EAA081 UTRGV SOM Student Professionalism Policy

Policy Number: EAA081
Policy Title: UTRGV SOM Student Professionalism Policy

A. Purpose

Professionalism is the basis of medicine's contract with society and a core competency in medical education. This policy describes fundamental principles and a set of professional responsibilities and expectations to which all students are required to subscribe.

B. Persons Affected

This policy will cover all students participating in the UTRGV SOM curriculum.

C. Authority and Responsibilities

The Central Curricular Authority Committee (CCAC), the central authority responsible for the overall design, management, and evaluation of the curriculum through appropriate subcommittees, monitors and evaluates the effectiveness of the medical curriculum. The standards for student professional conduct are established and governed by the CCAC and monitored by the Office of Student Affairs (OSA) and the Medical Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee (MSEPC) which makes the final decisions regarding remediation and promotion which include student adherence to professional conduct policies and guidelines.

D. Definitions

MSEPC: The MSEPC is charged with the review of the academic progress and professional development of each student during all components of the four-year medical education program. The MSEPC makes all recommendations to the dean and his/her delegates for promotion of students throughout the four years and ultimately for graduation. Only those candidates who have satisfactorily completed all requirements and demonstrated the professional conduct appropriate for a physician can graduate from the UTRGV SOM.
OSA: In addition to its many other student-related responsibilities, the OSA is responsible for investigating and addressing any issues related to professional misconduct by students.
Professionalism: See Appendix B for the UTRGV School of Medicine Student Professionalism Evaluation Early Concern Note which describes three areas for evaluating student professionalism: Integrity and Personal Responsibility, Motivation to Pursuit of Excellence and Insight for Self-Improvement, and Personal Interactions - Compassion and Respect.

E. Policy

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) School of Medicine (SOM) students are expected to maintain the highest standards of professional and ethical conduct. Medical students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner in interactions not only with patients, but also with peers, faculty, and staff of the UTRGV SOM and the broader community. The UTRGV SOM has written expectations regarding professional conduct (See Appendix B). In addition, medical students are governed by the Medical Students Code of Professional Conduct in the SOM (Appendix C). This policy includes a mechanism for early identification, counseling, and remediation of problematic behaviors of students throughout the four-year curriculum. Some student behaviors, such as academic dishonesty and unlawful behavior are managed under the University's disciplinary process and are not a part of this policy.

F. Procedure

Options for Reporting Concerns About a Student's Professional Behavior

Concerns about a student's professional behavior may be either:
1. directly observed or otherwise noted by a SOM module, clerkship or course director; or
2. directly observed or otherwise noted by other module, clerkship or course faculty or staff with whom the student interacts.
A module, clerkship or course director who either directly experiences, or receives a report of potentially unprofessional behavior is encouraged to discuss the concerns directly with the student, and has the options of
1. including professionalism concerns in the student's formal module, clerkship or course evaluation; or
2. submitting an Early Concern Note; or
3. including professionalism concerns in the student's evaluation and submitting an Early Concern Note; or
4. determining that no action is indicated.
Individuals other than module, clerkship or course directors who are concerned about a student's behavior are encouraged to discuss the concerns directly with the student. If the individual feels uncomfortable with such a discussion, or believes the behavior warrants further review, they should discuss their concerns directly with the student's course/clerkship director and/or submit an Early Concern Note.
Upon receipt of an Early Concern Note regarding a student, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee will meet with the student to discuss the report, and will make recommendations to the student regarding appropriate intervention, which are not binding. The student will be encouraged to write a response to the report, which will be maintained with the Early Concern Note for future reference.
Early Concern Notes are not anonymous. For this reason, those who submit an Early Concern Note are strongly urged to review their concerns personally with the student at the time the note is submitted. Early Concern Notes are confidential (their contents are shared only with the person initiating the report and the student), except as described in (7) and (8) below.

