The Korn, Stagnaro-Green, and Rose report of the October 2001 Research in Medical Education supplement1 contains an inaccurate representation of the “old algorithm” used to assign students' summary statements in dean's letters at Mount Sinai School of Medicine. The description of the old algorithm as a strictly clerkship-grade—based algorithm was inaccurate, as discretion for activities, research, etc., had been applied. The conclusions of the paper, that students in the classes of 1999-2001 would have been undervalued had a strictly clerkship-grade—based algorithm been used, still stands. The authors apologize for this unintentional error and hope to set the record straight for the integrity of this endeavor.
Also, on page S30, the line, “The regular entry and URM programs are mutually exclusive” should read, “The regular entry and HAM programs are mutually exclusive.”
References
1. Korn SL, Stagnaro-Green A, Rose S. The dean's letter summary statement: valuing scholarship, leadership, and academic achievement. Acad Med. 2001;76(suppl 10):S30–S32.
