Office of the MD Registrar

Education records are records, files, emails, documents, and other materials that contain information directly related to a student (personally identifiable information) and are maintained by the University, an educational agency or institution, or by a person acting for such agency or institution.

Directory information is personally identifiable information from a student's education records that is not generally considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed.

At GW, directory information includes:

• Student’s name; local address (including email); Telephone numbers;
• Likeness used in university publications, including photographs;
• Names and addresses of emergency contacts;
• Dates of attendance; School or division of enrollment; Enrollment status; Field of study; Class; Credits hours earned; Degrees or certificates earned; Honors received;
• Participation in university-recognized organizations and activities (including intercollegiate athletics); Height, weight, and age of members of athletic teams
• Date of Birth will be considered directory information only for compliance with applicable laws.

Students may notify the School of Medicine and Health Sciences if they do not want any of the information listed above to be designated as directory information ("opt-out"), by submitting a Privacy Disclaimer form to the MD Registrar (registrarmd@gwu.edu).

Students have the right to request a copy of their education records by submitting this Google Form, to the MD Registrar. FERPA requires that educational agencies and institutions comply with a request by a parent or eligible student for access to education records within a reasonable period, but not more than 45 days after receipt of a request.

How do I update my emergency contact information?

Emergency Contact information changes can be submitted through the Office of the MD Registrar. Requests to update this information can be emailed to registrarmd@gwu.edu. 

How do I update my address?

You may update your address through the Biographical Update form. If you experience difficulties updating that form, you can use the Personal Information Menu in the GWeb Information System.

How do I find my GWid number?

Your GWid is a 'G' followed by a series of eight numbers. If you have forgotten your GWid, you may use the retrieval tool to look it up or contact the IT Support Center at (202) 994-4948.

How can someone else access my student records?

A student's education record may only be released to parents or other third parties under the condition that the student has provided consent through the Student Request for Copy of Education Record form.

The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, seeks to guarantee both a student’s right of access to records and the confidentiality of student information. Institutions may not disclose information contained in education records without the student’s written consent except under certain conditions. A student’s record may be released to parents only if one of the following conditions has been met:

• Through the written consent of the student; or
• By submission of evidence that the parents declared the student as a dependent on their most recent Federal Income Tax form, as defined by the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, Section 152.

Students have the right to request a copy of their education records by submitting this Google Form, to the MD Registrar. FERPA requires that educational agencies and institutions comply with a request by a parent or eligible student for access to education records within a reasonable period, but not more than 45 days after receipt of a request.

Students have the right to instruct the SMHS to withhold even “directory information” (except name, school, and dates of attendance). A Disclosure of Student Information Form must be submitted to the MD Registrar (registrarmd@gwu.edu) to instruct the SMHS to withhold “directory information.”

How can someone else access my student records?

A student's education record may only be released to parents or other third parties under the condition that the student has provided consent through the Student Request for Copy of Education Record form.

Who is a School Official?

At GW, “school officials” are,

1. individuals employed in an administrative, supervisory, academic, research, or support staff position;
2. individuals employed by GW-hired contractor or the contractor itself;
3. Board of Trustees members; and
4. students serving on an official committee (e.g., disciplinary or grievance committee) or assisting another school official in performing their tasks.

May I communicate with students via email?

Email is an easy way to communicate with students. Before sending an email, it’s important to evaluate the risk associated with sending student information and recognize if it is personally identifiable information (PII).

The Department of Education provides guidance related to communicating with students via email, in this short video: Email and Student Privacy

With regards to communicating grades, students should be referred to GWeb to check their grades or the MD Registrar’s Office.

Course Registration for the Pre-Clinical Years (MS1-2):

Occurs by cohort based on program requirements. The MD Registrar will register preclinical students before the beginning of each academic semester.

Course Registration for the Clinical Year (MS3): 

Occurs in collaboration with the MD Registrar. Rising MS3 students will participate in a multi-round clerkship course lottery from January – March. This lottery will determine the cohort/order in which the core clerkship courses are taken; the sites/locations in which those courses are taken; and enrollment in electives. Registrations will be processed by the MD Registrar in March. Students will be notified once the lottery results/registrations are available and once those results/registrations are released, students will use the add/drop registration form to request any course adjustment. MS3/Clerkship courses begin May 1st (week 45).

