Earning a degree in medicine means dealing with the unrelenting pressure to master highly technical subject matter, a grueling schedule, and a laser focus on science, often to the exclusion of any other aspect of the human experience. The absence of meaningful connection to the broader campus community compounds students' already considerable stress.

Medical students who don't have access to healthy ways of alleviating their feelings of stress and anxiety sometimes turn to less constructive solutions. They might:

• Begin abusing drugs or alcohol
• Act out in ways that violate their school's code of conduct or unwritten (or written) standards of professionalism
• Give in to the temptation to plagiarize or cheat in order to stay on top of coursework

Any of these behaviors can land a medical student in hot water with their school, and may even ultimately lead to the student's dismissal from their med school program.

If you've been accused of violating your medical school's academic integrity policies or its code of conduct, the Student Defense Team at the Lento Law Firm can help. We represent medical students across the country fighting to keep their place in the programs they've worked so hard to join. We'll help you navigate the school's investigations, hearings, and decisions, and ensure you get the best possible outcome for your situation. Contact us online to tell us about your case or call us at 888-535-3683.

The Healing Arts — and Beyond

A program at Duke University's School of Medicine looks to break up the med school grind, break down the walls that silo medical students from the rest of the campus community, and provide opportunities to explore other aspects of their consciousness. Twice a month, the university's Arts Create program offers free workshops at the medical school, designed to exorcise some of the stress and anxiety that come with trying to excel in Duke's highly competitive programs.

The creative workshops, which focus on music, painting, and all kinds of crafts, aren't the school's only resource for stressed-out students. Others include:

• Weekly drop-in chats with Jane Gagliardi, the school's Associate Dean for Learning Environment and Well-being
• Medicine in Motion, a program that gets students stretching, exercising, and staying fit

“Finding ways to maintain your humanity while pursuing your rigorous study is important,” says Gagliardi. “Equipping people with skills and strategies to deal with distress is important to maintain a functional ability to learn.”

Dealing With Distress, Maintaining Your Humanity

Medical students are often high achievers who aren't used to setbacks, and in rigorous medical training programs, there are always setbacks. Overcoming them may be an intrinsic part of the educational process, but it's stressful and can, at least temporarily, destabilize the student's very sense of self. Add to this that these students are constantly thinking about matters of life or death, and believing that failure to master information now could kill a patient later, and you have the makings of a population for whom resources for “maintain[ing] your humanity,” as Gagliardi puts it, and “deal[ing] with distress” are especially urgent.

Students who feel pulverized by the challenges of med school need help. When their school accuses them of violating its academic integrity policies or code of conduct, their sense of distress can become acute. That's where the Lento Law Firm's Student Defense Team comes in. We'll make sure your school treats your case with the fairness, empathy, and due process you're entitled to. Call us at 888-535-3683 or send us a message online today.