There's no two ways about it: you've chosen an arduous career path. Doctors literally hold the lives of their patients in their hands. That means it's not enough for a medical school to simply make sure you know the parts of the body. You have to be an expert in the field of medicine and in the practical application of medical principles. Just as important, you have to maintain the highest personal standards of ethics and professionalism. The New York University School of Medicine takes its responsibilities seriously, which is why not every student makes it to the end. Plenty are dismissed along the way.
How do you keep from being one of them?
At the first sign of trouble, you get help. If someone at the NYU School of Medicine has mentioned dismissal to you, you need to contact the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team immediately. The attorneys at the Lento Law Firm work closely with med students every day to make sure their schools are treating them fairly and that they're getting every opportunity to earn their degrees. They know the law, and they know how the School of Medicine works. Most importantly, they understand the pressures you're under, and they're committed to helping you survive those pressures.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
As you might expect, given just how serious the medical profession is, there are actually many reasons the University of New York School of Medicine might decide to dismiss you. After all, medical schools serve an important gatekeeping function, ensuring that only the most qualified students become M.D.s.
For the most part, all of those reasons can be grouped into two categories, though: academics and conduct.
- Academics: You'll find complete information on the School of Medicine's academic requirements in the MD Students Handbook. The important thing to know here is that all decisions regarding academic progress are in the hands of two boards. Pre-clinical progress is reviewed at the end of each semester by the Pre-clinical Board on Academic Standing. Once you've moved on to clinical rotations, your progress is under the purview of the Clinical Board of Academic Standing. Both bodies examine all of your work, including not just final grades but exam grades and instructor and supervisor comments. They then decide whether to promote you to the next term, assign you remediation, or implement a sanction such as probation, suspension, or dismissal.
- Conduct: Medical students are often surprised to discover that their conduct is actually subject to more intense scrutiny than their academic performance. If you struggle to master the material of a course, you'll likely face remediation. If you mistreat a patient, on the other hand, you're almost certain to face dismissal. Doctors must be above reproach when it comes to ethics, professionalism, and even personal behavior. Obviously, violations of the academic or general misconduct guidelines can get you into serious trouble. Like all NYU students, you're required to abide by Title IX guidelines regarding sexual harassment and misconduct. You must also learn to conduct yourself as a professional in terms of how you interact with colleagues, how you deal with other stakeholders in the healthcare industry, and how you treat patients. Even your personal life is under scrutiny. A DUI or a bar fight, for instance, can be grounds for dismissal, even if they had no direct impact on your work in the program.
Appealing Academic Dismissal
Should the Pre-Clinical or Clinical Boards recommend dismissal, you have the right to appeal their decision. You make such appeals in writing within two weeks of being notified of the decision, and your appeal should explain in clear terms the basis for your objection. It is also important to include any documentary evidence supporting your claims. The appeal itself is heard by a three-member Appeals Committee made up of senior faculty. You do have the right to address this committee if you so choose, but as this is an appeal rather than a hearing, you are not allowed to call witnesses, question evidence, or cross-examine witnesses against you. In addition, the Appeals Committee's decision is final.
Challenging a Conduct Dismissal
Conduct dismissals are generally handled by the school's Honor Council. This includes any accusation of academic dishonesty, any violation of the general disciplinary code, any allegation of sexual misconduct, and any violation of the School of Medicine's ethical and professional guidelines. Before these cases can proceed, the Honor Council must conduct a thorough investigation. Once this is complete, you are then entitled to defend yourself at a hearing before a Hearing Panel. That panel is made up of four faculty and three students. You may submit evidence to this panel, you may call witnesses, and you may cross-examine any witnesses against you. Further, should the Honor Council find you Responsible for (guilty of) an offense, you can file an appeal with the Dean. Maybe your most important right, though, is the right to counsel. This counsel can be an attorney, which means someone from the Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team can accompany you to any meetings or proceedings and offer advice throughout.
Fighting for Your Future
Make no mistake: if you're facing dismissal, 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. The threat of dismissal puts all of that in jeopardy. It means having to look for a new career. It means having to pay back thousands of dollars in student loans without a medical degree to help you do it.
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 want an attorney from the Lento Law Firm.
The Lento Law Firm Student Defense Team was built to help students. The firm's attorneys know the law as it applies to education. They also know how campus judicial systems work. They're highly experienced with all aspects of investigation, adjudication, and appeals processes and have 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.