Course Registration for the 4th-year (MS4): 

Occurs in collaboration with the MD Registrar. Rising MS4 students will participate in a course lottery from January – April. Registrations will be processed by the MD Registrar in April-May. Students will be notified once the lottery results/registrations are available and once those results/registrations are released, students will use the add/drop registration form to request any course adjustment. MS4/Post-clerkship courses begin July 1st (week 1); students may take MS4 courses starting May 1st (week 45), with approval.

Current MS4 students will make any schedule adjustments for their MS4 post-clerkship elective courses using the add/drop registration form.

Course Registration for Extramural Electives/Away Rotations:

Adding/dropping an extramural elective (or away rotation course) requires submission of a different registration form than the normal add/drop registration form. The Extramural Elective Request Form (Registration Form 2301-EA) provides the MD Registrar with specific contact information; the Host Supervisor will be contacted by the MD Registrar with important grading information and this contact information will be used in case of an emergency. THIS REGISTRATION FORM MUST BE SUBMITTED TO THE MD REGISTRAR BEFORE A STUDENT PLANS TO TAKE THE EXTRAMURAL ELECTIVE/AWAY ROTATION.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There must be a current Affiliation Agreement with the host institution in place before a student can be approved to take the extramural elective/away rotation. If there is not a current Affiliation Agreement, there is no guarantee an agreement will be reached; please allow a minimum of 90 days to secure an agreement.

How can I check to see if a course is full?

You can check the week availability and seat availability of any course using the course availability tool in the MD Student Portal.

In the MD Student Portal, select “Tools” from the top menu navigation, then select “Course Availability”. This will populate the week and seat availability for courses in a specific academic year. Choose the appropriate academic year from the tabs displayed, then search for the interested course(s).

On the left side of the screen, once a course is highlighted, the week availability, seat availability, and waitlist capacity will display. Please note that courses that require course director approval or are vacation placeholders will not have the week availability, seat availability, and waitlist capacity displayed.

The course I want to enroll in is full. Is there any chance I can get in?

There may be numerous reasons why a course is considered full. Students who would like to be added to the waitlist for a full course can submit a request through the online add/drop form. Students are also permitted to reach out to the course instructor/director and/or course coordinator to inquire about the maximum capacity of the course for any given week(s). Reaching out to inquire about the seating capacity does not equate to being registered in the course.

How do I waitlist a course?

Students who would like to be added to the waitlist for a full course can submit a request through the online add/drop form.

How long do I have to accept my winning waitlist seat? 

Students will have 72 hours from the time they receive the automatic waitlist notification to adjust their schedule accordingly.

What if I miss the 72-hour deadline to accept my winning waitlist seat?

If you miss the 72-hour deadline to enroll in the class after being notified, you will need to re-enroll in the waitlist through the online add/drop form.

How do I know if there is a current affiliation agreement in place for my away rotation?

The MD Registrar will look into whether there is a current affiliation agreement for the intended host institution once the registration form is submitted. The MD Registrar will communicate with you in the event there is not an affiliation agreement in place.

How do I get a final grade for my away rotation?

The MD Registrar will communicate with the Host Supervisor and provide grading details and deadlines. Completed final grade evaluations must be sent to the MD Registrar by the host institution.

Grades shall be assigned to any individual student registered in the student information system based on the instructor's professional judgment of the student's scholastic achievement. The instructor should provide syllabi notification of the basis for grades to the students on or before the first class meeting. Any changes on that basis should likewise be presented to students in writing. Issuance of the final grade will be submitted by the lead instructor and/or designated administrator assigned by the academic program on the course section.

Final grades must be submitted to the Office of the MD Registrar by the lead instructor and/or designated administrator. Grading is open when courses come to completion and must be submitted within six weeks of course completion to ensure academic review and graduation clearance.

Definition of Grades: the following scale is used for all academic levels.

Who do I contact if my grade is incorrect?

Contact the MD Registrar if you believe that your posted grade is incorrect.

What is the hold-up on my grades not being posted?

The downloading and posting of final grades from MedHub and/or submitted final grade evaluations are not automatic processes. The MD Registrar’s team individually downloads and posts final grades for each student; during busy times for the MD Registrar, a delay in posting grades to transcripts may be experienced.

