So you want to be a doctor? That's commendable. The world needs more people who are willing to give of themselves to help others.
You need to know that it's a tough road, though. A premed curriculum is no joke. You've got to keep your grades up. You have to study for the MCAT. You should already be shadowing professionals in the field and looking for internships. And all that's just the beginning. There's medical school to worry about, and internships, and licensing.
Along the way, there's a lot that can hurt your chances of making it to a medical career. One of the biggest is misconduct allegations. Already, as an undergrad, you're expected to live up to the very highest standards of moral and ethical behavior. Even a single allegation of cheating, theft, or sexual harassment can put a quick end to your dreams.
The Lento Law Firm knows what's at stake for you as a premed student. Our Student Defense Team is committed to making sure your rights are protected, and nothing gets in the way of you making it into med school. If you're the victim of a misunderstanding, we'll get it worked out. If you've been falsely accused, we'll fight tooth and nail to clear your name. And if you have made a mistake, we'll get you fair treatment and do everything we can to keep your record clean.
First, though, you have to contact us. Call 888-535-3686 today to see what we can do for you, or take a few minutes right now and tell us a little about your situation.
Misconduct at the University of Rochester
We see it all the time: premed students get so caught up in keeping their GPAs up and studying for the MCAT only to have a disciplinary misconduct charge bring them down. What are the major offenses at UR that you need to worry about?
- Academic Misconduct: Academics isn't just about getting good grades. How you earn those grades matters, too. UR's Academic Honesty policy forbids cheating and plagiarism, as you'd expect. More broadly, any act that could potentially give you an unfair advantage in completing your coursework can result in an allegation.
- Disciplinary Misconduct: Your more general conduct is subject to the university's Standards of Student Conduct. Here, you'll find rules against things like underage drinking, drug possession, theft, and disorderly conduct.
- Sexual Misconduct: Sexually-based offenses are outlawed by Title IX, a government law. Title IX requires schools to investigate virtually all allegations, and it pressures colleges and universities to adopt tough sanctions for offenders.
You need to know exactly what you've been charged with doing if you're going to mount an effective defense. It's important you recognize, though, that any allegation against you can hurt your chances at medical school. Even a minor offense for cheating is going to raise red flags about you if it's mentioned in your permanent record.
The bottom line is that you cannot afford to take any accusation lightly. The fact that you're innocent or a victim of circumstance may not matter. You need to protect yourself, and that means having someone from the Lento Law Firm on your side from start to finish.
Misconduct Procedures
Here's the good news: the University of Rochester maintains clear processes and procedures for defending yourself. In addition, you have a number of due process rights designed to protect you. The bad news? Those processes and procedures can be complex and difficult to navigate. In order to make effective use of your rights, you have to fully understand how the system works.
- Cases begin with complaints. Different administrative offices deal with different types of complaints. For example, if you've been accused of sexual misconduct, you are likely under the jurisdiction of the university's Title IX Coordinator.
- Whoever is in charge of your case should receive prompt Notice of the Charges. This notice should apprise you of all your rights. In addition, it should contain important details about the allegations against you, including the name of your accuser.
- You are always entitled to some form of investigation. Even if you've simply been charged with plagiarism, your instructor must have evidence in order to back up their allegations. Further, you always have the right to give your side of the story during this process.
- The goal of an investigation is to uncover evidence that might be used at the hearing that follows. Once investigators submit their findings, the university sets a time and date for this hearing and appoints one or more decision-makers to oversee it.
- As in a criminal court case, you have the right to introduce evidence at the hearing. In addition, you may call witnesses to testify, and you may raise questions for any witnesses against you. Of course, the other side will have the opportunity to make their case as well.
- One key difference between hearings and criminal court cases is that decision-makers don't have to find you guilty “beyond a reasonable doubt.” If they decide you “more likely than not” committed the offense, they must find you Responsible (guilty).
- UR also has an appeals process for students who feel they have been mistreated. Grounds for appeal, though, are strictly limited to issues like an error in procedure, the discovery of new evidence, and an inappropriate sanction.
Unfortunately, the University of Rochester does not allow you to bring an attorney with you to meetings and hearings. The Lento Law Firm views this as an unfair restriction on your due process rights. More importantly, you need to know that we can still play a crucial role in your defense. You can count on the Lento Law Firm attorney to develop your entire defense strategy. They'll help you look for evidence, suggest questions for witnesses, coach you in how to present your case, and draft any appeals. Their most important job, though, is to see that UR respects your rights and to ensure you receive a fair and just outcome.
Fighting for Your Future
Fighting a misconduct charge is never an easy proposition for anyone. As a premed student, though, you face special challenges. Beyond the complexities of the University of Rochester judicial system, you have to worry about whether sanctions appear on your permanent record. Even if you are eventually cleared of wrongdoing, you have to worry about who might find out about the allegations and whether those allegations might interfere with med school recommendation letters. You have to keep a close watch on social media and make sure your reputation doesn't suffer online. It's an enormous amount of work to have to deal with on your own.
That's why the minute you suspect you might be in trouble, it's vital that you contact the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team. We can negotiate with faculty and administrators if that's what's called for, but we can also be fierce in defending our clients.
Let us help you fight for your academic future. To find out more, contact the firm today at 888-535-3686 or fill out our online questionnaire.
