Internal Resources

Policy Review Subcommittee (PRS)

Overview

The Policy Review Subcommittee (PRS) is a standing subcommittee of the Tucson Educational Policy Committee (TEPC) tasked with drafting, reviewing, and revising policies related to the undergraduate medical education program curriculum. The PRS collaborates with other TEPC subcommittees and College of Medicine – Tucson stakeholders to ensure comprehensive policy development.

The PRS convenes monthly and is led by a Chair who facilitates policy development and meetings and presents recommendations to the TEPC. The membership of the PRS consists of representatives from various units involved in the medical education program. All members have voting privileges and ongoing terms of service.

Membership

  • Assistant Director of Accreditation (Chair)
  • Associate Dean of Curricular Affairs/Director of LCME Accreditation
  • Associate Dean of Student Affairs
  • Director of Student Affairs
  • Assistant Dean of Foundational Sciences
  • Assistant Dean of Clinical Competency
  • Program Manager for Clinical Education
  • Program Manager for Preclinical Education
  • Director of Student Records
  • Director of Financial Aid
  • Director of Education Technologies & Innovation
  • Director of Access, Community, and Belonging

Quorum

A quorum of the PRS is constituted by 50% of the voting members. If a quorum is not met during a monthly meeting, e-voting may be conducted to approve policy recommendations. E-votes must achieve a simple majority of all voting members.

Responsibilities

  • Regularly review, draft, and revise new and existing College of Medicine – Tucson policies related to the undergraduate medical education program curriculum. Responsibilities include:
    • Ensuring policies are consistent, of high quality, and aligned with educational goals and current practice.
    • Identifying conflicts and ensuring policies comply with LCME accreditation standards.
    • Providing feedback and recommendations prior to the TEPC’s and other subcommittees’ review.
  • Collaborate with relevant units and (sub)committees to support policy development.
  • Facilitate periodic reviews of policies as directed by the TEPC.
  • Communicate policy updates to all stakeholders, ensuring awareness and compliance.
  • The Chair can designate an Interim Chair, when the chair will be unable to attend a scheduled meeting.

Policy Review Process

  1. Request for Policy Creation or Revision
    1. Requests for policy creation or revision are submitted to the PRS Chair.
    2. Requests must be submitted at least 2 weeks before the next scheduled PRS meeting to be considered for that meeting’s agenda, subject to agenda availability.
  2. General Counsel Review
    1. If legal review is needed, the PRS Chair forwards the policy proposal to the Office of the General Counsel.
  3. PRS Review
    1. The proposed policy or revisions are presented at the next available PRS meeting with agenda availability by the initiator or a designated PRS member.
    2. The PRS will review the proposal, suggest revisions, and prepare a recommendation for the TEPC.
  4. Subcommittee Review (if applicable)
    1. If the policy pertains to a specific phase of the curriculum, it is sent to the appropriate subcommittee (e.g., TCMS or TCCS) for further review and input.
    2. The subcommittee reviews the policy, may suggest additional revisions, and determines whether to move the proposal forward to the TEPC. If further changes are required, the policy is sent back to the PRS.
  5. TEPC Review and Decision
    1. The TEPC reviews the recommendation and may approve, deny, or request further revisions to the policy.
    2. If the TEPC requests further revisions, then Steps 3 through 5 are repeated.
    3. If the TEPC denies the proposal, the initiator will be informed of the decision and its rationale.
  6. Policy Implementation
    1. Approved policies will be dated with the TEPC approval date, revision documentation stored in a policy database for record keeping, and the finalized policy document published to the College of Medicine – Tucson website. All related reference materials, such as student manuals, will be updated accordingly.
    2. Relevant stakeholders will be notified of the new or revised policy to ensure timely implementation.

 

Last Revised/Approved by PRS: October 25, 2024
Last Revised/Approved by TEPC: January 8, 2025