The path to becoming a medical professional isn't an easy one. It requires dedication, commitment, and sacrifice. That's as it should be. As a doctor, you'll face lots of challenges. You'll come across unique cases that test your knowledge and your skill; you'll have to deal with patients who make you uncomfortable; you'll find yourself in the middle of ethical dilemmas you wouldn't have thought possible. It's important you get prepared now.
That's why Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine, Elmira, maintains such rigorous standards. Sure, the school's homepage plays up Elmira, describing the history of New York's Finger Lake region and the many state parks and wineries in the area. It makes medical school seem positively idyllic. Don't be fooled. LECOM expects the very best from its students in terms of both academics and professionalism. That means you won't have a lot of free time for sipping pinot grigio while you watch the sunset in lake country.
Here's the thing, though; rigorous standards are important, but there's a fine line between “rigorous” and “impossible.” No one wants doctors out there who aren't fully prepared. Schools do sometimes ask too much of their students, though, and penalize them too harshly when they don't live up to expectations. If you're being held to too high a standard, or, like any other human being, you slip up and make a mistake, you don't have to accept defeat. Taking on your school is a daunting prospect, but it can be done. The right attorney-advisor can help you get your career back on track.
Academic Standards at LECOM, Elmira
A medical school's first obligation is to properly educate its students. It's no surprise, then, that LECOM, Elmira maintains high academic standards or that it keeps a close eye on whether or not students are meeting those standards.
You are expected to maintain a C average (70%), and you are required to complete remediation for any course grade lower than that. Academic sanctions don't end there. In some cases, you may be required to repeat an entire year, and in extreme situations, the school may recommend probation, suspension, or even dismissal. In addition, it's important to note that any sanction that puts you behind can interfere with your financial aid.
The Student Promotion and Graduation (SPG) Committee meets at the end of each semester to evaluate every student's progress. If you should face a sanction from this body, your best recourse is to appeal your grade at the course level. This involves moving up the hierarchy, from discussions with your instructor to filing a complaint with the SPG to asking the President for relief. An experienced attorney-advisor will know the procedures for doing that.
Maintaining Professional Standards
In addition to its high academic standards, LECOM, Elmira also holds students accountable for “legal, moral, behavioral, ethical [and] health” standards. Simply put, your life must be dedicated to the medical profession, and personal failings can lead to sanctions even more severe than those meted out for academic failings. Violate doctor-patient confidentiality or get arrested for DUI, and you could easily find yourself facing dismissal.
Curiously, LECOM, Elmira's policy, makes no mention of how students might go about appealing dismissal decisions related to professional behavior. This suggests it may be difficult to challenge such decisions and offers another important reason why it is so important to consult an attorney-advisor if you're facing an unfounded accusation or unfair sanction. Attorneys know the law, and they know how to hold schools accountable for violating your due process rights.
Why Would You Need an Attorney?
Often, students are surprised by the notion that they might need legal help during medical school. After all, you've worked hard to get here, and you take pride in your academic progress. You're dedicated to helping others and making the world a better place. What could possibly go wrong?
You might be surprised. The fact is, schools can and do make mistakes, even medical schools. They do sometimes accuse innocent students of wrongdoing. They occasionally assign sanctions out of all proportion to violations. Even if your situation isn't quite so serious, an attorney-advisor can offer important advice on navigating the medical school system generally.
- Remediation: LECOM, Elmira has a robust remediation program for students who are struggling academically. Remediation can serve as a valuable safety net, ensuring you get a second chance if you should fall behind. It's important to remember, though, that remediation costs time and money. Entering remediation can also threaten your financial aid package. Often, then, it may be better to pursue other options, like appealing your original grade. An attorney who knows the medical school system can help you make good decisions about these options and guide you through the relevant processes.
- Cleaning up your transcript: Remediation can certainly save your medical career. However, it and other kinds of sanctions can have long-term repercussions on your professional career if they show up in your academic record. An attorney-advisor will have suggestions about how you can go about cleaning up that record.
- Dealing with dismissal: Dismissal, of course, is the most serious penalty any student can face. Dismissal from medical school typically means your career is over. Few schools are willing to take a risk on a student who's already been dismissed from one program. Even if you do manage to get admitted somewhere else, you'll likely have to start your medical education over, and your dismissal may still follow you around on your transcript. An attorney can help you develop a defense strategy to prevent your dismissal before it happens.
It's important you recognize, though: Not just any attorney will do. You want to look for an attorney who has experience serving as a student advisor, who understands medical school programs, and who is familiar with campus judicial procedures.
Joseph D. Lento Help
Joseph D. Lento is a fully-licensed, fully-qualified defense attorney. His work extends well beyond the courtroom, though. Joseph D. Lento built his practice defending students' rights and helping them get justice. Joseph D. Lento has served as legal advisor to hundreds of medical students. He knows the law; he knows how to deal with faculty and administrators. Most importantly, Joseph D. Lento is a fighter. He's ready and willing to stand up for you and make sure your school treats you fairly.
If you're facing a sanction from your medical school, don't wait. Contact the Lento Law Firm today at 888-555-3686 or use our automated online form.
