Let's be clear: you're not just any medical student. You're a student at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. That comes with a heavy dose of prestige. It also comes with an enormous amount of pressure. Johns Hopkins doesn't mess about. If you can't keep up academically or don't know how to treat patients with respect, you can quickly find yourself dismissed and looking for another career.
Here's the thing: even JHU students make mistakes. You're not a doctor yet. As bright as you may be, you're still learning how to be a doctor, and that means you're going to struggle from time to time. It happens to everyone. The goal isn't avoiding mistakes during medical school; it's learning how to rise above them.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is here to help with that process. We know what JHU expects of you; we know what can lead to dismissal, and we know how to defend you when you find yourself in trouble. Our philosophy is that mistakes shouldn't cost you your opportunity to earn your degree and go on to a successful career in medicine. We believe in you and your potential, and we don't want anything to stand in the way of you realizing it. You can trust us to make sure your school treats you fairly no matter what and that you get the best possible resolution to your case.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
As a starting point, it's useful to have some idea of just what can get you dismissed at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. Of course, like any other student at the university, you're required to follow university policies regarding academic integrity. Likewise, you're expected to abide by the general Student Conduct Code. And you must adhere to the school's Title IX sexual misconduct policy. Any violation of these policies can result in dismissal.
In addition, though, the School of Medicine holds you to strict standards of academic performance and professional conduct.
- Academics: As a medical student, you're expected to meet high expectations in the classroom and during clinical studies. The school's Medical Students Promotion Committee (MSPC) meets regularly to review your progress. A failed exam or a failed course usually means you'll need to complete a remediation plan to get back on track. If you should fail multiple courses in a term, though, or if you struggle consistently every term, you can also be placed on Academic Probation or Dismissed from the program altogether.
- Professional Misconduct: Doctors are expected to have the highest ethical and professional principles, and JHU holds you accountable for mastering those quickly. Violating doctor-patient confidentiality, treating a colleague rudely, or forging documentation can all get you dismissed. In fact, even personal conduct that has nothing to do with the program can get you into serious trouble. A DUI, for example, or a domestic abuse complaint is usually enough to trigger MSPC proceedings.
Fighting Dismissal
An accusation—whether of academic deficiencies or professional misconduct—doesn't have to mean the end of your academic career. The Johns Hopkins School of Medicine gives you the right to respond to accusations, and the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm is here to help you through that process.
The JHU School of Medicine doesn't publish its judicial procedures online. Here's what you can expect, though.
- Academic failure is usually a matter of fact. As a result, in cases of academic deficiencies, the MSPC meets in closed-door meetings to determine whether or not to dismiss you. Normally, you're not allowed to address this committee or even to submit a statement in your own defense. You can appeal a dismissal decision, but only under certain conditions, including a disproportionate sanction, the discovery of new evidence, or an error in the procedural process.
- In cases of professional misconduct, on the other hand, the MSPC ordinarily allows you to respond to the charges in person. You may offer evidence, and you may call witnesses to testify on your behalf. In these cases, the burden is normally placed on the Complainant (your accuser) to demonstrate you are Responsible for (guilty of) an offense. Here again, you may appeal the MSPC's decisions, but grounds for appeal are strictly limited.
You'll find that university cases—whether the accusation is academic, disciplinary, or sexual in nature—work much the same as professional misconduct cases at the School of Medicine. That is, you have the chance to defend yourself at a hearing, to submit evidence, and to cross-examine witnesses.
You should know that, except in Title IX cases, Johns Hopkins doesn't allow you to bring an attorney with you to investigative meetings or official hearings. This includes School of Medicine cases. That doesn't mean you shouldn't consult with an attorney about your case. In fact, a Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team attorney can be crucial to putting together your defense. Even if they can't accompany you to proceedings, they can help you craft a strategy, gather and organize evidence, and prepare to present your case. The bottom line is that the JHU judicial system is too complex, and there's too much at stake to try to handle a dismissal case on your own.
Fighting for Your Future
Make no mistake: if you're facing dismissal, everything is on the line. You've worked for many years to get to this point. You earned an undergraduate degree; you spent dozens, maybe hundreds of hours studying for the MCAT; you filled out applications, convinced referees to write on your behalf, and sat through demanding interviews. The threat of dismissal puts all of that in jeopardy. It means having to look for a new career. It means having to pay back thousands of dollars in student loans without a medical degree to help you do it.
There's simply too much on the line to go into this situation alone. Judicial rules and procedures can be complex, and your school is not on your side in this instance. You need someone who is, someone who has your best interests at heart and who is willing to fight for those interests. You want an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team was built to help students. The firm's attorneys know the law as it applies to education. They also know how campus judicial systems work. They're highly experienced with all aspects of investigation, adjudication, and appeals processes and have helped hundreds of students just like you get the justice they deserve.
If you're facing disciplinary action, don't wait to see what might happen. Find out exactly what the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can do for you. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
