
2. plagiarizing
3. academic deceit, such as fabricating data or information
4. aiding academic integrity policy violations and inappropriately collaborating
5. falsifying academic records

ASU prohibits all forms of discrimination, harassment and retaliation. Students should review ASU’s policy ACD 401: Prohibition Against Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation.

Title IX protects individuals from discrimination based on sex in any educational program or activity operated by recipients of federal financial assistance. As required by Title IX, ASU does not discriminate on the basis of sex in the education programs or activities that we operate, including in admission and employment. Inquiries concerning the application of Title IX may be referred to the ASU Title IX coordinator or to the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights or to both. For more information, students should email [email protected], call 480-965-0696, or visit the office located at 1120 S. Cady Mall, INTDSB 284. For information on making a report, students should reference the Report It website.

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering encourages excellence and seeks to enhance the learning environment for students; advance student and faculty achievement; strengthen the school’s ties to nearby communities; and contribute in measurable ways to improving the health of the Arizona population.

Inclusivity is a fundamental value that underpins the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering’s mission to foster physicians who can integrate their medical expertise with cutting-edge engineering skills in a humanistic framework and develop innovative solutions to health care challenges.

In promoting excellence, graduates will be equipped to identify, envision and implement creative answers to the evolving obstacles in health care for their individual patients, communities and beyond.

The school commits to the recruitment, admission, hiring, retention, promotion, education and success of talented students, faculty and staff members whose experiences, backgrounds and broad range of perspectives reflect all of Arizona’s communities, contribute to the academic and clinical mission, and inform the school's worldview.

By intentionally embracing the pursuit of excellence through inclusivity, the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering commits to building and supporting an educational framework that prepares future physicians to provide outstanding care for all patient populations and promotes innovative public-interest research, education and care that benefit all the communities it serves.

Standards for performance and satisfactory academic progress

Shufeldt School strives to graduate professionals who are knowledgeable, skillful, compassionate and caring. This policy provides a framework to determine eligibility for academic advancement, taking into account that graduates with a Doctor of Medicine degree who achieve licensure will have the prerogative to provide patient care in the future.

The student evaluation for advancement involves both objective criteria and subjective judgments. To be considered for advancement, students must have satisfactorily completed all course work; demonstrate motivation, maturity, sound judgment, responsibility, and acceptable professional behavior; demonstrate the required technical skills; and possess other such attributes as the faculty deems to be essential to become a reliable and effective physician.

The faculty and administrators assigned the responsibility to make decisions regarding academic standing, promotion, remediation, and dismissal are charged to globally evaluate individual student performance and use their judgment in making decisions. In order to make satisfactory progress across curricular phases, towards the MD degree, each student must satisfy academic, professional, and essential characteristics and abilities standards on an ongoing basis.

1. Academic: To be considered to be making satisfactory academic progress, a student must:
   • Achieve a passing grade in all courses and clerkships
   • Meet all project requirements
   • Meet all examination requirements, such as the USMLE Step 1 and Step 2-CK, and Clinical Competency Assessment
   • Correct all academic deficiencies within one additional academic year (or otherwise within the time limit specifically set by the Student Progress Committee for the individual case
   
   Under certain circumstances, the Student Progress Committee may recommend dismissal. Such circumstances may include when one or more of the following conditions apply:
   • The student receives a grade of “Fail” in more than three courses of the pre-clerkship phase of the curriculum (whether or not remediated).
   • The student fails to pass the USMLE Step 1 or Step 2-CK examinations within the time frame specified in the Policy on USMLE Examinations and Clinical Competency Assessment.
   
   A student’s failure to attend required meetings, comply with Student Progress Committee directives for remediation, or meet Student Progress Committee deadlines may preclude remediation and result in immediate dismissal from the MD degree program.
2. Professional Behavior: Students are required, on an ongoing basis, to demonstrate satisfactory professional behavior. A serious breach of professionalism may result in immediate dismissal from the MD degree program.
3. Essential Characteristics and Abilities: Students are required, on an ongoing basis, to satisfy technical standards as outlined in the Policy on Essential Characteristics and Abilities. Continued fulfillment of such standards is a requirement for ongoing registration in the MD degree program.

A student who has at the end of an academic year has completed all courses without deficiency; has demonstrated the professional attitudes, values and behaviors expected of physicians; and who is otherwise in good academic standing will be promoted to the next curricular phase or recommended for graduation. Students may be conditionally enrolled in a subsequent year of the program pending receipt of requirements for advancement, such as score reports for USMLE or grade reports for courses or clerkships that end immediately prior to the next academic year.

Graduation requirements

To receive the MD degree, each student must satisfy academic, professional, and essential abilities and characteristics standards on an ongoing basis and fulfill specific requirements:

• The student must have completed the curricular requirements for each of the three curriculum phases. This includes passing all required courses, clerkships, selective and elective experiences.
• The student must have received a passing grade on the United States Medical Licensing Examination Steps 1 and 2-CK.
• The student must have passed the Clinical Competency Assessment.
• The student must meet accepted standards of professional behavior. A student who meets all other curricular and technical requirements but does not meet accepted standards of professional behavior will not be granted the MD degree.
• The student must have continued satisfactory fulfillment of the essential characteristics and abilities standards.
• The student must have no unresolved concerns regarding academic performance (including remediation of failures), professional behavior, or fulfillment of the essential characteristics and abilities standards.

Any exceptions to this policy are granted by the Student Progress Committee.

Advising

Academic and career advising is provided within the Shufeldt School, within the Office of Student Affairs.

Admission process

Applicants must fulfill the requirements of both the Graduate College and the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering through one admission process.

The John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering enrolls only one first-year MD class per year, beginning in the fall semester. This is a four-year program, and almost all students study on a full-time basis. This program is only available to U.S. citizens and permanent residents. To be considered for admission to the School of Medicine and Medical Engineering at ASU, applicants must have taken the MCAT and scored a minimum of 504. The MCAT must be taken no more than three years before matriculation to be eligible.

Recommended coursework

The school does not require specific majors or coursework for entry into the concurrent degree program. However, to maximize student preparedness and chances for success in the program, candidates are strongly recommended to have successfully completed the following courses:

Medical curriculum preparedness:

• behavioral sciences
• biological sciences, including anatomy and physiology
• chemistry, including organic and biological chemistry
• English
• humanities

Engineering curriculum preparedness:

• calculus
• differential equations
• linear algebra
• physics
• statistics

Personal and professional experiences

As part of the mission-aligned review for the John Shufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering admission process, the school also considers the personal and professional experiences of applicants to help discover well-rounded students in research and clinical exposure, contributions, and goals for the future. Recommended experiences include:

• clinical exposure
• engineering or data science
• extracurricular activities
• leadership
• service

Letters of recommendation

The school requires four letters of recommendation. One from a clinical experience, and one from an engineering or data science experience or course instructor are recommended.

Additional requirements

• acknowledgement of concurrent degree program
• AZ fingerprint clearance
• background check
• criminal background check
• technical standards and essential qualifications
• U.S. citizenship

For more detailed information on admission requirements, how to apply to the John Schufeldt School of Medicine and Medical Engineering, and important dates and deadlines, applicants should visit the main admission page.