EA-3101 Credit Hour Policy

1.0      Purpose

The Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME) accredits the Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) program and establishes program length in terms of weeks of instruction, requiring a minimum of 130 weeks. The Virginia Tech Carilion School of Medicine (VTCSOM) program is 181 weeks in duration, which is longer than the LCME minimum requirement. VTCSOM defines program length in accordance with LCME requirements and uses the credit hour as a unit of measurement to ensure equivalency of awarded credit across didactic courses, clinical rotations, and electives. The use of the credit hour follows the rules and guidelines established by the LCME. VTCSOM also relies on information from the Virginia Tech Office of the Registrar to ensure compliance with applicable institutional and federal credit hour definitions.

2.0      Policy

VTCSOM curriculum is a full-time, four-year program consisting of approximately 180 weeks of contiguous instruction across three curricular phases. The Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree does not use the credit hour as a measure for program completion. Rather, the VTCSOM MD program provides a credit hour equivalent for weeks of instruction and requires no less than 130 full-time weeks over approximately four years, including completion of all required coursework as established by the Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC).

• In Phase 1, credit hours assigned to a course reflect the modes of instruction and the amount of time spent in each class. Phase 1 (M1–M2) courses include, but are not limited to, lectures, laboratories, small-group discussions (e.g., problem-based learning), case-based learning activities, and clinical or community experiential learning. In Phase 1, one full-time week of instruction is approximately equivalent to one (1) credit hour.
• In Phases 2–3, the educational approach differs from classroom-based instruction, with less emphasis on formal didactic learning and greater emphasis on experiential education and direct patient care. The number of contact hours per week required for one credit hour ranges from 25 to 80; classroom-based electives or courses range from 20 to 40, inclusive of contact time, self-directed learning, and assignments. One full-time week of instruction is equivalent to one (1) credit hour.
• Students may also complete longitudinal components of the curriculum that run concurrently with core Phase 1 or Phase 2–3 clinical experiences. Coursework and contact hours may be delivered synchronously or asynchronously, depending on course design. Credit hours assigned to such courses reflect the modes of instruction and the amount of time spent in each class and are calculated by dividing the total number of work hours by the number of weeks of the longitudinal curricular component, typically resulting in a range of 0.5 to 4 credit hours per course.

Credit-hour equivalency for the VTCSOM MD degree program is as follows:

For students matriculating prior to 2024 (legacy curriculum):

• Year 1 = 40 full-time weeks (48 credit hours)
• Year 2 = 44 full-time weeks (44 credit hours, 2 more possible if longitudinal elective completed by end of spring term)
• Year 3 = 48 full-time weeks (48 credit hours)
• Year 4 = 31 ½ - 41 ½ full-time weeks (approximately 32-42 credit hours)

For students matriculating beginning in 2024 (Identities curriculum)

• Year 1 = 43 full-time weeks (50 credit hours)
• Year 2 = 48 full-time weeks (53 credit hours, 2 more possible if longitudinal elective completed by end of fall term)
• Year 3 = 48 full-time weeks (48 credit hours)
• Year 4 = 34-42 full-time weeks (approximately 34-42 credit hours)

3.0      Procedures

VTCSOM ensures alignment with institutional policies and procedures for course approval through established curricular governance processes, with ultimate responsibility resting with the Medical Curriculum Committee (MCC). In collaboration with the Office of Educational Affairs and the Office of Enrollment and Registrar, the MCC oversees the design, management, evaluation, and centralized coordination of a coherent and integrated curriculum. All courses, clerkships, and electives follow this policy when reviewing or approving new and revised offerings for the M.D. degree.

The MCC determines credit hours for each course and clinical experience. The number of semester credit hours assigned to a course quantitatively reflects the modes of instruction, the amount of time spent in each class, and the total student workload, including both in-class and out-of-class activities necessary to achieve the intended learning outcomes. When modifications to course content occurs, the MCC reassesses contact and credit hours and makes adjustments as necessary to maintain alignment with curriculum standards.

4.0      Definitions

Contact hour: The measure of scheduled instructional time provided to students, determined by the instructional delivery format of the course. One contact hour generally corresponds to one hour of direct faculty-led instruction and associated student engagement per week over the duration of an academic term, in alignment with institutional and accreditation standards.

Credit Hour: For purposes of this policy and in accordance with federal regulations, a credit hour is an amount of work represented in intended learning outcomes and verified by evidence of student achievement that is an institutionally established equivalency that reasonably approximates:

• Not less than one hour of classroom or direct faculty instruction and a minimum of two hours out-of-class student work each week for approximately fifteen weeks for one semester or trimester hour of credit, or ten to twelve weeks for one quarter-hour of credit, or the equivalent amount of work over a different amount of time, or
• At least an equivalent amount of work as required outlined in item 1 above for other academic activities as established by the institution including laboratory work, internships, practical, studio work, and other academic work leading to the award of credit hours.

5.0      References

• Advancement and Graduation policy (No. EA-3301)
• Phase 1 Work Hours policy (No. EA-3201) 
• Phase 2 and 3 Work Hours policy (No. EA-3202)
• Office of Educational Affairs
• Office of Enrollment Management and Registrar (VTCSOM)
• Virginia Tech Office of the Registrar

6.0      Approval and Revisions

Approved by the Medical Curriculum Committee on December 18, 2025