I'm taking an extramural elective/away rotation course, how do I get my final grade?

Students taking an extramural elective/away rotation course will provide the MD Registrar's team with a supervisor/mentor contact via the registration form. That contact will be sent the grading deadlines and provided with blank final grade evaluation forms that must be sent back to the MD Registrar's team for processing.

This visual outlines the final conditional grade and grade change workflow for preclinical and clinical students.

After graduating students match (if matched to a residency program), students will receive communication from their residency program regarding licensure application documentation and requirements. Please read through your licensure applications carefully before asking the MD Registrar to complete any verifications on your behalf.

For licensure applications that state an option for verification of intended graduation, or a limited licensure application, these can be processed by the MD Registrar before graduation. These requests, including the actual form (if applicable), should be submitted to registrarmd@gwu.edu.

Please note that the period of April – May is extremely busy for the Office of the MD Registrar; your submitted request will be added to a processing list for timely completion. Additionally, these applications may require verification of degree completion and conferral after graduation as well. In this case, there will be no need to re-submit a verification request/form after graduation.

For licensure applications that state verification of degree completion and conferral is required, these will not be processed until after graduation. Your submitted request will be added to a processing list for timely completion after graduation.

State Licensures: application certifications and verifications can be submitted to the MD Registrar for processing (registrarmd@gwu.edu). Please note that the period of April – May is extremely busy for the MD Registrar; your submitted request will be processed timely, but current student and expected graduate verifications take priority.

Residency/Fellowship: The ERAS Fellowships process begins with your request to the ERAS Fellowships Documents Office (EFDO) for an ERAS token; a unique identifier that provides you access to MyERAS. You will then be able to complete the MyERAS application, select programs, and submit supporting documents. 

Once you have registered your ERAS fellowship token in the ERAS application, you will have the ability to upload your Photograph, MSPE, Medical School Transcript as well as ABSITE Transcript. You will also have the ability to request your MSPE and Medical School Transcript via MIDUS (Medical Institution Document Upload Service). Step-by-step instructions for submitting MIDUS requests can be found online here.

Questions related to your ERAS token can be sent to Ms. LaQuita Ross (lbeale@gwu.edu). Questions related to your MIDUS request for your MSPE and/or Medical School Transcript can be sent to the MD Registrar (registrarmd@gwu.edu).

Step 3: Step-3 degree verifications will be completed by Rhonda Goldberg, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the MD Registrar directly through the Federation of State Medical Boards portal, after graduation.

Per LCME grade submission standards and the MD program’s initiative of Dean Bass, all final grades and narrative evaluations are to be released to students and sent to the Office of the MD Registrar for posting to student records within four to six weeks from course completion, with an emphasis to submit grades within four weeks.

MS3 24-25AY Grading Deadline Calendar 

MS4 24-25AY Grading Deadline Calendar 

There are two options for faculty to submit final grades to the MD Registrar: (1) through the Uniform Clinical Evaluation (UCE) form in MedHub; or (2) uploaded to secure BOX folders (see links below). Posting final grades in Blackboard for students does NOT submit them to the MD Registrar’s Office. Unless specifically requested by the MD Registrar, submitting final grade evaluations through email is no longer an acceptable method of submission as either MedHub or the BOX folders are more secure. PLEASE NOTE: you must label the document uploaded to either BOX folder with the course name/number.

MS3 Core Clerkship Final Grades BOX Folder

MS3 Elective Grades BOX Folder

MS4 Course and Elective Grades BOX Folder

What type of final grade evaluation do I submit?

The course director can submit a Uniform Clinical Evaluation (UCE) via MedHub, but if that for some reason does not work for the course director, a UCE or an abbreviated version can be sent to registrarmd@gwu.edu

for processing. Electronic versions of the UCE and abbreviated versions can be found under 'Forms & FAQs' on this webpage. It would be at the discretion of the course director which evaluation to complete - the UCE is typically reserved for courses where the students perform some form of clinical work but the MD Registrar’s team will accept both the full UCE version and the abbreviated version from the course director.

How can I submit a final grade evaluation for a student?

