Academic Progress, Promotion and Standing
UNC COM promotes students who demonstrate academic achievement, professionalism, and clinical competence. Decisions about promotion, remediation, probation, repeating the year, and dismissal follow transparent processes aligned with institutional policy and COCA standards.
Promotion
To advance to the next academic year or phase, students must:
- Complete all required coursework and assessments in good standing
- Demonstrate competency in clinical skills and osteopathic principles
- Pass COMLEX-USA Level 1 and COMLEX-USA Level 2 to be eligible for graduation
Promotion decisions are determined by the Student Progress Committee (SPC) following regular reviews; students not progressing receive written notification and conditions for continued enrollment.
Academic Probation
Students who fail one or more courses in a given semester or who do not meet required academic, clinical, or professionalism standards may be placed on academic probation with defined conditions (e.g., structured support, additional coursework, enhanced advising). Failure to meet these conditions may result in repeating the year or dismissal, as determined by the Student Progress Committee (SPC).
Repeating the Year
If deficiencies cannot be resolved through remediation or academic probation, the SPC may require a repeat of the academic year with specific conditions. Continued enrollment depends on meeting all academic and professionalism expectations during the repeat year.
Dismissal
Dismissal may be recommended by the Student Progress Committee for the following reasons:
- Failure of a remediation
- Failure of two or more courses in a semester
- Persistent professionalism or clinical competency deficiencies
- Failure to meet required COMLEX milestones
Dismissal recommendations are reviewed through established governance, with student appeal rights as outlined in UNC COM Academic Polices and Student Handbook.