If you're in medical school, you already know just how high the expectations are. You've got to meet crazy standards in the classroom. You also have to maintain personal and professional standards that are beyond reproach. One inappropriate comment can get you into trouble. Have a bad day and mistreat a patient, and you could be looking for a new career. That's an enormous amount of pressure for anyone to be under.
How do you handle it? Well, you don't have to handle it all on your own. The Lento Law Firm is here to help. We're experienced litigators, seasoned defense attorneys with years of experience. We don't just apply that experience in the courtroom, though. The Lento Law Firm was built to help students—to help them get fair treatment from their schools and to protect them any time they're facing a serious disciplinary sanction like dismissal. We know the law, but we also know how your school functions, and we're prepared to use what we know to secure your future.
If you've got a problem, if someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal to you, you can't afford to take the situation lightly. Call 888-535-3686 or tell us about your situation here, and find out just what we can do to help.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
Medical school dismissals only happen for one of two reasons. If you're facing the threat of dismissal, it means either you're struggling to meet academic requirements, or you've been accused of committing some form of misconduct.
- Academic Deficiencies: UCI School of Medicine's Academic Standing policy is quite clear on what qualifies for dismissal. That list includes
- Three individual course or clerkship failures
- Failure to successfully repeat a course or clerkship after a failure
- Failure to successfully complete the medical school's CPX
- Failure to meet school requirements for passing Step 1 and Step 2 CK of the USMLE
- Misconduct: You can also be dismissed for a variety of misconduct violations. In fact, while you can recover from a failed course or even two, one serious conduct offense can be enough to end your career. In terms of conduct, the School of Medicine holds you to several specific expectations.
- You must avoid all forms of academic dishonesty
- You must practice ethical and professional behavior in patient settings
- You must abide by the school's Alcohol and Substance Abuse policy
- You must abide by the university's Code of Student Conduct
- You must not violate any state or federal law
All promotion decisions regarding both academics and student conduct are in the hands of the School of Medicine's Committee on Promotions and Honors. This committee meets regularly to review student progress and on an ad hoc basis to address disciplinary issues. It has the power to issue sanctions up to and including dismissal.
Fighting Dismissal
All student issues, whether academic or disciplinary, are handled in the same basic way. As part of the process, you have a number of important rights. Here's an outline of the process.
- The Associate Dean for Clinical Science Education or their designee receives complaints.
- You should be notified that you are under investigation. This notice should include a detailed explanation of the offense along with a list of your rights.
- The Associate Dean for CSE then conducts a full investigation into the matter. As part of this investigation, you're invited to provide a response. The Dean also collects any physical evidence, reviews all documents relevant to the case, and interviews any witnesses.
- The Dean submits a written report of their findings, and this becomes the foundation for the next phase of the case: a hearing before the Committee on Promotions and Honors.
- At the hearing, you may make opening and closing statements, submit evidence, and call witnesses to testify. You may also raise questions for any witnesses against you. Importantly, you have the right during the hearing to legal representation at your own expense. This means someone from the Lento Law Firm can conduct your entire defense on your behalf.
- The Committee bases its decision on a legal standard known as “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, members must find you “Responsible” (guilty) if they believe it is “more likely than not” that you violated policy.
- Finally, you may appeal dismissal decisions to the Dean of the School of Medicine. However, grounds for appeal are limited to
- Whether the record contained sufficient information to render a dismissal decision
- Whether any new evidence might exonerate you
Defending yourself during a formal investigation and hearing can be a daunting prospect. It's not just that you must build your case—develop a defense strategy, organize evidence, and come up with effective questions for witnesses—you must also deliver arguments, navigate judicial procedures, and make decisions as to how and when to use your due process rights.
The UCI School of Medicine allows you representation by an attorney for a reason: you need a professional to guide you through the process and make sure you're treated fairly. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm will stand beside you every step of the way, from the moment you're charged, through the investigation and hearing, until your last appeal is exhausted.
Fighting for Your Future
If you're facing dismissal, you need to know that 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. Our Student Defense Team is highly experienced with all aspects of investigation, adjudication, and appeals processes and has 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 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
