AOA Calculation Process
The University of Illinois does not rank its students. However, calculation of academic performance of students is required for AOA.
Senior Student Criteria
- The top 50% of students are identified at each College site after completing the M-3 year (note, students must have completed 75% of the core clerkships (5 of the 6) to be considered for Senior AOA). The calculation process includes the summation of the first attempt final percent score in each basic science discipline, weighted by their respective credit hours, as described below in item A, plus Core Clerkship final grades, weighted by their respective credit hours/weeks credit, as described below in item C.
For example, the Medicine Core Clerkship is worth 12 of the 44 total Core Clerkship credit hours in the Chicago curriculum. When all 6 Core Clerkships are included in the calculation, Medicine would be weighted at .2727.
- Students placed in the top 50% at each College site, based on the calculation above, are combined into a college-wide pool. Processed for each student is a calculation including USMLE Step 1 score, first attempt, weighted at 50%, and summation of Core Clerkship Subject Exam scores, first attempt, weighted by their respective credit hours/weeks credit, where the total sum is weighted at 50%. The top 12% of the candidates are recommended for selection for Senior AOA, excluding students inducted as Junior AOA.
Junior Student Criteria
- The top 50% of students are identified at each College site after completing the M-2 curriculum. The calculation is based on the summation of the first attempt final percent score in each basic science discipline, weighted by their respective credit hours, as described below in item A.
For example, Gross Anatomy is worth 7 of the total 40 semester/credit hours in the Chicago M-1 curriculum. Therefore, students’ Gross Anatomy scores are weighted at 7 ÷ 40 = .18.
- Students placed in the top 50% at each College site, based on the calculation above, are combined into a college-wide pool. Processed for each student is a calculation based on their USMLE Step 1 score, first attempt. The top 4% of the candidates are recommended for selection for Junior AOA.
MATHEMATICS OF THE SYSTEM
A. M-1 and M-2 Basic Science Final Scores (used in criteria #1 calculations)
Calculation of the a total weighted basic science score is based on the sum of discipline final scores, first attempt only, multiplied by their respective discipline weight.
Students who do not have a final score for a discipline, but have a final grade, are assigned a final score as follows: O=100, ADV=75, S=75, PR(Proficient)=50, U=0 and NR=0. Pass/Fail disciplines; Rural Med, Clinical Skills and Family Medicine Pre-Clinical Experience, taken during the M-1 and M-2 year are not included in the calculation.
NOTE: Students who transfer into the College will not have their Basic Science final scores calculated.
B. USMLE Step 1 (used in criteria #2 calculation)
The first attempt score for USMLE Step 1 is multiplied by the component weight. For Seniors the component weight is 50 percent and for Juniors the component weight is 100 percent,
C. M-3 Core Clerkships
Only included as part of the calculation of Senior selection, each student must have completed 75 percent (5 of the 6) of their third year clerkships to be eligible. All completed Clerkships are weighted as a total of 100 percent.
The final grade scores are assigned as follows: O=100, ADV=80, PR=53, and IN=0.
The total weighted core clerkship final grade score is the sum of the final grade score multiplied by the weighted credit hours. These scores are used in Senior AOA calculation in criteria #1.
The total subject exam score is the sum of the subject exam score multiplied by the weighted credit hours. These scores are used in Senior AOA calculation in criteria #2.
Prepared by: Susan Huhndorf, Director of Records and Registration for the College of Medicine, 8/10/09