Does group discussion of student clerkship performance at an education committee affect an individual committee member's decisions?

Background: To determine whether deliberation as part of a group affects an individual's decisions for grading and remediation of marginal students. Method: In academic year 2001-02, members of a Department of Medical Education Committee prospectively completed pre- and postdiscussion surveys about their decision-making processes for third-year internal medicine clerkship students presented for marginal performance. Postdiscussion written comments were analyzed qualitatively. Results: A total of 23 (14%) students were discussed, resulting in 297 individual committee member decisions (3,090 educator-minutes). A total of 76 of 297 (25%) decisions were altered following committee deliberations, changing the grade and/or remediation for nine students. Only seven of 76 (9%) changes were anticipated. Qualitative analysis revealed four underlying themes for changing: influence of members; data provided; clarification of process; and factors outside the clerkship. Conclusions: Group discussion influenced individual committee members' decisions for one-quarter of marginal students. The committee process allowed for clarification of the record, faculty development, and full discussion of student performance.