Residency applications

The Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) is a sequential and objective evaluation of a medical student's academic and clinical performance throughout medical school. It is a required component of U.S. medical residency and fellowship applications. Consequently, all U.S. medical schools compile an MSPE for each graduating student. The MSPE is a permanent record and used in perpetuity. Therefore, compiling the MSPE requires substantial effort and close collaboration amoung various departments across the University and School.

Standardized Format

The MSPE adheres to a standardized format set by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). It provides an honest evaluation of your performance in medical school, highlights your strengths for residency and fellowship applications, and compares your performance to other students in your cohort. It includes summative comments from clerkship evaluations. Any serious academic difficulties, disciplinary/professionalism issues, or gaps in attendance must be explained in the MSPE.

MSPE Review Procedure

The UQ-Ochsner Office of Student and Academic Affairs offers fourth-year students a one-time courtesy to review their MSPE prior to its submission to ERAS or distribution to residency programs. Students may request edits soley to correct factual inaccuracies, punctuation, and other minor editorial errors. As a UQ-Ochsner student, the MSPE structure is the same as all U.S. medical schools, except for the introductory paragraph, which explains the partnership between UQ and Ochsner. Students and graduates do not receive copies of the MSPE. If a copy is needed for fellowship or other postgraduate applications, please contact med.ocsStudentAdmin@uq.edu.au to request this, and an official copy will be sent directly to the organization.

Quartile Clustering

Although The University of Queensland is a non-ranking institution, for the purpose of the MSPE, UQ-Ochsner students are clustered by quartiles based on their comparative performance in medical school relative to their peers. This clustering helps differentiate among levels of student performance within the UQ-Ochsner cohort.

Year Level Performance

A year level percentage for Years 1 – 3 will be calculated using the average of the course percentages for that year. Equal weighting will be applied to each course within the year. Using the average year level percentage, you will be placed into quartiles. Your quartile ranking for each year of the program will be included in your MSPE letter.

Overall Program Performance

As part of the standardized format, the MSPE includes a summative assessment of your overall program percentage. This percentage is calculated by averaging the year level percentages, with equal weighting applied across Years 1 through 3 of the program. Based on your overall program percentage (Years 1 – 3), you will be placed into quartiles. Your quartile ranking will be included in your MSPE letter. The summative quartile categories are: Superior, Outstanding, Excellent, and Very Good.

Year 4 grades are not included in the clustering because of differences in student schedules and the timing of the release of the MSPE.

MSPE Contents

• Noteworthy characteristics
• Pre-clinical narrative
• Year level performance
• CPA comments from Year 3 clinical rotations
• Optional elective (if applicable)
• CPA comments from first half of Year 4
• Overall program performance with graphic chart – indicates comparative performance amongst cohort
• Second half of Year 4 rotations are listed – CPA comments are added after graduation

MSPE Meeting & Process

All MSPE meetings will be conducted in person. In accordance with scheduling constraints and confidentiality protocols, Society Heads are unable to accommodate virtual meetings or provide remote access to MSPE reviews.

MSPE meetings are scheduled with students' Medical Society Heads beginning mid-June of each year. Appointments are assigned based on each Society Head's availability; therefore, schedule changes are not permitted. Calendar invitations will be sent to students' Ochsner email accounts.

To be eligible for an MSPE meeting, students must have the following on file with the UQ-Ochsner Office of Student and Academic Affairs:

• Passing scores for both USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK
• A current CV
• A personal statement
• The completed MSPE Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet, including six noteworthy characteristics

Prior to the MSPE meeting, students are expected to:

• Review the symposium recording on Preparing Your Personal Statement and CV.
  • Additional resources are available in the CV and Personal Statement section of the website.
• Complete the MSPE Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet in complete sentences.
  • MSPE Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet-PDF version
  • MSPE Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet-Word version
  • Refer to the Noteworthy Characteristics Guidelines for detailed instructions.
• All required materials (USMLE Step 1 and Step 2 CK scores, Noteworthy Characteristics Worksheet, Personal Statement, and CV) are due to med.ocsStudentAdmin@uq.edu.au by beginning of May of Year 4.

During the MSPE meeting:

• Society Heads will collaborate with students to finalize three Noteworthy Characteristics for inclusion in the MSPE.
• Students will review their MSPE and receive feedback on their Personal Statement and CV.

After the MSPE meeting:

• The Society Head will confirm and approve the student's final three Noteworthy Characteristics. 
• Students should email updated versions of their personal statement and CV to med.ocsStudentAdmin@uq.edu.au for inclusion in their official file.