All medical schools consider professionalism to be an important part of what they teach students throughout their four-year curriculum. The University of South Dakota Sanford School of Medicine in Vermillion, South Dakota is no different. If you are a student at USD Sanford, you have probably already heard about a number of different aspects of professionalism. You may also know that if you exhibit what the school considers to be unprofessional conduct, you can be disciplined for that.
The problem is that it’s not always clear what unprofessional conduct means. And because of that, it is possible for medical students at USD Sanford to be unfairly disciplined for behavior that many would not consider to be unprofessional at all. If you have been accused of unprofessional conduct at USD Sanford, contact the LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team. We can help defend you against allegations that could harm your medical school record and your career. Call us at 888.535.3686 or fill out our online contact form so we can set up a confidential consultation to discuss your case and explain how we can help.
The Meaning of Professionalism at USD Sanford
Professionalism is one of the six “Medical Student Competencies” that USD Sanford expects students to master during their four years at the medical school. These competencies are aspirational, meaning they set goals for the kinds of behavior that USD Sanford would like to see students exhibit. Specifically, students are expected to demonstrate the following:
- Care and compassion for patients and their families
- Honor and integrity in their interactions with co-workers and patients
- Altruism, by responding to patient needs ahead of the student’s own self-interest
- Responsibility and accountability: to patients, to society, to the medical profession, and to the program at USD Sanford
- Leadership skills, especially in the team setting and the learning environment
- Attention to the student’s own personal health, “to assure professional functioning”
- Respect for the privacy and autonomy of patients as well as for “all others”
- Respect for and sensitivity to patients’ diverse backgrounds
These are admirable goals that every student should strive to reach. But they do not do a very clear job of outlining the boundaries of professional conduct. Because of that, they can be used in different ways by different people to define what they think a given student’s professional conduct should be. In other words, they can be used to unfairly discipline one student for the same alleged misconduct that another student is allowed to engage in.
The school’s Medical Student Affairs Handbook does not provide much more guidance, though it does note that students who have not responded to three requests from the school to comply with “immunization requirements, fittings for an N-95 mask, fulfill insurance requirement requests, etc.” will have an “unprofessionalism report” filed against them.
The Handbook otherwise highlights “Seven Domains of Professionalism,” which are very similar to the ones that are listed above. An additional “domain” is “Excellence and Scholarship,” meaning that USD Sanford expects students to “demonstrate conscientious clinical decision-making” and to work to “advance their learning.”
The Handbook also notes that students are expected to maintain “a professional appearance,” and offers some “general guidelines” as to what that means. Accessories, for example, should not “detract from a professional image.” Hair should be maintained in a “professional style.” And clothing “must be professional.” Of course, using the word “professional” to define what “professional” means is not very helpful, as it opens itself up to different interpretations depending on who is doing the judging.
There are other references to professionalism at USD Sanford. The medical school divides itself into three “Pillars” of education. Pillar 1 covers the first 18 months of the medical school curriculum. Pillar 2 “focuses on acquiring clinical skills.” And Pillar 3 “includes advanced medical knowledge” such as through clerkships.
Each Pillar has its own Student Handbook. The Pillar 1 Student Handbook provides some additional detail about what USD Sanford may consider to be unprofessional conduct. Here too, though, the conduct is expressed as aspirational guidelines, not specific prohibitions. For example, according to the Handbook, “academic professionalism” includes the following:
- Arriving on time for class
- Turning mobile phones off or to mute during class
- Only using computers for class purposes during class sessions
- Following the “rules of netiquette” and the school’s “Acceptable Use Policies” when using computers on campus
- Social distancing where possible
- Using facemasks properly where facemasks are required
There are some specific professionalism guidelines that are clearer about where unprofessional conduct begins. These include:
- Posting patient information online in violation of HIPAA, or posting content that disparages the medical school or anyone associated with the medical school
- Sending emails to faculty members “in the heat of the moment” that can appear to be “belligerent and unprofessional”
- Failing to provide timely proof of all required immunizations
- Improperly disclosing patient confidential information
- Falsifying patient examination information
- Misrepresenting the student’s “skills, experience, or exposure to surgical and/or medical procedures”
- Engaging in clinical practice while under the influence of drugs or alcohol
- Creating a “disruptive” environment at the medical school
- Engaging in public conduct, including criminal activity, that could diminish the integrity of USD Sanford or of the medical profession
The Pillar 1 Student Handbook also provides more detail about what types of dress and the kinds of appearance that are not considered professional.