Final grade evaluations must be submitted to the MD Registrar’s team securely, preferably through the designated BOX folders.

The SMHS utilizes Blackboard as the learning management system for its MD program. GW's Instructional Technology Lab provides numerous resources to faculty, with both online and face-to-face tutorials.

The Office of the MD Registrar must know if you plan to use Blackboard for any given academic semester. If you have questions about Blackboard or are experiencing issues with accessing your Blackboard dashboard, please contact the MD Registrar. It is important to note that changes take approximately 24-hours (or overnight) with a system refresh.

MedHub is an online management system used to support education requirements, including but not limited to demographic information, rotation schedules, evaluations, procedure logs, conferences, duty hours, and training modules. As it pertains to medical students, GW primarily uses MedHub for evaluations of students and educators, and to track duty hours, procedures, and encounters completed by students in the clinical curriculum. MedHub is also used to complete and track CSR evaluations in the pre-clinical curriculum. MedHub can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.

Data in MedHub is targeted individually for each user. Faculty use MedHub to complete evaluations of students they have supervised in a clinical course and to view evaluations completed of them by students they have supervised. Course Directors have the same access as faculty (above), as well as access to additional functions and reports to track student and faculty performance. Course Directors can view student and faculty evaluations, student duty hours, and student encounters and procedures in their course(s).

If you have questions about MedHub or are experiencing issues within MedHub, please contact the Office of Medical Education (OME) and the MD Registrar.

It is important to note that the downloading and posting of final grades from Blackboard and/or MedHub are not automatic processes. The MD Registrar’s team individually downloads and posts final grades for each student, once we are notified final grades have been submitted.

How can I be listed as an instructor on a course in Blackboard?

Identified course directors are listed as instructors for an MD course and section in the student information system, Banner. Banner prompts access to Blackboard. To be listed as a course director, a person must have a faculty assignment through Human Resources and identified as such in Banner. If a person does not have a faculty assignment, the course director assigned to the course in Banner can provide TA (Teaching Assistant) access to the course’s site in Blackboard.

To be listed as a course director for an MD course and section, please reach out to the MD Registrar.

I am the course instructor/director and would like to use Blackboard but don't know how. Who can I talk with?

For a course to use Blackboard, the course must first be specially identified through the MD Registrar’s team. Once the course is identified, the MD Registrar’s team will connect you with the Blackboard administrative team, which is available to assist with numerous functions of Blackboard including creating a course site, copying that course site to a new semester, and providing access to enrolled students.

I am the course instructor/director and would like to use MedHub but don't know how. Who can I talk with?

Please contact the Office of Medical Education (OME) and the MD Registrar.

Official Transcripts must be ordered online, through the main University Registrar’s Office. The George Washington University has contracted with Parchment Award Transcript Services to manage all online orders. Former students and alumni should request official transcripts directly through Parchment Transcript Services.

Official transcripts that need to be uploaded to the California Medical Board through the DOCS portal, must be ordered and electronically sent to the MD Registrar's email address "registrarmd@gwu.edu". The MD Registrar will receive your official transcript and upload it to the DOCS portal on your behalf.

State Licensures: 

Application certifications and verifications can be submitted to the MD Registrar for processing. Please note that the period of April – May is extremely busy for the MD Registrar; your submitted request will be processed timely, but current student and expected graduate verifications take priority.

Residency/Fellowship: 

The ERAS Fellowships process begins with your request to the ERAS Fellowships Documents Office (EFDO) for an ERAS token; a unique identifier that provides you access to MyERAS. You will then be able to complete the MyERAS application, select programs, and submit supporting documents. 

Once you have registered your ERAS fellowship token in the ERAS application, you will have the ability to upload your Photograph, MSPE, Medical School Transcript as well as ABSITE Transcript. You will also have the ability to request your MSPE and Medical School Transcript via MIDUS (Medical Institution Document Upload Service). Step-by-step instructions for submitting MIDUS requests can be found online here.

Questions related to your ERAS token can be sent to Ms. LaQuita Ross. Questions related to your MIDUS request for your MSPE and/or Medical School Transcript can be sent to the MD Registrar.

Step 3: 

Step-3 degree verifications will be completed by Rhonda Goldberg, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, and the MD Registrar directly through the Federation of State Medical Boards portal, after graduation.

