You had to know coming in that the Quillen College of Medicine would push you to your absolute limits. Medical schools expect the very best from their students. Courses and clinic hours are demanding, and instructors can be difficult to impress.
If only it were just about academics, though. Medical school is also designed to test you as a person. Doctors are expected to be professional in every situation and to have the highest morals and unimpeachable ethics. Meeting those kinds of personal demands isn't easy for everyone. Meeting them while you're studying for the USMLE can feel impossible.
Issues with grades, issues with collegiality, issues with your bedside manner: it doesn't really matter. If you're in trouble, if someone has mentioned the possibility of dismissal to you, you can't afford to take the situation lightly. You need the very best help you can get to defend yourself and your future as a doctor.
The Lento Law Firm was founded to help students get the rights they deserve. We want you to have every opportunity to graduate. We believe one mistake—or even two or three—shouldn't stand in the way of your chance to earn your MD. Yes, medical school is tough. Yes, it's incumbent on you to work hard and stay out of trouble. You deserve fair treatment, though. The Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team can help you get it. To find out more, call 888-535-3686 or use our automated online form.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
Let's talk a little more about just what it is that can lead to dismissal from medical school. When you know exactly what to expect, it's more likely you can stay out of trouble in the first place. As detailed in the College of Medicine's catalog, success at Quillen comes down to two sets of expectations: academic and professional.
- Academic Deficiencies: It should come as no surprise to you that you're expected to pass all your coursework at Quillen College. There are no unimportant subjects in medical school. A single F in any course or clinic is grounds for dismissal. In practice, however, students are generally allowed to make up deficiencies through remediation programs. Two concurrent failures, though, or a failure to complete assigned remediation necessarily means dismissal from the program.
All academic decisions are in the hands of the college's Student Promotions Committee. That committee meets annually to consider all student work. It has the power to assign remediation plans and to recommend sanctions from formal reprimand and probation to outright dismissal. However, only the Dean may act on these recommendations.
- Professional Misconduct: Misconduct can be a complicated issue at Quillen COM. For one thing, medical students are subject to multiple misconduct policies. As East Tennessee State students, for instance, you're responsible for following the university's Student Code of Conduct. Like all college and university students across the country, you must abide by federal Title IX guidelines regarding sexual harassment and misconduct. The COM has its own Honor Code, which prohibits lying, cheating, plagiarism, stealing, or providing assistance to others in violating the code. In addition, the college maintains a long list of professional expectations involving everything from following HIPAA to dressing appropriately.
The other reason misconduct can be such a thorny issue is because it falls under several jurisdictions. University violations are typically handled by the university's judicial system. Title IX violations are handled by the Title IX Coordinator. COM Honor Code violations are handled by the college's Honor Council. Ultimately, however, the SPC has the authority to treat any form of misconduct as evidence that a student is unfit for the medical profession.
Fighting Dismissal
The good news is that no matter what type of dismissal you may be facing, the Quillen College of Medicine provides you with a means of defending yourself. Of course, as might already be apparent, the bad news is that these processes can be complex and difficult to navigate.
- Academic Dismissals: The SPC is under no obligation to consult with students before reaching a dismissal decision. However, it usually invites students to respond to questions any time their future is at stake. In addition, all dismissal decisions are subject to a Reconsideration Hearing. As part of this hearing, you may address the committee and make your case for why you should continue as a medical student. You can further appeal the SPC's decision in writing to the Dean.
- Misconduct Dismissals: Again, misconduct may be handled by a variety of different official administrative departments. Ultimately, though, if you're being considered for dismissal, the university or the College of Medicine must provide you with due process. That means they must prove you committed an offense. You are entitled to an investigation, and to defend yourself at a formal hearing. You are further entitled to submit evidence, to call witnesses to testify, and to raise questions for any witnesses against you.
In all dismissal matters at East Tennessee State, you are allowed to select an advisor to accompany you to meetings and official proceedings. In addition, this advisor can be an attorney. That means your Lento Law Firm attorney can be beside you from the moment you're charged until you've exhausted your final appeal.
Keep in mind, though, that your Lento Law Firm attorney can do far more than simply offer advice during hearings. They can work with you to develop your defense, help you gather and organize evidence, draft documents, and suggest witness questions. Most important of all, they'll monitor the process and make sure you're treated fairly at every step along the way.
Fighting for Your Future
You probably already realize this, but it bears emphasis: in a medical school dismissal case, 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 East Tennessee State Quillen 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. 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 need an attorney from the Lento Law Firm. 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.
