Louisiana State University School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana, laudably commits its substantial educational resources to both excellent patient care and access for the underserved. The LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine began in 1931. LSU Health Sciences Center programs, though, have grown to include schools of dentistry, nursing, allied health, public health, and graduate studies. The LSU School of Medicine is thus the crown of a vibrant health sciences program that attracts, excites, and engages students with strong credentials, career ambitions, and service commitments. You should be pleased with and proud of your LSU School of Medicine matriculation.
Yet the more you value your LSU School of Medicine education, the more you should protect it against disciplinary charges. LSU medical students face similar academic progression and professionalism challenges as students at other prominent urban medical schools. Some medical student issues arise solely out of those traditional program challenges, while illness, injury, and other life events create or complicate disciplinary issues for other medical students. No matter your individual circumstances, preserve and protect your LSU School of Medicine education by retaining the Lento Law Firm's premier Education Law Team and national student defense attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento.
LSU School of Medicine Grounds for Dismissal
LSUSM Academic Progression Challenges
LSU School of Medicine's satisfactory academic progress (SAP) policy requires all students to pass all courses. LSUSM's SAP policy does not mandate a minimum grade point average. But all medical students must complete the full four-year program within six years. And LSUSM's SAP policy expressly permits a Promotions Committee to require a medical student to repeat a year: “A student not satisfactorily completing all course requirements may be permitted to remediate and may be required to repeat an entire academic year of study.”
Thus, repeated course failures, incompletes, withdrawals, and term withdrawals can lead to repeated years and a failure to progress. Academic dismissal is definitely a risk for LSU School of Medicine students. LSU's SAP policy permits appeals from academic sanctions, including dismissal. But an SAP appeal must show extenuating circumstances for the academic issues and the student's achievable remediation plan. A successful SAP appeal can take experienced discernment and skilled drafting.
LSUSM Professionalism Challenges
Academic challenges are not a medical student's only dismissal risk. Professionalism issues can also trip up earnest, well-prepared, and disciplined medical students. LSU School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs maintains a Code of Professional Conduct. That Code expressly warns students of a dismissal risk for unprofessional conduct “including but not limited to, dishonest, disruptive, discriminatory, and illegal activities.” The subjectivity, breadth, and ambiguity of the Code's prohibitions highlight the difficulty that professionalism standards can present for well-meaning medical students. Unprofessional conduct can certainly include criminal convictions, exam cheating, falsifying clinical hours, and patient abuse or neglect. But professionalism violations can also include vague allegations having to do with insubordination, disrespect, demeanor, and dress. Beware professionalism charges.
LSU School of Medicine Adjudication Process
LSU School of Medicine's Office of Student Affairs maintains Rules of Procedure to address and decide disciplinary charges. Those rules authorize a Council on Student Professional Conduct to investigate complaints for ten days. The Council then convenes a formal hearing within fifteen days. The accused student may present defense witnesses at the hearing while challenging the school's evidence. The Council recommends any misconduct findings and sanctions to the School of Medicine's dean within four days of the hearing's conclusion. The dean then has five days to reach a decision on the recommendation.
LSU School of Medicine Appeal Process
LSU School of Medicine's Rules of Procedure grants an appeal to any student suffering serious sanctions, including dismissal. The wronged student must notify the School of Medicine's dean of the appeal within five days of the adverse decision. A six-member Appeals Committee decides the student's appeal based on the record already developed, although the Appeals Committee may hear the accused student and entertain additional witnesses if it chooses. The Appeals Committee's recommendation goes back to the School of Medicine's dean for a final decision.
LSU School of Medicine Sanctions
LSU School of Medicine's Code of Professional Conduct and Rules of Procedure do not elaborate on potential sanctions other than to expressly authorize dismissal. But lesser sanctions and remedial relief can be an attractive option for an accused student facing serious academic, professional, or behavioral charges. Any discipline can hinder a student's education and vocation. But school officials, employers, and others do not generally regard remedial education and training with equal concern. Your retained student defense attorney advisor may help you seek alternative remedial relief to avoid dismissal or other punitive sanctions.
LSU School of Medicine Student Defense
The key to your best outcome to LSU School of Medicine disciplinary charges and dismissal relief is to retain qualified student defense attorney advisor representation. Medical school appeals and other disciplinary procedures are unlike criminal and civil court procedures. Don't retain an unqualified local criminal defense lawyer or civil litigator. Get the academic administrative attorney advisor representation you need to protect your medical education.
LSU School of Medicine Alternative Relief
You may already have exhausted all procedures and appeals while still facing an LSU School of Medicine dismissal. If so, then don't give up hope. Instead, consult the Lento Law Firm Education Law Team, and national student defense attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento. Attorney advisor Lento has the national reputation and relationships to negotiate alternative special relief for some students, even after their school dismissal. University general counsel or other oversight officials seek to minimize litigation and regulatory risks. Let the Lento Law Firm Team pursue your reinstatement through oversight channels.
Premier LSU School of Medicine Defense Services
The Lento Law Firm's premier Education Law Team and national student defense attorney advisor Joseph D. Lento have successfully represented hundreds of students nationwide in fighting college or university dismissal. Call 888.535.3686 or go online now for your skilled and experienced defense representation at LSU School of Medicine in New Orleans, Louisiana.
