2.13 Credit for Pathways Independent Study/Research

Independent Study/Research

Pathways students seeking credit for independent study (funded and non-funded, including research, clinical, and nonclinical experiences, etc.) must complete an Application for Academic Credit (available on the HMS Registrar’s Office website).

Students must identify a project supervisor (an HMS faculty member) to accept academic responsibility for all independent projects. The project supervisor will assist the student in filling out the Academic Credit form, will help provide a description of the proposed project, and will accept responsibility for the educational value of the project. The Application for Academic Credit form must be submitted to the student's Academic Society Advisor at least two months prior to the start of an experience.

Once the Society Advisor has reviewed and approved the plan, the student must forward the Application for Academic Credit form to the Registrar’s Office, where it will be kept on file until the project is completed.

The Society Advisor will recommend the number of “academic equivalents” for the work based on established guidelines. Based on the recommendation and in conformance with established guidelines, the Registrar will assign the appropriate number of “academic equivalents” to the work. Full-time research (40 hours per week for 4 weeks) will ordinarily receive credit for one 4-week “academic equivalent.” At the conclusion of the research/project experience, the preceptor/research mentor must complete page 2, Section 4, of the Application for Academic Credit or submit a letter of evaluation to the HMS Registrar within 30 days so that the student may receive credit. There is no grade recorded for an Independent Study course; rather, the designation of “CR” (credit awarded towards degree) is recorded on the student’s transcript.

Please consult the HMS Registrar’s Office with any questions about independent studies and research projects.

NB: Independent study intended to meet the Scholarship in Medicine requirement must be reviewed and approved by the Scholars in Medicine faculty committee (see Section 3.03).

Last updated 8/4/18