Few careers are more invested with public trust than those of medical professionals. If you're a doctor, a nurse, or a physical therapist, you literally hold the lives of others in your hands. Your patients and your community expect the very best of you.
You probably won't be surprised, then, to find that your medical school holds you to the very highest standards, not just in terms of academics but in terms of your ethical, professional, and even personal behavior.
Of course, no one's perfect, not even doctors. And you're not a doctor yet. The reason they call you a medical “student” is because you're still learning. Most of your instructors and supervisors recognize this fact, and while they expect your best, they understand that you're going to make your fair share of mistakes. There will be those, though, faculty and administrators who simply demand too much and who push you beyond your limits. How do you handle unreasonable gatekeepers?
You contact attorney-advisor Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team. They believe in your future, and they're ready to protect it. They know the law, they know the UMass Medical School system, and they're on your side when you need them.
Common Reasons for Dismissal
First things first: Just what can get you dismissed from UMass Medical School? What are the most serious mistakes, the ones you have to avoid at all costs?
Generally speaking, you're held accountable in two separate areas: academics and professionalism.
- In terms of academics, you probably already realize you have to excel in all your coursework. Low grades—even one low test score—can get you placed in remediation. Should you struggle consistently, you can find yourself suspended or dismissed outright. The same is true once you've completed your coursework and moved on to your clerkship. Poor evaluations can quickly put your future at the school in jeopardy. The Basic Science Academic Evaluation Board monitors your coursework progress. The Clinical Science Academic Evaluation Board keeps track of your clinical progress.
- Professionalism at UMass Medical School is governed by the school's Honor Code. This code applies to your ethical behavior—your ability to maintain patient confidentiality, for instance, and generally put patient welfare above all else. It applies to your professional behavior—how you treat patients in a clinical setting, how you communicate with your colleagues and other healthcare professionals, and how you carry yourself as a member of the medical community. It also applies to your personal behavior. Drug use, for instance, or physical assault, can quickly get you expelled from your program. In fact, even actions that may have no direct relationship with medicine can get you into serious trouble. If you should wind up with a DUI or be convicted of domestic abuse, you can be dismissed, whether the incidents happen on campus, off-campus, or even in another state. All allegations of Honor Code violations are handled by the school's Honor Board.
The Adjudication Process at the University of Massachusetts School of Medicine
You have the right to defend yourself from dismissal no matter what situation you may be facing at UMass SOM. How you defend yourself, though, will depend on the specific nature of the dismissal.
- Academic Evaluation Boards make initial decisions about any academic failings you may have, including recommending sanctions such as dismissal. They do this in closed-door sessions, though you are allowed to submit a written statement. Their recommendations aren't final, though. Instead, they are forwarded to the school's Progress Committee, which then holds a full hearing into the matter. At the hearing, you have the right to submit evidence and to call witnesses to testify on your behalf.
- Honor Code decisions are in the hands of the Honor Board, which holds its own hearings into allegations of misconduct. Here again, you have the right to defend yourself at a hearing.
Keep in mind that an academic hearing is not the same as a criminal justice trial. For instance, you aren't subject to the legal principle of guilt “beyond a reasonable doubt.” If the panel hearing your case simply believes it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense, it must find you Responsible for that offense. This principle is known as “preponderance of the evidence.”
You should also be aware that the UMA SOM does not allow you to bring an attorney to your hearing unless you have been criminally charged. That does not mean, however, that you should try to handle your case on your own. Joseph D. Lento and his Student Defense team can play a crucial role in preparing you for your case, including helping you develop your strategy, working with you to collect evidence, drafting any necessary documents, preparing witness questions, and coaching you in your presentation.
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 Joseph D. Lento and his Education Law Team.
The Lento Law Firm was built to help students. Joseph D. Lento and his team 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 Joseph D. Lento and his team can do for you. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686, or use our automated online form.
