Your focus as an AIUS School of Medicine student is entirely on your academic success. That makes sense. You’re not going to make it to matching day if you can’t keep your grades up.
Here’s the thing, though: low grades won’t usually get you kicked out of the program. You’re far more likely to wind up assigned a remediation program. Or you might be held back a year and separated from your cohort. It takes a lot to earn an academic dismissal, though.
On the other hand, issues of “professionalism” can lead directly to dismissal. Even a first offense could be enough to put your career in jeopardy, and professionalism is one of those slippery terms that can be interpreted in a variety of different ways. That means anyone who’s looking to get rid of you can probably come up with a professionalism accusation.
Don’t let that happen. At the first sign of trouble, make sure you have the LLF National Law Firm on your side. Our Student Defense Team has been at this a long time, long enough to know how medical schools operate. We’re up-to-date on all of AIUS SOM policies and procedures, and we’ve helped hundreds of students respond to all types of charges.
You cannot wait to see what happens, though. You can be certain that the SOM is already preparing its case against you. You need to be preparing your defense. Call 888-535-3686 to find out what we can do for you, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.
Defining Professionalism
If you’ve been at AUI SOM for any length of time, you already know that it’s difficult to get clear answers about the rules and regulations. While the university publishes plenty of recruiting content online, there’s nothing publicly available about what constitutes “professionalism,” even though lapses in professionalism can be grounds for dismissal.
That’s by design. Keep in mind that Caribbean schools aren’t subject to the same policies as American schools. That means you may not have the same rights and privileges as you would in the States.
The thing is, “professionalism” is an amorphous term, and the fact that AUI SOM doesn’t provide a publicly available definition makes it even more difficult to know what you’re responsible for. Obviously, a blatant violation, like drinking on the job, is going to get you into trouble. But you could also be charged with unprofessional behavior for running a little late, for wearing the wrong outfit, or for how you talk to patients.
You always need help if you’re facing a serious accusation, but it’s even more important to have the LLF National Law Firm in your corner if you’re dealing with undefined rules. We can hold AUI SOM officials accountable for how they treat you and ensure you get a fair and reasonable resolution to your case.
Defending Yourself
Again, AUI SOM doesn’t publish its disciplinary procedures, at least not publicly. And again, as a Caribbean university, it isn’t obligated to follow the same policies as American schools. It does want to work with those schools, though, so any time you’re facing an allegation, you should pressure officials to provide some minimum basic accommodations.
- You should expect to be presumed innocent, or “not responsible.” In order to find you responsible, the university should have concrete evidence that you did something unprofessional.
- You should be apprised of any charges you might be facing. The university shouldn’t investigate you in secret. You should know exactly what it is you’re supposed to have done. In addition, the university should explain all of your due process rights in the very beginning.
- Because the university needs evidence to find you “responsible,” it should conduct some type of investigation. As part of this investigation, you should be allowed to give your version of events. Further, you should be allowed to review any evidence investigators uncover.
- You should also be allowed to defend yourself at a formal hearing before trained, unbiased decision makers. This includes the opportunity to introduce physical evidence and to call witnesses to testify. You should also be entitled to raise questions about any evidence being used against you.
- At US schools, the standard of responsibility is “preponderance of the evidence.” This means you are only responsible if the evidence suggests it is “more likely than not” that you committed an offense.
- You are entitled to a fair sanction. Minor instances of unprofessional behavior shouldn’t result in dismissal. Any penalties you face should suit the nature of your offense.
- You should be allowed to appeal the hearing outcome and the severity of any sanctions. If you were denied any due process rights, you deserve a new hearing—a fair chance to defend yourself.
Notice how many times we used the word “should” in this outline. The bottom line is that you cannot count on the university to treat you the way an American university would.
That doesn’t make justice impossible. It simply means you need to know how to work the system if you want to make sure the university treats you fairly. While Caribbean schools aren’t bound by the same standards as American schools, they are anxious to convince American students to enroll. That means it’s relatively easy to pressure them to act ethically. The LLF National Law Firm knows exactly how to apply that kind of pressure. We’re skilled negotiators, but make no mistake—we’re always willing to fight to ensure our clients get the best possible resolutions to their cases.
How Can We Help?
The LLF National Law Firm knows what’s at stake in a way other firms just don’t. The attorneys who make up our Student Defense Team have dedicated their lives to ensuring schools treat students fairly, and they care about your future. No one else has the knowledge of campus justice we do. No one else can show you how to use the system to your advantage.
If you’re being forced to fight for your educational future, don’t try to handle the situation yourself, and don’t trust your case to a local attorney. Find out more about what the LLF National Law Firm can do by calling 888-535-3686, or take time right now to fill out our online questionnaire.