New Hampshire is home to one medical school: Dartmouth College Geisel School of Medicine in Hanover. Like other medical schools in America, their main goal is to train physicians with not only excellent medical knowledge but a comforting bedside manner and cleverness. With such high standards, some students may feel like they are being crushed by the pressure of it all and struggle to meet them. But don't fret, there are several ways to advocate for yourself, and an attorney-advisor can show you how.
Academic and Professionalism Policies for New Hampshire Medical Students
At the beginning of the new school year, medical students are given a fresh student handbook that outlines all of the expectations and guidelines they are to follow. These rules generally cover academic and professional behavior, but the specifics will change from school to school.
If your school is like Dartmouth College’s School of Medicine, it will probably ask you to refrain from academic misconduct like cheating and plagiarizing, avoid treating patients without the necessary training, and maintain patient confidentiality.
When the medical school establishes that a student has violated one or more of these rules, they will refer the student to the proper hearing committee. This committee will review the issue, hear the student's side of the story, and decide whether to sanction the student, create a remediation plan for them, or dismiss them from the program. Sanctions may include anything from a warning letter to suspension. It is important to have a solid defense during these proceedings. An attorney advisor will ensure you the best possible outcome by creating such a defense.
Remediation at New Hampshire Medical Schools
The job of medical schools is to train physicians with the skills to take care of their immediate communities. Those needs will change, as will the intentions of physicians when they leave medical school. As such, medical schools will broaden their expectations, hoping to create doctors that will do well in any situation, in any community.
To produce such competent physicians, Dartmouth College tests its students regularly on both their medical knowledge and their professional capabilities. If the faculty or clinical staff notice a student struggling with their work such that it is affecting their grades, they will refer the student to the Associate Dean. The Dean will then recommend the student to a coach to create a Professional Growth Plan. The student will follow this plan until the coach and Dean determine that the student is ready to be placed back into the module or year with their classmates. In some instances, though, remediation can push the student's graduation date back.
While most medical schools have policies governing remediation, some schools still overlook it as a viable option to help their overwhelmed student. If you feel like your medical school is dropping the ball when it comes to your education, an attorney advisor will be able to reach out to the university and advocate on your behalf.
Dismissal From a New Hampshire Medical Program
At the end of every semester or year, a particular committee will sit down and review every medical student's file to determine if they are ready to advance to the next year or module. If they find that a student has consistently failed a course (even after remediation), is struggling to keep up in their clinicals, or has behaved inappropriately (whether academically or professionally), they will recommend the student be dismissed from the program.
It is very important to have a solid defense for a dismissal proceeding as untimely dismissals can cause serious harm to your future prospects. For instance, medical schools are highly competitive, and if another school finds out why you were dismissed, they may close their prospective student pool to you. Additionally, without a doctor's salary to look forward to, you might find it hard to pay back your student loans or take out more loans to study for another career path. Attorney advisors are your best chance to avoid these negative consequences.
Appeals
Medical schools are supposed to provide their students with specific due process rights. These rights include being able to ask for grade changes or a remediation plan, getting to face your accuser when adjudicating a disciplinary case, defending yourself by presenting evidence or witnesses during any type of proceeding and appealing a decision made during the hearing.
If your medical school has ultimately decided to dismiss you from the program, you will also have the right to appeal the decision. The notification of their decision will include an appeals process: who to submit the appeal to, what to include, and what date it must be submitted by.
An appeal is your last chance to maintain your dream of becoming a physician in New Hampshire. But if filing an appeal is too intimidating, contact an attorney advisor today. Attorney advisors will make sure the appeal is filed appropriately to give you peace of mind.
Additionally, if your appeal is denied, an attorney advisor can help you navigate alternative resolutions. They will not rest until they have exhausted every opportunity to preserve your dream of becoming a doctor. For instance, they can contact the Office of General Counsel at your medical school and attempt to negotiate on your behalf. Most of the time, these discussions are garner a more positive result than a traditional lawsuit might be.
New Hampshire Medical Student Defense Advisor
Preparing for a disciplinary, remediation, or dismissal proceeding at your medical school can feel very overwhelming. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has dedicated his career to helping medical school students navigate these complex proceedings, effectively preserving their dream of becoming a physician. He and the expert team at the Lento Law Firm know that the best defense is a quick defense. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to discuss your case or schedule a time online.
