The Frank H. Netter M.D. School of Medicine at Quinnipiac University (Netter) is a relatively new medical school established in 2010. Among the highlights of this institution are the low student-to-staff ratio and Netter's emphasis on early clinical exposure from the first year or enrollment. In addition, the student-centric, collaborative environment helps students thrive personally and academically, opening doors to multiple career and specialization options upon graduation.
Medical students at Netter must meet academic progression requirements and also must abide by the Student Conduct and Community standards at Quinnipiac University or face potential consequences, including penalties and sanctions. Although students may struggle academically at times or make professionalism mistakes, some issues and violations have severe consequences that include temporary or permanent dismissal.
Without the help of an attorney-advisor, medical students face investigations and panels alone. As a result, they may experience procedural errors, bias, or unfair treatment during conduct meetings and the investigation process.
Student Conduct and Community Standards
Netter's Student Code of Conduct maintains that students who fail to abide by the institution's policies risk facing disciplinary action. The policies outlined in the Student Handbook apply to graduate and undergraduate students at Netter. The handbook details what actions constitute violations and list the procedures Netter takes to deal with infarctions.
When a violation occurs, Netter's Public Safety Department and the Dean of Students Office review the incident report. Then, depending on the offense, the administration may investigate the incident and request a meeting with the student through the conduct officer. Netter holds the conduct meeting regardless of whether the student attends.
As per Netter policy, the institution informs students of all procedures and information regarding the alleged violation. After the conduct meeting ends, students receive notice of the recommended sanctions. Students have the right to appeal the conduct meeting's decision. As for sanctions, they include dismissal, expulsion, and campus restriction for egregious violations.
Remediation
Mastery of coursework and material is as essential as maintaining professional conduct and ethics. Students who cannot perform well academically will not have the ability to work with patients and care for their health. To protect future patients and ensure that students perform well, students must remain in good academic standing or face dismissal. Fortunately, students do have a chance to appeal their grades and improve their performance through remediation.
Student performance undergoes review on a case-by-case basis. Those who do not meet academic requirements must undergo remediation before the end of the semester evaluation process to progress to the next phase of their curriculum. Remediation may be a challenging and burdensome requirement for medical students already juggling heavy coursework and personal issues. However, remediation is the only option for students if they want to continue their programs despite the temporary addition of responsibilities.
Expulsion from Netter
For severe violations and chronic academic underperformance, Netter reserves the right to expel students. Medical students face a series of complications in their professional and educational paths if they have an expulsion charge on their transcript. Some of these issues include:
- Reenrollment Obstacles: Admissions officers are particular about the applications they choose and review them carefully to select the most promising talent. Students with an expulsion have a low chance of acceptance in a prestigious medical school. Instead, they may have to settle with a less-than-desirable program in another country.
- Reputation Damage: Permanent dismissal comes with reputation damage that transcends educational endeavors and spills into a student's professional life. Some students may not recover from the harm that an expulsion charge incurs, especially if it was due to professional violations.
- Loss of Time and Effort: Medical students who manage to find another program cannot pick up where they left off. Instead, they must repeat the program from the beginning and lose years of time and effort to pursue their dream.
- Financial Burdens: Expelled students lose their scholarships, still have to pay off their loans, and must deal with unexpected out-of-pocket expenses. After an expulsion charge, student debt skyrockets and can take years to pay off.
- Reduced Morale: With the pressure of an expulsion charge and the stress it incurs, some students lose hope and morale. Instead of pursuing a medical degree, they choose another major due to difficulties finding placement in another program.
Medical students at Netter have the right to appeal an expulsion charge due to its life-altering consequences. However, appeals only receive approval under two conditions. The first is if the student has new evidence that changes the outcome of the case. The second is if procedural errors prevented the student from their right to a fair investigation.
An attorney-advisor cannot be present during a conduct meeting, only an adviser from Netter. However, the guidance of an attorney-advisor can help students both before the conduct meeting and during the appeal process. With the right defense strategy and evidence, a student's chances of a favorable case outcome increase.
Hiring an Attorney-Advisor
Medical students work tirelessly to become doctors and take pride in their work. However, challenges occur and mistakes do happen, especially considering the significant amount of pressure they face. Moreover, procedural errors and bias are not uncommon, incurring an unfair dismissal that is not the student's fault.
Students shouldn't attend a conduct meeting unprepared, unassuming, and alone. Instead, they need the help of an experienced attorney-advisor like Joseph D. Lento to fight harmful allegations that can potentially destroy their future medical career.
An attorney-advisor understands the challenges that medical students face and the processes of conduct meetings. With the right strategy and support, students can fight for their right to remain at medical school and decrease the likelihood of a dismissal or expulsion. Academic underperformance and professionalism concerns are serious charges – students must address them head-on to increase the chances of a favorable administrative decision.
If you or a loved one receive notice of a professional misconduct violation or face consequences due to academic underperformance, including the prospect of dismissal, act now. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has helped hundreds of medical students across the nation overcome potential setbacks on their journey to becoming doctors and he can do the same for you. Call the Lento Law Firm today for a consultation at 888-535-3686.
