Committee Updates
We are very fortunate to have many opportunities for students to contribute constructively to the educational activities at the Stanford School of Medicine. Read below to learn more about the various SoM committees that exist and how you can get involved with them.
- CCAP: Committee on Curriculum and Academic Policy
- Criterion-Based Evaluation Initiative (CBEI)
- The CBEI Student Forum -- A place for all students to post their creative ideas!
- Lane Student Advisory Committee
- Committee on Admissions
- Teaching Award Committee
New task forces, working groups, steering committees, etc. are always forming, so stay in touch with your SMSA representatives to learn about the latest activities.
CCAP: Committee on Curriculum and Academic Policy
The Committee on Curriculum and Academic Policy (CCAP, formerly Committee on Courses and Curriculum, CCC & Committee on Performance and Academic Assessment, CPAA) is a standing committee of the School of Medicine Faculty Senate, which is responsible for all decisions regarding the medical student curriculum. The CCAP, in conjunction with other offices, reviews evaluation findings and makes curricular and administrative decisions based in part on these findings.
The CCAP is currently focusing on the teaching of clinical skills across the curriculum, based on concerns about student performance in the final clinical skills examination and student concerns about the level of clinical skills teaching during clerkships. In addition, the CCAP is also re-examining the structure of the pre-clinical curriculum.
Two pre-clinical, one MD-PhD, and two clinical CCAP student representatives (elected in the annual Spring SMSA Elections) attend the monthly CCAP meetings and contribute to conversations about moving the medical school curriculum forward; in particular, they are able to clarify and express students' concerns and praises of the curriculum. One preclinical and one clinical student representative has full voting privileges at the monthly meeting. In addition, student representatives also serve on the monthly working group committee evaluating the clerkship evaluations of clinical students.
Recent CCAP Activities/Updates:
Lane Student Advisory Committee
The Lane Student Advisory Committee is composed of MD and PhD students and Lane Library Staff who meet several times throughout the academic year to address issues of importance to students that relate to Lane's services (e.g. study space, Lane website upgrades, new technical support services). These meetings usually occur during the noon hour in the Lane Library Conference room. If you are interested in serving on the committee, please contact Tracy Terada. Or if you would like to be on the Lane Student Advisory listserv (lane_student@lists.stanford.edu), just send an email to majordomo@lists.stanford.edu with "subscribe lane_student" in the body of the email. Additionally, if you ever have any Lane Library questions, feel free to utilize Lane's Liaison Program to find the Librarian best matched to help answer your questions or when all else fails, contact Lauren Maggio.
Recent Lane Student Advisory Activities/Updates:
- Lane is undergoing a new 5 year strategic planning process; stayed tuned to learn about what is in store for 2009-2014!
- Read the student responses to Lane and Alway Study Space Survey - June 2009
- Read the quarterly LaneConnexion Newsletter for insider updates on Lane's activities
Committee on Admissions
Read below to learn about the many ways you can be involved with MD Admissions. No matter how busy your schedule is, there are always ways you can help. Email Greg Vaughn, gvaughn@stanford.edu, if you have any questions or would like to volunteer for any of the positions below.
Serve as a Hosting Coordinator:
- Eligibility: Open to two MD students; first years preferred.
- Compensation: This is a paid position for which you will receive a quarterly stipend.
- Time commitment: Varies, averages ~0.5-2 hours/week. Most preparation takes place in September/October with the bulk of coordinating happening during interview season (October – April).
- How to apply: Look for email announcement about open positions and training sessions in September.
Serve as a Tour Coordinator:
- Eligibility: Open to two MD students; first years preferred.
- Compensation: This is a paid position for which you will receive a quarterly stipend.
- Time commitment: Varies, averages ~0.5-2 hours/week during interview season (October – April).
- How to apply: Look for email announcement about open positions and training sessions in September.
Host Interviewees/Admits:
- Eligibility: Open to all MD students.
- Time commitment: Determined by the host’s schedule. Hosts are needed throughout interview season (October – April) with the peak in Jan/Feb and again for admit weekend in May.
- How to apply: Contact the hosting coordinators and indicate your availability.
Give tours:
- Eligibility: Open to all MD students; first years preferred.
- Time commitment: Determined by the guide’s schedule. Tour guides are needed from 12-1pm Monday-Friday throughout interview season (October – April).
- How to apply: Contact the tour guide coordinators and indicate your availability.
Interview MD Candidates:
- Eligibility: Must be a 2+year student.
- Time commitment: You can indicate your schedule preference, but it’s most helpful if you can do 1 interview/week from October – April.
- How to apply: Look for email announcement about open positions and training sessions in September.
Serve on the Committee on Admissions (CoA):
- Eligibility: Must have successfully completed the preclinical curriculum.
- Time commitment: Must be available for ~4hours every Thursday night from mid-December through April.
- How to apply: Send a Letter of Interest to the SMSA President by October 15. Letters are then sent to the CoA for final review and selection.
Serve on the Diversity Admissions Panel (DAP):
- Eligibility: Must have successfully completed the preclinical curriculum.
- Time commitment: Must be available for ~one hour every Monday from mid-December through April.
- How to apply: Send a Letter of Interest to Dr. Ron Garcia (ron.garcia@stanford.edu) by October 15.
Help Coordinate Admit Weekend!
(These positions are open to all MD students, but first years are preferred.)
- Talent Show Coordinators (2-3)
- Hosting Coordinators (2)
- Transportation Coordinator(s) (1-2)
- Entertainment Coordinators (2-3)
Teaching Award Committee
The teaching awards committee (TAC) is a student advisory group made up of student representatives from all years of the MD student body. The committee advises Dr. Charles Prober, Cindy Irvine, Zera Murphy on the issue of teaching awards for medical school faculty. In its inaugural year (2008-09), the TAC was charged with carrying out the School of Medicine teaching award nomination and selection processes for the MD student body. This work will continue in the future.
