Creighton University School of Medicine (CUSOM) is one of the top medical schools in the Midwest, recognized for its dedication to compassionate and quality patient care. The larger Creighton community is disproportionately studying in medical fields. These students have worked hard for many years to gain admission into such a fine school. Creighton is also known for its high ethical standards, which are reflected in its policies on academic honesty and professionalism. Unfortunately, each year, medical students are accused of violating these policies through acts of academic misconduct.

If you face charges of academic misconduct at CUSOM, you must act quickly and decisively to save your future and reputation. Your first step is to find an experienced academic misconduct attorney. The LLF National Law Firm Student Defense Team has a proven track record of defending medical students from allegations of academic dishonesty. Call the LLF National Law Firm at (888) 535-3686 or leave your details online, and we will contact you.

How Does CUSOM Define “Academic Misconduct?”

CUSOM publishes a Policy on Academic Honesty that prohibits academic misconduct and unprofessional behavior, including:

Use of unauthorized materials.

Using unauthorized materials is a testing violation under the Academic Honesty policy.

Plagiarism

Plagiarism is using or claiming the ideas or work of another person as your own without citation.

Furnishing false academic information to the university.

Creighton University School of Medicine prohibits providing false academic information as a violation of the academic honesty policy. This may involve misreporting grades, providing false data, or falsifying patient care notations.

Receiving, distributing, or using testing materials ahead of a test.

CUSOM prohibits obtaining or using exam materials prior to taking an exam. Giving test questions or answers to another student is a violation. This includes materials from board exams based on memorized questions.

Falsifying clinical reports.

CUSOM prohibits and punishes any type of falsification of patient records, clinical notes, or reports.

Misusing or damaging CUSOM property.

CUSOM prohibits the misuse or damage of school property. This might mean hiding or destroying a reference book that others need.

Unauthorized access to exams or materials.

CUSOM prohibits looking at exam materials or other unauthorized items to cheat on the exam. This prohibition also covers giving these materials to another student or publishing them.

Altering any academic record.

It is a violation of the academic honesty policy to alter or attempt to alter an academic record.

Behavior intended to confer an unfair advantage.

CUSOM broadly prohibits gaining an unfair academic advantage.

Alleged violations of these policies may be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and are subject to the policies and procedures outlined in the Medical Education Program Conduct Standards, Policy on Professionalism.

CUSOM Procedures for Alleged Violations of Academic Honesty

The CUSOM Policy on Academic Honesty does not contain its own set of procedures, but rather references the procedures contained in the Policy on Professionalism. Violations involving charges of academic misconduct follow the following procedures:

  • Complaint Review by Associate Dean for Student Affairs

    The Associate Dean of Student Affairs has considerable discretion in handling complaints of academic dishonesty. The Associate Dean has the power to resolve charges informally with the student or may recommend that the Advancement Committee decide the case. If the Associate Dean for Student Affairs refers the allegations of academic misconduct to the Advancement Committee, the student is notified by email.
  • Advancement Committee

    The student will then appear before the Advancement Committee for an interview. CUSOM maintains that it is not a legal proceeding and attempts to limit the right of legal counsel to speak during this appearance. In no event should a student appear and give a statement to the Committee without speaking to legal counsel. The accused student has a right to present written documentation and proof, which legal counsel can prepare. The Advancement Committee will decide the issue, including sanctions. This decision may be appealed to the Review Committee.
  • Review Committee

    At this point, the policy in effect is the Appeal Policy for the Advancement Committee’s decisions. CUSOM policy emphasizes that the Review Committee appeals are appropriate only where serious proposed action is involved. An academic misconduct attorney can advise you that any allegation of academic dishonesty has serious consequences, so any student should consider appealing even an apparently minor punishment. The student has a right to appeal the Review Committee decision to the Dean of the School of Medicine.
  • Appeal to the Dean of the School of Medicine

    A student may appeal a decision of the Review Committee to the Dean of the School of Medicine. The Dean may accept the appeal and allow new evidence to be presented. The student must request this review.

For many issues, students may have the right to appeal actions of the School of Medicine to the Provost of Creighton University.

Sanctions at the Creighton University School of Medicine

The Advancement Committee and the Review Committee have discretion to impose a broad range of penalties, including:

  • Designation of “under review” status.
  • Designation of “probation” status or imposition of academic probation.
  • A failing grade on an assignment or course.
  • Other remedial action.
  • Suspension for a set period or until completion of training or counseling.
  • Dismissal from the University.

CUSOM emphasizes the informal resolution of charges through the student acknowledging fault and accepting punishment. While this can be very helpful, no student should pursue this path without consulting an experienced academic misconduct attorney.

Wherever you are in this process, the LLF National Law Firm can provide counsel and guidance so you can arrive at the best outcome possible.

Academic Integrity Attorneys

Any student facing allegations of academic dishonesty will be understandably concerned. While it is true that most charges of academic dishonesty do not result in dismissal or suspension, many do. Additionally, even a seemingly minor sanction can have a devastating impact on a student’s standing or future opportunities. Any suggestion that a student lacks integrity is detrimental to their future. No one should face charges of academic misconduct alone. The attorneys at the LLF National Law Firm have a proven track record of defending medical students nationwide. Call the LLF National Law Firm at (888) 535-3686 or leave your details online, and we will contact you.

Creighton University School of Medicine

Tell About Your Case

Can Your Search History Bring You Down? How Schools Can Use Search Histories as Evidence of Misconduct

Students at Princeton University are drawing attention to the school’s policies and access related to students’ search histories on their devices. An article in the Daily Princetonian points out the ways that the university can use students’ search histories as evidence of cheating or other misconduct. Students are worried that […]

When the School Becomes the Problem: What UNC’s Botched Investigation Teaches Every Student

A University of North Carolina (UNC) student lost his scholarship and was permanently expelled from the entire UNC system after the school found him responsible for sexual misconduct. Years of federal litigation followed. And then, quietly, UNC settled. The former student, identified in court records as Jacob Doe, argued that […]

How a Cell Phone Policy Violation Can Escalate Into a Serious Disciplinary Issue

The cell phone bans sweeping the country’s K-12 schools in the last few years may sound good on paper—and educators overwhelmingly support them—but what do you do if what began as confiscation of your child’s phone has escalated into significant disciplinary action? The Student Defense Team at the LLF National […]

Taking a School District in WA to Court to Protect Students’ Title IX Rights

The LLF National Law Firm’s Education Law Team will be suing a school district in Washington state for its failure to meet its Title IX reporting obligations in the case of an elementary school student who claims they were bullied and sexually assaulted. The student, a third grader, now suffers […]