Impact of Grade Inquiries and Appeals on Clerkship Directors

Grade inquiries and appeals are a common occurrence in family medicine clerkships, and they are a source of stress to clerkship directors (CDs). This survey sought to establish the rate of grade inquiries and appeals in family medicine clerkships, to determine whether CDs perceive these rates to be increasing, and to determine whether grade appeals or inquiries contribute to CD burnout or to changes in grading criteria.

Data were collected as part of the 2024 Council of Academic Family Medicine Educational Research Alliance (CERA) clerkship directors survey. Respondents answered questions about the rates of grade inquiries and appeals, whether CDs feel burned out, and whether they ascribe the cause of their burnout to be related to grade inquiries/appeals.

The response rate was 53%. In a given academic year, 6% of family medicine students initiated grade inquiries, and 3% initiated grade appeals. Correlations showed that the percentage of students initiating grade appeals was associated with general burnout, grade appeal related burnout, and the desire to give up their CD role. CDs who felt less supported in their decisions about grade appeals were significantly more likely to report burnout or to want to resign from that role.

Grade inquiries and appeals contribute to CD burnout. CDs who experience more inquiries/appeals or who perceive the number of inquiries/appeals to be increasing may modify their grading criteria to avoid grade appeals. Supporting CDs in their decisions regarding grade inquiries and appeals is important.