Colleges and universities take academic misconduct seriously. Medical schools can be downright draconian about it. To be fair, no one wants to worry about whether or not their doctor actually learned how to attend to the human body. There's a reason schools like the University of Indiana School of Medicine (IUSM) don't let you copy off of other med students' papers.
The thing is—everyone makes mistakes. Even aspiring physicians. When a school is overly zealous about enforcing its policies, perfectly innocent students can find themselves in trouble, too.
The Lento Law Firm is committed to the idea that a mistake should cost you your opportunity at a medical degree. And we certainly don't believe innocent students should pay for mistakes they didn't actually make. Our Student Defense Team knows your rights, and we know how the IUSM judicial system works. No matter your situation, you can count on us to use every resource at our disposal to get you a fair and just resolution to your case.
We've helped hundreds of students fight charges their schools have leveled against them. We can help you to do the same. Call 888-535-3686 to find what we can do, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Rules of Academic Misconduct
Your undergraduate college had an academic integrity policy. Your high school likely did as well. The rules, now that you're a medical student, are roughly the same.
Generally speaking, you are expected to earn your degree honestly and to take no action that could even potentially give you an unfair advantage in the classroom. That includes:
- Cheating: The use of any unauthorized materials—from cheat sheets to other students—to complete your work.
- Plagiarism: The attempt to pass off another person's work as your own.
To these basic prohibitions, medical schools typically add requirements that your research be both honest and ethical.
The real difference between undergraduate academic misconduct and med school academic misconduct has to do with the consequences for such misconduct. At most colleges, first offenses are typically handled with in-class sanctions, like lowered grades on papers or, at worst, a lower grade in the course. You have to commit multiple offenses to find yourself in worse trouble. Medical schools, in contrast, rarely punish such misconduct with anything less than suspension. Dismissal is more common.
The bottom line is that if you've found yourself accused of an academic integrity violation, your career at IUSM is on the line. You need to take decisive action, and you need to take it quickly. Your very best chance of successfully defending yourself is to contact the Lento Law Firm immediately.
Academic Misconduct Defense
The good news is that you always have the right to a presumption of innocence, no matter what you've been accused of doing. You are “not responsible” until proven “responsible,” and the medical school needs a “preponderance of evidence” to do that.
IUSM doesn't publish its judicial procedures, but you should expect to be afforded certain rights as part of the process.
- As a starting point, you should be notified of any charges against you. Your instructor may let you know they suspect you of misconduct, but the IUSM Honor Council will likely assume jurisdiction over the case. As part of notification, the Council should explain the allegations. In addition, notification should include a complete list of your due process rights.
- The school must then undertake some type of investigation. This can sometimes be as simple as the collection of samples of your work. One way or another, though, the school must have some evidence to substantiate the charges against you. Otherwise, it cannot proceed.
- As part of the investigation process, you should have a chance to give your side of the story. In addition, you may offer your own evidence and suggest witnesses who may be able to corroborate your story.
- You also have the right to review any evidence uncovered in the investigation.
- You should also be allowed to make your full case at some type of hearing, whether this is merely administrative or takes place before an entire panel of decision-makers. This is your chance to offer arguments for your innocence or in defense of your actions, to introduce your own evidence, and to call witnesses. You may also raise questions about any piece of evidence being used against you.
- Again, the standard of responsibility (guilt) is “preponderance of the evidence.” According to this standard, you are guilty if it seems “more likely than not” that you committed an offense. This is not as strict a standard as “beyond a reasonable doubt,” but it does protect you from an arbitrary decision.
- Finally, you should also have the right to appeal the hearing outcome. Note that appeals aren't just based on disagreement with that outcome. You must have grounds for appeal, such as evidence of a procedural error, new evidence to present that wasn't previously available, or an argument about the severity of your sanction.
The Lento Law Firm attorney may or may not be able to accompany you to investigative meetings and other proceedings. Certainly, they will not be allowed to “represent” you the way they would in a criminal trial.
However, they can play a vital role in helping construct your defense. You can expect your attorney to work with you to uncover evidence and identify witnesses. They'll coach you in responding to questions, help you to draft your hearing presentation, and even file appeals on your behalf if that becomes necessary. From start to finish, it's your attorney's job to protect your rights and to make sure you're prepared for every aspect of the judicial process.
The Lento Law Firm is on Your Side
The Lento Law Firm knows what's at stake in a way other firms just don't. The attorneys who make up our Student Defense Team have dedicated their lives to ensuring schools treat students fairly, and they care about your future. No one else has the knowledge of campus justice they do. No one else can show you how to use the system to your advantage.
If you're being forced to fight for your educational future, don't try to handle the situation yourself, and don't trust your case to a local attorney. Find out more about what the Lento Law Firm can do by calling 888-535-3686, or take time right now to fill out our online questionnaire.
