Medical school is tough, there’s no getting around it. By the time you earn your degree, you’re expected to know everything there is to know about the human body and how to treat it. That’s a lot of pressure and a lot of stress, so much stress, in fact, that some students decide they need to cut corners to keep up.

The thing is, you can probably survive a low grade or two. You might even get away with failing a class. The Texas Tech University School of Medicine might assign you a remediation program, but you won’t lose your spot in the program. On the other hand, you can wind up dismissed over just one instance of cheating. Doctors are held to higher standards than other professions, and those expectations begin in medical school.

We all make mistakes, even medical school students. Or maybe you didn’t actually make a mistake. Maybe you’re the victim of an honest misunderstanding or a false allegation. Those things happen, too. Whatever your situation, if you’ve been charged with some form of academic misconduct, you cannot afford to take it lightly. LLF National Law Firm is here to help. Our Student Defense Team is dedicated to ensuring schools treat their students fairly. We know how TTUSOM policies and procedures work, and we can show you how to use them to your advantage.

You need to contact us as soon as possible, though. Medical schools often move quickly, and you can be sure the School of Medicine is already building its case. You should be building your defense. To find out how we can help, call 888-535-3686 today, or take a few minutes right now and fill out one of our online forms.

Defining Academic Misconduct

You’ll find a complete list of academic misconduct violations in the TTUSOM Code of Professional Conduct. That list includes all the usual suspects–the same offenses your undergraduate institution prohibited.

  • Cheating
  • Plagiarism
  • Falsifying Academic Records
  • Misrepresenting Facts

In addition, the Handbook notes that “any act designed to give unfair academic advantage” qualifies as misconduct and is subject to an official charge.

Most colleges and universities punish academic misconduct with course sanctions. At worst, you might wind up failing a course–for first offenses anyway. You might just suffer a warning or a lower grade on the assignment. There are no second chances in medical school, at least when it comes to dishonesty and lapses in professionalism. If you’re found responsible for (guilty of) cheating or plagiarism, you should expect dismissal. Keep in mind that there’s no coming back from an expulsion. You know how hard it was to get into medical school in the first place. You’re not going to find another program to take you if you’ve got a black mark on your record.

Don’t risk your future in medicine. Make sure you have an LLF National Law Firm attorney on your side. We are the premier firm in the country when it comes to student representation. We know the stakes, and we know what you’re up against. We’ve represented hundreds of students, and we’re experienced when it comes to tangling with medical schools.

TTUSOM Discipline

The Code doesn’t just outline the School of Medicine’s several academic conduct regulations. It also explains the disciplinary process for resolving allegations. As you would in the criminal system, you have the right to a presumption of innocence, and the school has the burden of providing a “preponderance of evidence” proving your responsibility. If it can’t do that, you are “not responsible for the offense.”

Here’s what you can expect.

  • All academic misconduct allegations are assigned to the school’s Student Conduct Administrator. This official coordinates all aspects of the case.
  • If the Administrator decides to issue formal charges, they must provide you with notice of those charges. This notice should explain exactly what you’ve been accused of doing. In addition, it should provide you with a complete list of your due process rights.
  • The SOM must conduct some type of investigation, even if this is as simple as collecting examples of your coursework. As part of the investigation, you are entitled to give your side of the story. You also have the right to review any evidence the Conduct Administrator uncovers.
  • You’ll have an opportunity to accept responsibility for the offense. Otherwise, the Conduct Administrator orders a Student Conduct Board Hearing into the matter.
  • At the hearing, you may present any evidence in defense of your innocence, including witness testimony. You also have the right to raise questions for anyone testifying against you.
  • At the conclusion of the hearing, the Hearing Board decides whether it is “more likely than not” that you committed the offense.
  • If you’re found not responsible for the offense, your case is over. If the Board decides you are responsible, you still have the right to appeal that finding. You must have grounds for an appeal, though. Grounds at TTUSOM can include a procedural error, new evidence, or a disproportionate sanction.

Unless you are facing criminal charges as well as a professional code violation, you cannot bring an attorney with you to investigative meetings and hearings. TTUSOM expects you to speak for yourself. Nevertheless, an LLF National Law Firm attorney can play a valuable role in constructing your defense. They’ll help you identify and review evidence, coach you in talking with investigators, draft your hearing presentation, suggest questions for witnesses, and file an appeal if that becomes necessary. Through it all, they’ll pay close attention to everything that happens to ensure that you’re treated fairly and that the School of Medicine affords you every one of your due process rights.

LLF National Law Firm is Always on Your Side

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.

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine

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