No./Title: COM127/Re-attestation to Meet COM Technical Standards	Resp. Office: Medical Education Approval Body: CUME	Effective Date: 3/21/22
Category: COM/UME	Last Review: N/A	Next Review: 3/21/25
Contact: Michael Whitt, Ph.D. Assoc. Dean for Medical Education	🕿 901-448-4634	🖂 mwhitt@uthsc.edu
Related Policy: COM105 – Progress, Promotion & Graduation

POLICY

It is the policy of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine (COM) that after acceptance to the MD program, but prior to matriculation, students meet certain minimum technical standards to progress in the curriculum. Prior to entering the clinical phase of the curriculum, student must re-attest that there has not been any change in their physical or mental health status that prevents them from meeting the technical standards.

RATIONALE

The goal of the University of Tennessee Health Science Center (UTHSC) College of Medicine (COM) is the broad preparation of students for the practice of medicine. The COM faculty have the responsibility to graduate the best possible physicians, and students must possess the following general qualities: critical thinking, sound judgment, emotional stability and maturity, empathy, physical and mental stamina and the ability to learn and function in a wide variety of educational settings.

When students are admitted to the COM MD program, they attest that they can meet certain minimum technical standards prior to matriculation (https://www.uthsc.edu/medicine/admissions/technical-standards.php). These standards must be maintained throughout a student’s enrollment and graduation. Therefore, candidates for the MD degree must have the following essential abilities: motor skills; sensory and observational skills; communication skills; conceptual, integrative and quantitative skills; and behavioral and social skills and professionalism.

In accordance with Section 504 of the 1973 Vocational Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with Disabilities ACT (ADA) [Public Law 101-336, the COM has established a set of minimal Technical Standards that students must meet and maintain throughout their undergraduate medical education. These standards ensure that patients are not placed in jeopardy by the students with substantially impaired intellectual, physical or emotional functions.

While students attest that they have these skills upon matriculation, the COM recognizes that life events may have occurred which could affect the ability of students to meet the technical standards. Therefore, to ensure that students are able to meet these technical standards prior to entry into the clinical phase of the curriculum, the COM requires that student re-attest that they are capable of meeting the technical standards.

PROCEDURE

1. At the beginning of Prep to Clerkship week (PCM V) students will be provided a unique link that contains a list of the current technical standards. Using the link, students must attest that they can meet all of the technical standards and that no change in their physical or mental abilities has occurred that would prevent them from meeting the technical standards since first attesting prior to matriculation to the COM.
2. The Office of Medical Education will review responses and any student indicating they can no longer meet the technical standards will be contacted and an evaluation will be performed to determine if accommodations can be made that would allow them to achieve and/or perform the skills described in the Technical Standards.
3. Any student unable to meet the technical standards will be dismissed from the COM in accordance with the procedures described in policy COM105 – Progress, Promotion and Graduation.

APPROVAL HISTORY

Effective: 3/21/22

Revised: N/A