Congratulations are in order: you made it into the Florida State University College of Medicine, and that's no mean feat. Unfortunately, things only get tougher from here. And it's not just about grades. Sure, you've got to perform academically. You can wind up being dismissed from your program for plenty of other reasons, too, though. Cheat on an exam, sexually harass a classmate, or violate patient confidentiality, and you could quickly find yourself looking for a new career path.
The fact is you will make mistakes. That's what students do—even med students. How else are you supposed to learn if you don't screw a few things up? The question isn't whether you'll make mistakes but rather how you'll respond when you do.
The Lento Law Firm can help. We know how hard you've worked to get to this point, and we know that a mistake or two doesn't define you and your abilities. Any time someone calls those abilities into question, we're here and ready to defend you. We know the FSU College of Medicine system and how it operates, and we're ready to use what we know to safeguard your rights and ensure you have every opportunity to earn your degree.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
You have two basic responsibilities as a medical student: master the knowledge and practice of medicine and develop the habits of professionalism. Failure in regards to either responsibility can lead to dismissal from the FSU College of Medicine.
- Academics: The College of Medicine wants you to succeed, and in most circumstances faculty and administrators will work with you to keep you on track academically. Should you struggle in a course, you'll normally be assigned a remediation plan or, in more serious cases, required to repeat a year. The school's patience is not endless, though. Sustained, continued academic difficulties can get you placed on probation or dismissed entirely. The Student Handbook, for example, notes that two or more failures in a course block or clerkship are grounds for dismissal.
- Professional Misconduct: Medical schools have far less patience when it comes to issues of professionalism. This means abiding by the school's Honor Code and Code of Conduct, following federal Title IX guidelines concerning sexual misconduct, communicating effectively with colleagues and patients, treating others with respect, performing all your duties in a timely fashion, and investing in professional development. Share a patient record online or plagiarize a course paper, and you could certainly face dismissal. In fact, even your personal behaviors are subject to scrutiny. An allegation of domestic violence, or a DUI, can also be enough to get you dismissed.
While general university violations—such as violations of the Code of Conduct or sexual misconduct offenses—may be subject to university discipline under the Florida State Department of Student Conduct and Community Standards, your more immediate concern is satisfying the medical school's Student Evaluation and Promotion Committee (SEPC). This committee meets at the end of each grading period and at other times as necessary to consider every individual student's academic and professional progress. Ultimately, it is this committee that determines whether or not you should be dismissed from the program.
Fighting Dismissal
You have limited rights at the FSU College of Medicine when it comes to challenging a dismissal decision. Again, all such decisions are in the hands of the SEPC, which meets in closed-door sessions to make its initial determinations. You can appeal a dismissal to the Dean. Your appeal must be in writing, and it must be filed within one week of receiving the initial decision.
Once you've filed an appeal, the Dean forms a Special Committee made up of three faculty who were not involved in the original decision. According to the Handbook, this committee meets on its own to review the specifics of the case and decide whether or not to recommend the Dean accept your appeal. While your appeal will obviously contain the specifics of your argument and any documentary evidence, including witness testimony, the process description suggests that there is no hearing and that you are given no opportunity to address the committee yourself.
Given these limitations, how can an attorney help with your dismissal defense? For starters, someone from the Lento Law Firm can review your case and help you come up with an argument on which to base your appeal. Additionally, they can work with you to collect and organize evidence. They can help you draft the appeal itself so that all of your arguments are clearly expressed.
Most importantly, though, an attorney from the Lento Law Firm can monitor your case and make sure the College of Medicine treats you fairly and respects all your rights. That can be crucial when a school seems to be limiting your due process rights.
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 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 can do for you. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686 or use our automated online form.
