Given that finals are cumulative, with the best interests of students and administration in mind, we propose that Block 4 exams be made optional.

The student body has echoed the sentiment of prioritizing our USMLE Step 1 exam, given the immense impact it has on our future career.
Students who wish to take the Block 4 exams for personal, academic reasons should be allowed to do so in the interest of fairness. However, the vast majority of students feel as though finals (Ethics and FCM) and shelf exams are sufficient to test our cumulative competence and represent material which aligns to a far greater degree with the STEP 1 exam. Students signing this petition who wish to forego exams accept a grade reflective of the aggregate remaining percentage of the course minus the Block 4 exams, or whatever alternative grading schema the administration desires.

In other words, we all would like to make all exams before May 1st optional.

On both ends of the academic spectrum there is widespread support for this cause. Numerous students have expressed fear of being forced to repeat this year or delay the start of their third year due to limited study time. This is directly counter to the interests of both the students and the administration, especially with the changing curriculum. Given our limited recourse to repeat compared to previous years, we believe that extenuating circumstances warrant flexibility from the administration. Students strongly feel that these extra weeks would be immensely beneficial.

The transition of the new curriculum towards NBME exams echoes the notion that this material should be prioritized to maximize student success. Actions from the administration such as truncation of the PBL course, and transition to open-book biochemistry exams show willingness to help the student body succeed through curriculum modification.

In this light, please consider this petition.

Thank you,

MS2 Student Body