Grading Policy

The grading policy at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine was revised in 2009 with the help of a committee consisting of faculty and students.  The policy is as follows:

• Years 1 and 2 at Johns Hopkins are graded as pass/fail.  Basic courses in years 1 and 2 will now be pass/fail – (Foundations courses, Genes to Society, Scholarly Concentration, and all Intersessions.)
  
• The clerkships, clinical electives, advanced clerkships, and clinical subinternships will remain on the 4-tier system, because we believe that really helps our students match into top tier residencies.  Grading for Longitudinal Clerkship, Transitions to the Wards and TRIPLE will also be tiered, since those have a significant clinical component.
  
• A comprehensive validated assessment of basic science knowledge will be required before proceeding to the clinical curriculum.
  
• USMLE Step 1 must be taken by September of Year 3.