Consequences of Early Concern Notes
The first Early Concern Note received by a student during medical school enrollment will result in a private discussion between the student and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee, and the potential for voluntary referral and counseling. No further action will be taken unless the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee determines that, in his/her judgment, urgent intervention is indicated for the protection of the student or others.
A second Early Concern Note received by a student during medical school enrollment will result in a report of both Early Concern Notes (and any student written responses) by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee to the School of Medicine Academic Affair s Operations Committee, members of which will meet with the student to discuss the Early Concern Notes. No further action will be taken unless the Academic Affairs Operations Committee determines that, in its judgment, urgent intervention is indicated for the protection of the student or others.
A third or subsequent Early Concern Note received by a student during medical school enrollment will result in one or more of the following:
1. a report of all Early Concern Notes (and any student written responses) by the Associate Dean of Student Affairs or his/her designee to the Medical Student Evaluation and Promotions Committee (MSEPC);
2. the student appearing before the MSEPC for a dismissal hearing, absent extenuating circumstances, to discuss the Early Concern Notes;
3. action as determined by the MSEPC, including dismissal or alternative action; the MSEPC may also choose to take no action;
4. if MSEPC action is taken, a notation of the Early Concern Notes and any MSEPC action will be included in the student's MSPE; and
5. inclusion of a professionalism remediation program, if prescribed, on the student's transcript.

Appendix A

Applicable LCME Standard

3.5 Learning Environment/Professionalism

A medical school ensures that the learning environment of its medical education program is conducive to the ongoing development of explicit and appropriate professional behaviors in its medical students, faculty, and staff at all locations and is one in which all individuals are treated with respect. The medical school and its clinical affiliates share the responsibility for periodic evaluation of the learning environment in order to identify positive and negative influences on the maintenance of professional standards, develop and conduct appropriate strategies to enhance positive and mitigate negative influences, and identify and promptly correct violations of professional standards.

Appendix B

UTRGV School of Medicine Student Professionalism Evaluation Early Concern Note
For Use by SOM Module, Clerkship and Course Directors, Faculty and Staff

Appendix C

Medical Students Code of Professional Conduct

Preamble

The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley School of Medicine's Honor Code requires that medical students live honestly, advance on individual merit, and demonstrate respect for others. UTRGV SOM subscribes to the highest Code of Professional Conduct. Our aim is professional behavior beyond reproach. In particular, we subscribe to the following points of conduct.

Code

A. I will promote and maintain an honest and effective learning environment. I will:

Do my part to ensure that the environment promotes acquisition of knowledge and mastery of skills;
Not tolerate harassment, flagrant disruption of the learning process, demeaning language or visual aids, disrespectful behavior, or lack of respect for life and living things;
Exhibit the highest Code of Professional Conduct, honesty, and professionalism;
Identify and report those who exhibit academic or professional misconduct; and
Appreciate each individual as a person of value and help maintain dignity during the learning process.

B. I will place primary emphasis on the health and welfare of patients. I will:

Attain and maintain the most current knowledge in the healing arts and the skill to apply that knowledge,
Display respect and compassion for each patient,
Foster and preserve the trust that exists between professional and patient,
Respect and maintain the confidentiality of the patient, and
Let no patient in whose care I participate suffer physically or emotionally as a consequence of unprofessional behavior by myself or others.

C. I will conduct myself at all times in a professional manner. I will:

Exhibit honesty, openness, and evenhandedness in dealing with others;
Maintain my personal hygiene and appearance in such a way that it does not interfere with my ability to communicate with patients, colleagues, or community;
Not engage in language or behavior which is disrespectful, abusive, or insulting;
Take responsibility for my actions, acknowledge my limitations, and ask for assistance when needed;
Assure the welfare of others is not compromised as a result of my inadequacy or impairment;
Not be deceitful or self-serving;
Achieve satisfactory balance in personal, community, and professional activities;
Not allow personal conflicts to interfere with objectivity in relationships with colleagues or patients;
Accommodate a fellow professional's request for my knowledge and expertise;
Refrain from the manifestation of bias, including sexual, marital, racial, ethnic, or cultural harassment;
Support my fellow professionals if they should falter; and
Identify colleagues whose ability to provide care is impaired, support them as they seek rehabilitation, and help them to reintegrate into the medical community.

Dates Reviewed or Amended

Approved by the Central Curricular Authority Committee (CCAC) on June 27, 2018.

Approved by the Medical Student and Promotion Committee on July 18, 2018.

Approved by the Dean/Chief Academic Officer on September 27, 2018.