As a medical school student, you're held to the very highest standards, not just academically but professionally as well. In fact, even your personal life is not above scrutiny. A DUI or an accusation of domestic abuse can be grounds for disciplinary sanctions.
In general, you want your school to maintain such standards. It gives your degree credibility.
Sometimes, though, there can be a very fine line between "high" standards and "impossible" standards. No one's perfect, even doctors, and you're not a doctor just yet. So what do you do if you've been accused of a mistake and someone at your school has mentioned the possibility of dismissal?
You take it seriously. That means getting the very best possible help you can. The Lento Law Firm was founded to make sure students are treated fairly and get every reasonable opportunity to earn their degrees. Our Student Defense Team knows the law. We also know how All Saints College of Medicine operates. Most importantly, though, we're on your side. We believe in what you do, we know how hard you worked to get here, and we want to help you make it to the finish line.
To find out more, call us today at 888-535-3686 or use our online form.
Two Reasons for Dismissal
As we've already said, medical school is tough. That doesn't mean your school can just dismiss you without cause, though. So what exactly can All Saints College of Medicine (COM) dismiss you for, and how can you protect yourself?
- Academic Deficiencies: As you might expect, ASU COM demands you excel in the classroom and put what you learn to practical use in a clinical setting. You must pass every single course—there are no unimportant subjects at medical school—and you must complete all clinic hours to the supervisors' satisfaction. The good news is that you won't be kicked out of the program just for falling behind or even for failing a course. The COM puts a lot of time and money into admitting you, and it wants you to succeed. So, ordinarily, you'll be assigned a remediation plan to get caught up. Fail multiple classes, though, or fail to complete a remediation plan, and dismissal can become a possibility.
- Misconduct: New med students are sometimes surprised to discover that their personal conduct can get them into just as much trouble as failing a course. In fact, it can get you into more trouble faster. Physician is a career in the public trust, and patients and communities expect their doctors to be above reproach. That begins at medical school. You're expected to develop elements of professionalism—like the ability to communicate effectively with members of a medical team, a positive bedside manner, and a strong moral compass—and to demonstrate those elements during clinic. In addition, though, any personal failings can put your professionalism in question. Academic misconduct and general misconduct can be grounds for dismissal, for instance. Also, you were asked to undergo a background check before you were admitted, and any criminal convictions can also put your status in jeopardy, even if they have nothing to do with your work as a medical student.
You should expect your academic progress to be reviewed annually by a student progress committee made up of med school faculty and supervisors. This committee has the power to assign remediation and to issue sanctions up to and including dismissal. It likely also has some authority over your conduct, especially when it concerns issues of professionalism. However, you may also be subject to a separate Honor Code committee that deals specifically with misconduct.
Defending Yourself
How you defend yourself from dismissal will be based on the specific nature of the dismissal. You can expect slightly different procedures depending on whether your problems are academic or conduct-related.
- Academic Defenses: You always have the option to appeal individual grades if you feel an instructor has treated you unfairly. Otherwise, though, the student progress committee doesn't typically invite student input into its decisions. The committee reviews all your work each year and decides whether or not to promote you in closed-door sessions. However, you can expect All Saints to have an appeals process in place that allows you to challenge dismissal if you believe the committee is in error or if you can point to extenuating circumstances as the cause of your academic deficiencies.
- Conduct Defenses: Misconduct dismissals are generally based on allegations, and before it can dismiss you, the College of Medicine must first prove those allegations. You can expect the school to conduct an investigation and give you the opportunity to defend yourself at a hearing. Typically, this means you can submit evidence, call witnesses, and raise questions for any witnesses appearing against you.
All Saints College of Medicine is reticent about revealing details of its administrative and judicial processes. As a result, it's impossible to say whether or not the school allows you to bring an advisor with you to meetings and other kinds of proceedings. Whether or not they can accompany you to such meetings, though, a Lento Law Firm attorney is crucial for your defense. In fact, most schools don't allow attorneys to speak for you at formal hearings, though they can often be on hand to offer advice. What your attorney can help you do, though, is develop a defense strategy, gather evidence, draft documents, develop witness questions, and prepare you for meetings and hearings. And most importantly, they can monitor the case and ensure your rights are respected throughout the process.
The Lento Law Firm Can Help
You already know this, but it's worth emphasizing it again: in a dismissal case, literally 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. If the All Saints University College of Medicine decides to dismiss you, all of that will have been for nothing.
There's simply too much on the line to go into this situation alone. As should be clear by this point, judicial rules and procedures can be complex, and the playing field is not even. Plus, your school is decidedly 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 need an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
The Lento Law Firm's 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 fill out our online questionnaire.
