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Graduation Honors

Graduation honors, based on the grade point average of all first and second year blocks, all required third and fourth year clerkships, the required subinternship and Primary Care I and II will be distributed as follows:

                    summa cum laude – top 2% of class
                    magna cum laude – next 5% from the top of the class
                    cum laude – next 8% from the top of the class

Upon faculty recommendation and with the approval of the Academic Promotions Committee, students may be awarded the degree of Doctor of Medicine with Distinction in Research or Commendation in Investigative Scholarship.

Honors are not automatically conferred on the basis of fulfillment of numerical requirements or the submission of a report.  Such compliance shall serve only to determine eligibility.

Distinction in Research

To be eligible for this award, the student must have demonstrated a prolonged involvement -- typically over a period of 1-2 years with substantial investment of time -- in a basic or clinical project with a faculty mentor of this institution.  The work should be done while enrolled at Downstate Medical Center.  Students will be expected to show evidence of substantive intellectual input into the project.  Mere technical participation will not be deemed sufficient grounds for conferral of this graduation honor.  Additional information regarding eligibility can be found in the 2007-2008 Student Handbook on pages 65-66.

Completed research project reports (original plus 4 copies) must be submitted to the College of Medicine Dean’s Office no later than March 1, 2008. M.D.- Ph.D. candidates may not use their thesis research for this distinction.

Commendation in Investigative Scholarship

This category of graduation honor is for students who have participated in either basic or clinical research for a limited period of time or who have participated in a project that has not achieved maturity. The work must be completed while enrolled at SUNY Downstate.  The student must demonstrate both technical and intellectual input.  Candidates must be eligible for graduation. Academic performance in medical school shall not be considered in conferring the award. A faculty committee will review project reports. The same deadlines as Distinction in Research apply. M.D. - Ph.D. candidates may not use their thesis research for this distinction.

Additional information regarding eligibility can be found in the 2007-2008 Student Handbook on page 66.