Alumni who wish to obtain a replacement or duplicate copy of their diploma must submit the Diploma Replacement form with appropriate payment. Please note that the Office of the Registrar does not keep copies of diplomas on file. Replacement diplomas/certificates are ordered on or around the 15th of each month and there is a 4-6 week turnaround for them to be received from the printing company.

The Graduation ceremony (M.D. Graduation Ceremony) typically occurs on the third Sunday in May, on campus, following the main University’s graduation ceremony on the National Mall. Expected graduating students will be notified in the Spring by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA), about the process for registering for graduation events and requesting e-tickets for the diploma ceremony. In review, the graduating Class of 2024 was permitted 6 electronic tickets each plus any attendee on the ticket waitlist.

Degree clearance is a two-step process: 

Step 1) The MD Registrar performs a degree clearance for each expected graduating student. The MD Registrar's team will be in communication with faculty, course coordinators, and department chairs about outstanding grades and the grade submission deadlines for graduating students. We understand your concerns if your records show an In-Progress grade but please note that we are working directly with all those involved to receive grades and post grades correctly and efficiently.

Step 2) Once all final grades have been received (a few days before graduation), the MD Registrar's team will clear the expected graduates' graduation applications. Those cleared will be pushed to the main University Registrar’s Office for degree clearance, starting the week after graduation. Graduates will receive an automatic confirmation for their records when their graduation applications have been cleared. Clearance can take 6-8 weeks following the commencement ceremony but the main University Registrar’s Office is aware of the time constraints for our MD graduates, especially regarding residency applications.

I graduated last week. Why isn't my degree on my transcript?

Clearance can take 6-8 weeks following the commencement ceremony. If you need verification of graduation before your degree is awarded, please contact the MD Registrar at registrarmd@gwu.edu

. 

Graduating students will be presented with their diplomas at the M.D. Graduation Diploma Ceremony in May. If you are not attending the graduation ceremony, your diploma will be available for pickup starting the Tuesday after graduation.  

Graduates for off-cycle commencements will have their diploma delivered by the main University Registrar’s Office, which can take an additional 6-8 weeks following degree clearance.

Licensure application may require a photocopy of the original diploma. These will be unavailable before graduation. Please submit a request for a photocopy of your original diploma – your submitted request will be added to a processing list for timely completion after graduation. Off-cycle graduates will not have a photocopy of the original diploma available.

Diploma Name Changes:
If you would like to change the way your name appears on your diploma/certificate after you apply for graduation, you must submit a Biographical Update Form making sure to indicate that you have Applied to Graduation prior to the posted deadlines to avoid fees for replacements. A “name change” may refer to a formal legal name change, or updating the existing name of record to include a middle name or initial, capitalization, adding an accent or punctuation, etc.  

Name changes can be made after the posted deadlines, however, additional fees and processing time will apply for replacements. 

When will I receive my diploma?

Once you have been cleared for graduation and your degree awarded, your diploma will be ordered. Graduates participating in the May commencement ceremony will receive their diplomas during the ceremony. Graduates for off-cycle commencements (Summer-August; Fall-December/January) will have their diplomas delivered, which can take an additional 6-8 weeks following degree clearance.

I no longer have my diploma. How can I get a copy?

Alumni who wish to obtain a replacement copy of their diploma must submit the Diploma Replacement form through the main campus Registrar’s Office with appropriate payment. Please note that the Office of the Registrar does not keep copies of diplomas on file.

Where can I get a photocopy of my diploma?

Photocopies of diplomas for graduates participating in the May commencement ceremony will be available starting the day after commencement through the MD Registrar’s Office. The MD Registrar’s team will communicate with expected graduates the specific details for requesting a photocopy.

Copies of diplomas for "off-cycle" graduates, those who graduated in the Summer and/or Fall semesters are not available. The records of diplomas for graduates prior to 2020 may be sparce - please contact the MD Registrar (registrarmd@gwu.edu) for assistance if you are a graduate prior to 2020 who needs a photocopy of their diploma.

Where can I get a certified copy of my diploma?

If you need your diploma certified or notarized, you will need to contact an outside notary after you receive your physical diploma. If you do not know of a notary, we suggest performing a simple web search.