Did you know that Iowa is the birthplace of sliced bread? It also happens to be the home of the University of Iowa Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine and Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine. Each of these schools strives to train excellent physicians with a comfortable bedside manner and expert understanding of medical complexities. Some students may find it hard to live up to these high standards. In certain situations, they may even find themselves in front of a disciplinary, remediation, or dismissal committee because of it. If you are undergoing a similar stressful period, an attorney advisor will be able to gather evidence and witnesses to advocate on your behalf.
Academic and Professionalism Policies for Iowa Medical Students
When you start medical school, they will give you a student handbook. This handbook usually contains a code of conduct that covers how the medical school expects you to behave academically and professionally. For instance, the University of Iowa School of Medicine, the code of conduct will ask students to:
- Provide competent and compassionate care to your patients
- Avoid cheating, plagiarizing, or coercing another student to help you cheat or plagiarize
- Maintaining satisfactory grades
- Remediate courses, exams, and clinicals when given the chance
- Avoid unlawful activity while on campus or off
If your school determines that you have violated their code of conduct, you will most likely find yourself being placed into a remediation program, sanctioned, or dismissed from the program altogether. Learning exactly what your medical school expects from you is the best thing you can do, even before you begin classes for the year.
Remediation at Iowa Medical Schools
Medical schools are focused on training physicians they can be proud of. Their reputation is the most important thing to them. As such, they expect their students to have a clear understanding of medicine and professional responsibility on the day they graduate. To ensure their graduates have such an education, they consistently test them throughout their four's years. If they discover a student is struggling to pass their courses, exams, or clerkships (or is failing them), they will offer the student a chance to retake them.
At the University of Iowa School of Medicine, struggling students are found by the faculty reviewing their assignments and then referred to the Promotions Committee, who will create a remediation plan for them. It should be known that if you do perform remediation, the grade will not replace the failing grade. It will sit beside it with a notation on your transcripts. Medical schools are very interested in preserving a total and unabridged grade report.
Unfortunately, there are schools that will offer remediation plans but decide not to provide them to a particular student. Whether this is an oversight or a lack of judgment, it is inherently unfair and allows struggling students to slip through the cracks. If you feel like your medical school has dropped the ball on your remediation plan, an attorney advisor can reach out on your behalf.
Dismissal From an Iowa Medical Program
Each semester at Des Moines University College of Osteopathic Medicine, the Academic Progress Committee reviews the medical students to determine if they are progressing on time. If they notice a student having a harder time, consistently failing assignments, or misbehaving despite being warned, that student will be brought before the Academic Progress Committee to determine whether they should be dismissed or not.
It's really important that you create a strategic defense to present during this hearing. Unfortunately, there are lots of students who will think they can just wing it and talk themselves out of the punishment. They won't seek help or guidance, and they will usually end up being let go from the program and will now suffer long-lasting consequences such as:
- Having to attend a lesser reputable medical school if they can find one to admit them
- Paying back student loans without the financial support of a physician's salary
- Nontransferable credits
- Anxiety, depression, panic attacks, and declining mental and physical health because of all the stress surrounding having to figure out your life after loss
If you find yourself having to go in front of a dismissal committee, a strong defense, and the advice of an attorney-advisor are the best way to protect your dream of becoming a physician in Iowa.
Appeals
All medical schools must afford their students certain due process rights. While the specific rights might change depending on the medical school you attend, they usually include:
- The right to face your accuser
- The right to defend yourself and be heard
- The right to an attorney advisor to help advocate for you
- Asking for grade changes or remediation programs
- Appealing decisions of the hearing committees
After your disciplinary, remediation, or disciplinary hearing, the overseeing committee will notify you of their determination. In the notice of their decision, they usually include directions for how to appeal. These directions will cover the submission deadline, who to send the appeal to, and what grounds it can be made on. If you are facing a suspension or dismissal, an appeal is your last chance to preserve your original goal for graduating from an Iowa medical school.
Iowa Medical Student Defense Advisor
Any type of committee hearing can be daunting to go through on your own. You might not know how to defend yourself or how to gather evidence and witnesses to speak on your behalf. Attorney Joseph D. Lento and his team have dedicated years of their professional careers to helping students in similar situations.
When you hire Attorney Lento, the first thing he will do is contact the Office of General Counsel at your medical school to negotiate on your behalf. These preliminary negotiations tend to have a better outcome for students than a lawsuit or the traditional hearing and appeals process. But, in the event they are fruitless, Attorney Lento will work tirelessly to ensure the best possible outcome for your case by preparing a strategic defense, gathering evidence, and questioning witnesses. Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to discuss your case or schedule a time online.
