March 17, 2020
Dear VM4 Students, Faculty, and Staff,
Until further notice, VM4 courses will be offered using on-line instruction only, effective 3/23/2020, or earlier, as determined by each course instructor. This change reflects the University’s continued commitment to the safety and well-being of university students and employees, as well as its commitment to ensure that students are able to make consistent and uninterrupted progress toward completion of their degree programs. This change is also responsive to current needs to exercise wise stewardship over medical supplies and personal protective equipment. As part of this adjustment, the following changes will be made:
- Beginning as soon as their assigned rotations have moved to an on-line format, and no later than 3/23/2020, students should not report in person to their VM 4 rotations. Students should look for directions from the faculty overseeing their scheduled rotations regarding how to complete the rotations on-line. Consistent with the most recent direction from President Wintersteen encouraging social distancing, we ask that all students (VM 1-4) not enter the college, but conduct coursework and related study activities from home
- Clinical faculty will make adjustments to their clinical rotations, providing on-line cases, exercises, and other relevant teaching and assessment experiences at a distance. Faculty are encouraged to employ college teaching support resources as they make course adjustments.
- Students who are currently participating in a preceptorship may complete their current preceptorship, if approved by the ISU faculty member overseeing the preceptorship, and the preceptorship facility. Students are asked to contact the faculty member overseeing their current preceptorships for guidance.
- Beginning with Block 47 (3/30/20), preceptorships external to the college are cancelled. Students are requested to inform preceptors, and contact Sandy Popelka (VCS) (spopelka@iastate.edu) or Megan Jedlicka (VDPAM) (meganjed@iastate.edu) to schedule an alternative experience.
- The requirement for current VM4 students to complete the Clinical Skills Checklist is waived.
- VCS 495 (Grand Rounds Presentations) will be discontinued for current VM4 students, effective immediately. The requirement to provide a Grand Rounds presentation is waived for those students who have not yet presented.
This change in instructional format will require remarkable creativity and flexibility from both instructors and students. Each instructor will choose the best option available to them given their course content, comfort with specific on-line formats, and other resources. Each student will bring to bear their ingenuity and remarkable capacity to learn and adapt. There is no question that providing clinical instruction in an on-line format is not ideal. However, we have great confidence in you, our instructors and students, to devise solutions that will maximize learning despite the challenges. As always, the Office of Academic and Student Affairs, Office of Curricular Assessment and Teaching Support, and Information Technology Support stand ready to help. Please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Kind regards,
Jared Danielson, PhD
Associate Dean for Academic and Student Affairs