Littrell Radiology

Classroom behavior: Professional behavior, in both the classroom and practice room, is expected from all students enrolled in this course and at Palmer College of Chiropractic. At all times, you will protect the modesty and privacy of your colleagues. Tardiness, excessive side-talking during lectures, talking or texting on a cell phone, or other disruptions of the class, sleeping during the lecture, and other forms of unprofessional behavior, as determined by the instructor or fellow student, will not b tolerated. The student may be removed from the classroom. Disciplinar action from the Student Ethics Committee may be sought.

Attendance: Attendance is required for both hours of the course. If it is necessary for you to leave early or arrive late, please inform the instructor as soon as reasonably possible. Attendance will be taken daily. You will be marked as absent if you fail to attend the first hour and/or second hour of the course and if you do not take a quiz, practical, or written examination on the scheduled date. You will be allowed no more than 10 total absences for the course, with no more than 7 absences allowed for Weeks 1-10, and no more than 3 absences for Weeks 11-14. Accruing more than the allowed absences in the class will result in a grade 8 (Failure) of the class.

Electronic equipment: The use of laptops, cell phones, music players, and recording equipment is prohibited in the classroom. The use of electronic equipment (including cell phones) during the lecture or practice sessions will result in an absence recorded for that day. If you must keep your cell phone on during lecture for emergency purposes, please inform the instructor at the beginning of class.

Policy on cheating and unethical behavior: Cheating of any form (including, but not limited to: crib notes, possession of old examinations, viewing others’ tests during an examination or quiz, plagiarism) is prohibited. Unethical behavior or disruptive behavior in the classroom is also prohibited. Violations of the course policies or of the policies of the Student Ethics Handbook will be referred to the Student Ethics Committee for review and resolution.

Practice, practical examinations, and surrogate patients: All students are required to participate in the practice and performance of each examination, as well as act as patients for their fellow classmates. If a student is unable to participate as a patient due to an illness or health condition, a release from that student’s health care provider will be required and a surrogate patient must be supplied by the student for the duration of the illness or condition. You must inform the instructor during the first week of class of any potential interfering conditions or illnesses that would require a surrogate patient, i.e. a late stage pregnancy that would preclude an accurate abdominal exam.

Dress code for lectures, practice, and practical examinations: Modest dress for males and females is expected in both the classroom and practice room. As this course requires participation in physical examination of your fellow students, clothing that allows access to the anatomy being examined is important. Female students are required to wear patient gowns for the thorax, heart, and lung examinations during laboratory practice and practical examinations; male students are required to wear either a patient gown or remove their shirts for the thorax, heart, and lung examination during laboratory practice and practical examinations. All students will be required to reveal the lower extremity anatomy during pertinent examinations. Short skirts or dresses are inappropriate for practice examinations. Long hair should be pulled back so as not to interfere with examinations, and fingernails should be cut short.

Quizzes: Quizzes are given the day before the scheduled practical examination. Quizzes are intended to test clinical knowledge and practical knowledge and to indicate your readiness for the practical examination. Quiz questions will be taken from the lecture material and textbook.

Practical Examinations: Practical examinations are intended to test clinical knowledge and practical knowledge and to reinforce skills utilized in the Palmer Clinics and in private practice. Performance expectations will be given for each practical to serve as guidelines for the practical examination procedures. The scoring criteria given to the examiner will be more detailed than the performance expectations. Practicals will be graded by upper trimester teaching assistants/proctors and the instructor.

Interim (Unit) Examinations: Interim examinations are intended to test predominately the lecture material and textbook material; however, practical knowledge may also be included. Interim Examination #1 will consist of 50 questions on the topics covered up to the date of the examination. Interim Examination #2 will consist of 50 questions on the topics covered since Interim Examination #1. Interim Examination #3 will consist of 50 questions on the topics covered since Interim Examination #2. Interim Examination #4 will consist of 50 questions on the topics covered since Interim Examination #3. Each Interim Examination will include 8 extra credit questions.

Final Cumulative Examination: The final examination will be cumulative and will consist of approximately 75 questions on the subject matter of disease processes and differential diagnosis. The material will be a combination of new material and previously covered topics. There will be no extra credit on this examination.

Examination material: The interim and final examination questions are taken from the required textbook and any material presented or assigned in class. Students are expected to read the assigned chapters to successfully complete the examinations.

Viewing examinations: Students may review their examinations within the two week period following the administration of the examination; examinations will not be available for review until all make-up examinations are administered.

Narrative history: A narrative history assignment will be submitted by each student and details for this assignment will be given in class.

Periodic assignments: Periodic assignments will be given at the discretion of the instructor and will affect the total point value for the course.

Make-up Policy: For extraordinary circumstances only, students will be allowed to make-up ONE grade in each category of quiz, practical, and interim examination. If more than one quiz, practical, or interim examination is missed, the missed points will be forfeited. All quizzes, practicals, and exams will be made up during the following week of classes. Extra credit questions will not be available on make-up examinations. You are required to inform the instructor of all absences prior to the administration of the quiz, practical, or exam.

Grade posting: Announcements and grades will be posted at www.littrellradiology.com. This site may also be accessed through the faculty page at www.palmer.edu. According to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), students may request that grades be omitted from public posting. The student must submit a written retraction of his or her permission to post grades to the Registrar’s office and the instructor.

Grade inflation: The instructor does not engage in grade inflation (artificially raising point values to award higher letter grades). Those students earning less than 93% will receive a grade B; those students earning less than 83% will receive a grade C.

Lecture notes: Some lecture notes will be provided to you. Others may be obtained at www.littrellradiology.com. Please bring a 1.25 inch or larger 3 ring binder to class for class notes and handouts. Please include blank paper in the binder for note taking and in-class submissions.

Inclement weather: If inclement weather forces the cancellation of class, the material to be covered on the cancelled class day (including scheduled written examinations) will be covered when classes resume. The notable exception to this policy is in the event that weather forces the cancellation of a practical examination. In this case, the practical will be rescheduled when student proctors are available and material to be covered or the examination will occur as scheduled.

Class cancellation due to instructor illness or emergency: If the instructor must cancel class due to illness or emergency, a notice will be placed on the classroom door and will also be posted on the website, if possible. So that the course may continue on schedule, an assignment will be given and it is the student’s responsibility to complete that assignment by the next scheduled class day.

Children in the classroom: Children are not permitted in the classroom, with the exception of emergency situations in which childcare cannot be arranged (snow cancellation, child care provider’s illness, etc.). UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES may a child be permitted in the classroom during a quiz, practical, or written examination.

Point distribution:

1 quiz @ 20 points 20 points ~3.4% of total grade
3 quizzes @ 10 points each 30 points ~5.1% of total grade
4 practicals @ 40 points each (3 count) 120 points ~20.5% of total grade
4 interim examinations @ 50 points each 200 points ~34.1% of total grade
1 narrative health history 20 points ~3.4% of total grade
1 final practical @ 120 points 120 points ~20.5% of total grade
1 final written examination @ 75 points 75 points ~12.8% of total grade

585 points total

Grade A = 93% to 100% = at least 544.05 of 585 points
Grade B = 83% to 92% = at least 485.55 of 585 points
Grade C = 73% to 82% = at least 427.05 of 585 points
Grade F = < 72% = < 427.05 of 585 points
Grade I = Incomplete

Note: Periodic classroom assignments may be given that coincide with the mock history scenarios. The submission of these assignments is required and will add to the total point value for the course.