Southern Illinois University's medical school came to be in 1968 at the Illinois Board of Education's recommendation. Nowadays, the medical school hosts 280 students per year, teaching a new generation the ins and outs of the healthcare industry.
Students who attend Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are held to a rigorous standard. These students must perform professionally and academically if they want to succeed in their fields. Students who struggle in class or fail to meet the school's expectations may face unexpected consequences.
Abrupt decisions, ranging from remediation to dismissals, made by university representatives trying to protect their school's reputation can be devastating to a student's career. That's why attorney-advisors work with students to address allegations of misconduct.
Professionalism Standards at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine
The professionalism standards at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine don't just apply to students' academic standing. Students are expected to represent the university when interacting with professionals in the medical field. The honor code established by the medical school, as such, outlines behaviors deemed unacceptable for the students to engage in while attending the university. Violating these standards would reflect poorly on Southern Illinois University and can make it more difficult for students to get residencies and jobs in their preferred fields.
With that in mind, Southern Illinois University School of Medicine expects its students to:
- Put the well-being of patients above their own self-interest;
- Act altruistically towards others;
- Hold one another accountable both in school and in a professional setting;
- Commit to a lifetime of service;
- Conduct themselves with honor and integrity;
- Hold an active respect towards each other, their professionals, university staff, and their professional peers.
With that in mind, students who engage in poor-taste relations with their classmates or peers may face professional consequences. Incidents of sexual misconduct can also result in sanctions.
Beyond this, the university outlines what behaviors in the classroom may merit sanctions, remediation, and dismissal. Students are strongly discouraged from plagiarizing, self-plagiarizing, defacing university property, cheating in any form, or inappropriately interacting with university materials. The aforementioned materials can range from cadavers to the answers for final exams.
Remediation
Students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine are encouraged to keep up with their studies. Those who start to fall behind may have to meet with the Student Progress Committee.
The Student Progress Committee comes together at the end of each semester to assess the success of each student participating in the university's medical program. If a student noticeably falls behind in their classes, either due to lack of attendance or a misunderstanding of the material, then that student will have to explain their negligence.
After an initial meeting, the clerkship director with the Student Progress Meeting will help the student craft a remediation plan. In this plan, the student will outline the different ways through which they can improve their skills, clinical reasoning, and on-campus behaviors. The clerkship director will encourage them to write out corrective measures, which the student will then be expected to pursue.
Students can enter remediation programs due either to academic or professional decline. Those students who fail to raise their grades or address their behaviors can face more serious consequences for their actions.
Disciplinary Action
Students who cannot adequately attend to their plans for remediation may undergo a general misconduct administrative conference. During this time, students will meet with the appropriate administrators to discuss their behavior, academic or otherwise, and the evidence surrounding their lack of success.
Attending students will have the opportunity, at this time, to request details about the allegations brought against them and to argue their position in response to those allegations. Students may have an attorney-advisor present during these conferences and are, in fact, encouraged to meet with representatives to better understand their cases.
During the conference process, the administration will address first the complaint registered against the student and then the student's defense. They will also reference witness statements and other physical evidence of a student's alleged misconduct.
At the conclusion of a conference, the administration will notify students as to what consequences, if any, they may face for their behaviors. Both academic and general misconduct can result in:
- Written warnings
- Probation
- Altering a student's housing status
- Required attendance at a workshop or class
- Community service
- Fines
- Mandatory program sponsorships
- Restitution
- Restricted privileges on campus
- Suspension
Under extreme circumstances, students may even face dismissal from Southern Illinois University School of Medicine. Students facing dismissal will be barred from the university's premises and will have a note regarding said dismissal marked on their transcript.
Appealing Sanctions
Every student has the right to appeal the decisions made regarding their behavior or grades after an administrative conference. Interested students have three days after learning about their approved sanctions to file the appropriate paperwork with the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities. Afterward, it will be up to the Dean of Students or another designee to determine whether or not the appeal moves forward.
The only variation on these rules appears when the student in question has faced allegations of sexual misconduct.
Overcoming Remediation and Accusations of Unprofessional Behavior with an Attorney-Advisor
A medical school's curriculum places students under a lot of stress. Students are expected not only to perform well in the classroom but to represent their universities out in the professional world. Failure to uphold a university's standards can result not only in poor reception on campus but in professional environments, too.
Students who leave a university like Southern Illinois University's School of Medicine with sanctions on their record can have a harder time starting their careers. Students facing dismissals may even struggle to get accepted into other medical programs.
That's why attorney Joseph D. Lento and the Lento Law Firm are dedicated to helping medical students avoid missteps on their journey to become doctors. The Firm's team can help break through the legal jargon surrounding a university's code of conduct. In turn, students can discuss their allegations with experienced professionals and learn more about their opportunities to respond.
Students or families interested in discussing academic challenges or allegations of misconduct with attorney Joseph D. Lento don't have to wait. Schedule a case consultation with the Lento Law Firm by calling 888-535-3686 or by filling out the Firm's online form.
