You made the right choice when it came to picking a medical school. FIU's Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine has a reputation for excellence. Among its many outstanding achievements, the HWFCOM boasts a match rate of 100 percent.
Of course, there's a price to pay for a degree from an elite program, and we're not just talking about student loan debt. The more impressive the medical school, the more demanding the curriculum. Yes, your HWCOM diploma will be valuable when all is said and done, but earning it is going to require you to meet the highest standards of academic and professional excellence.
Of course, no one is perfect, not even doctors. And you're not quite a doctor just yet. You're going to make mistakes. How do you make sure that they don't cost you your spot at HWCOM?
At the first sign of trouble, you turn to the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm have the background and experience to deal with any issues you might face as a medical student. They know the law as it applies to education, but just as important, they know the HWCOM system. They know who to talk to when you run into a problem and what to say. And, when called on, they can also be fierce in standing up for your rights.
Medical school is never easy, but you don't have to get through it alone. The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team is here to help.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
Let's start with the basics: Just what is it that can get you dismissed at HWCOM? Knowing that will help you stay out of trouble in the first place, but it can also be crucial in building your defense. You can't hope to prove your innocence until you know exactly what charges you're facing.
Medical students are typically dismissed for one of two reasons: either they're struggling academically or they've committed some form of misconduct.
- Academics: As you might expect, HWCOM maintains strict academic standards designed to ensure that no one obtains a medical degree unless they are fully trained. Fail any single course, for example, and you can expect the school to assign you a remediation program. Two-course failures or a single clinical failure is cause for review by the Medical Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee (MSEPC). In addition to assigning remediation, the MSEPC has the power to place students on academic probation or to issue more serious sanctions, including suspension and dismissal.
- General Misconduct: Just like any other university student, you're expected to abide by basic disciplinary rules. That includes adhering to the HWCOM Student Conduct and Honor Code. The Code prohibits academic dishonesty, such as cheating and plagiarism, as well as more general misconduct, such as theft and vandalism. Allegations are handled by FIU's Student Conduct and Academic Integrity office, and any violation can potentially result in dismissal. In addition, you are subject to federal Title IX regulations regarding sexual discrimination and harassment. Sexual misconduct allegations are under the purview of the university's Title IX Coordinator and are almost always grounds for dismissal.
- Professionalism: Finally, you're also expected to meet the school's standards of ethics and professionalism. That means learning to work as part of a team; it means placing patient care above all other concerns; it means always respecting patient confidentiality. As with academic concerns, issues of professionalism are handled by the MSEPC.
Appealing Dismissal
Academic struggles and misconduct accusations don't have to be a death sentence. You always have the right to defend yourself and your record. How you go about doing that, though, will depend on the specific nature of the charges against you.
- General Misconduct: If you've been accused of academic, disciplinary, or sexual misconduct, you're entitled to a thorough investigation and the chance to make your case at a formal hearing. As part of the process, you may submit evidence, call witnesses, and cross-examine any witnesses against you. You also have the right to an advisor, and this advisor can be an attorney. A Lento Law Firm attorney can't speak on your behalf, but they can accompany you to all meetings and proceedings and offer advice throughout.
- Academic Deficiencies: The MSEPC holds hearings into all academic dismissals. In most cases, these hearings are conducted in private, and students are rarely invited to speak. However, you may submit a statement as well as documents in support of your abilities. Further, you can appeal an adverse decision if new evidence should arise, if you feel you were denied your due process rights, or if the dismissal sanction seems disproportionate to the offense.
- Professional Misconduct: In contrast to academic dismissal hearings, you are usually allowed to make your case in full at an MSEPC professional misconduct hearing. As with general misconduct cases at the university level, you also have the right to bring an attorney to these hearings, though the attorney's role is strictly advisory.
Campus judicial procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate. In some cases, you may be subject to investigations and hearings from multiple disciplinary bodies. A Responsible finding at a university hearing, for example, assures you'll face an additional hearing with the MSEPC. In short, you need the very best help you can find: an attorney who has experience representing medical students and who is well-versed in how to protect your rights. You need someone from the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team.
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 Team.
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.