- “Tennis shoes, jeans, shorts, revealing clothing, sandals, and open-toed shoes” are not acceptable
- “Strong cologne” is to be avoided
- Body piercings should be removed (or “replaced with invisible retainers”)
- Tattoos are to be “covered in all clinical settings”
- Nails should be ¼” or less in length, and artificial nails should not be worn for sanitary reasons
- Any failure to “maintain a neat and clean appearance and dress”
Reports of alleged violations of USD Sanford’s professionalism requirements need to be made in writing and sent to the school’s Office of Medical Student Affairs. The school provides forms that both students and faculty are to use for submitting reports of unprofessional student behavior. Those issues are considered by the school’s Student Progress and Conduct Committee (SPCC).
The SPCC has a lot of discretion when it comes to disciplining students found to have acted in an unprofessional manner. The SPCC can direct students to correct their behavior as a condition of allowing the student to continue at the medical school. And, of course, in more serious cases, the student can be suspended or dismissed from USD Sanford – though in those cases, the final decision is made by the Vice President/Dean of the medical school.
If you have been accused of unprofessional conduct at USD Sanford, the best thing you can do for your future is to take it seriously and make the strongest defense you can. And the best way to do that is with the help of an experienced attorney from the LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team.
Reporting Unprofessional Conduct at USD Sanford
The USD Sanford Medical Student Affairs Handbook includes “Unprofessional Student Behavior Incident Report” forms for both students and teachers to use when reporting a medical student for allegedly unprofessional conduct. The report forms are the required way for students to be reported to the school for unprofessional conduct.
These report forms include a section for a description of the incident being reported. They also have a checklist of the seven “categories of professionalism behaviors” that can be used to specify exactly which of those categories the person filing the report believes the student violated.
The report also asks for a rating, on a scale of 1 to 5, of the “degree of concern” that the person making the report has about the student’s alleged misconduct.
The SPCC will notify the student at least 14 days before the date when the student’s case will be considered by the SPCC. That notice will also explain the nature of the issues that will be reviewed at the SPCC meeting. Faculty members who may have relevant knowledge will also be notified and can provide the SPCC with information about the issues to be addressed at the meeting.
The accused student will be able to attend the SPCC meeting; speak at the meeting on their own behalf; present information to the SPCC in their defense at the meeting; and have faculty members or students at the meeting to speak on their behalf.
After the meeting, the SPCC will provide the student with its decision, including any recommendations and “stipulations for remediation.” That will also be sent to the Vice President/Dean of the medical school.
The LLF National Law Firm Can Help Resolve Professionalism Issues
You need a strong defense if you have been accused of unprofessional conduct. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team can help with that. We regularly defend medical students who are facing accusations of unprofessional conduct. We understand how important this is to you, which is why our attorneys stay on top of the laws, regulations, rules, and procedures that apply in these situations. We will use our knowledge and experience to prepare you for your SPCC meeting and to give you the best chance of defending against the allegations you are facing.
You have worked hard to get to where you are. If you are accused of unprofessional conduct at USD Sanford, you owe it to your future self to protect your medical school record now. The LLF National Law Firm’s Student Defense Team is here to help you do that. Reach out to us today by calling 888.535.3686 or by submitting our online contact form. Let us schedule a confidential consultation where you can tell us about your situation, and we can tell you how we are ready to help.