The Garden State is home to Tony Soprano, countless top-shelf pizza joints, and many notable medical programs. Many prominent doctors go through New Jersey on their way to fulfilling, long-lasting medical careers. You better believe that some of those esteemed graduates had their struggles in medical school.
A medical school issue isn't necessarily the end of the road for your plans to practice medicine. So long as you take your defense seriously, you may obtain a positive—or at least acceptable—case outcome. Hiring an attorney-advisor should be your first move.
A skilled attorney can help with cases of academic hardship, alleged academic misconduct, alleged unprofessionalism, and any other medical school problem. Don't wait to get help. You may have a limited time to make your case, and your attorney-advisor will use every minute you give them to prepare your defense.
Academic and Professionalism Standards for New Jersey Medical Schools
Medical programs have defined expectations of their students, whether that program is in New Jersey or another state. You may be generally aware of your program's rules and expectations—including any that you've allegedly violated. Your attorney-advisor will dig deep into your school's code of conduct, explaining anything that you may have missed.
Medical students in New Jersey must generally:
- Meet minimum academic performance standards
- Attend a certain number of classes
- Complete all essential coursework
- Show respect towards other students, faculty, staff, and patients
- Refrain from criminal behavior
- Refrain from plagiarism, unauthorized collaboration, and other types of academic misconduct
- Refrain from illicit drug and alcohol use, especially in their capacity as a medical student
- Abide by any other rules or standards that their medical program imposes
Students can consult their student handbook, online resources, or specific departments for their program's specific policies. If you find yourself in violation of academic, ethical, or professional guidelines, then several steps lie ahead.
Cooper Medical School of Rowan University (CMSRU) funnels alleged code of conduct violations through the Chief Student Affairs Officer (CSAO). Active cases then go to the Director of Professionalism, who may refer the matter to the Hearing Body for Student Rights, who may then recommend sanctions to the CMSRU Executive Cabinet and the Dean. As you see, the web that a medical student faces when accused of wrongdoing can be complex.
Rely on the experience of an attorney-advisor. They will manage as much of the disciplinary process as they possibly can.
Dismissal from Medical Programs in New Jersey
The typical medical student may fear few things more than dismissal. Your school may dismiss you if they doubt your character, question your academic capabilities, or simply because you've broken the rules. Being dismissed from a medical program may:
- End your medical school career: You may be able to re-enroll in a medical school after dismissal. You may have to do so in the Caribbean or in a program that you would not have considered before your expulsion, though. In the worst case, the medical schools you apply to will reject your application due to your prior expulsion.
- Heighten your financial pressures: A dismissal can leave you with significant student debt to pay and no clear way to pay it. Even if you remain in your current university, you may lose any financial aid that you're currently receiving. Consider this, too: if you continue your education in another field, will you add even more student debt to your existing burden?
- Cause severe personal and reputational harm: There is a real stigma around dismissal from medical school, both personally and professionally. This stigma can have tangible professional consequences, primarily lost job opportunities. Your dismissal may also weigh on you psychologically, leading to serious personal problems.
At Rowan University's School of Osteopathic Medicine, students are recommended to the Student Academic Progress Committee for dismissal if they fail the same clerkship two times, or fail three different clerkships (even if it's their first attempt).
A national educational attorney-advisor serving New Jersey will work hard to spare you from these harsh realities. Your advisor will take full advantage of your medical program's hearing and appeals processes. Your personal and financial equity in medical school is worth far too much not to fight for it.
Remediation for New Jersey Medical Students
You must complete all essential coursework and achieve certain marks throughout your time in medical school. Between studies, clinicals, and personal responsibilities, many students struggle with consistent academic achievement.
If you are struggling, your medical program may offer a lifeline called remediation. At Rutgers’ Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, a student may repeat as much as an entire year of coursework. In most cases, a medical student may only need to repeat a course or assignment.
Remediation warrants careful consideration. Once you remediate a certain number of assignments, you may be one lapse away from dismissal. Remediation also has a financial cost and remains on your academic record. An attorney-advisor will explain any remediation alternatives that your medical program may offer.
Appealing Decisions by a New Jersey Medical Program
If remediation is a lifeline, appeals are the Coast Guard. If you need to file an appeal, then your school has already ruled against you. It may have even ordered your suspension or dismissal. A successful appeal is the very last hope for mitigating the harm you face.
Medical programs in New Jersey have clear, strict protocols for filing an appeal. Those protocols determine what decision you can appeal, how soon you must file, and on which grounds your school will hear your appeal.
An attorney will oversee the entire appeals process. They may have the framework of your appeal prepared even before you receive a decision. If your medical program rejects your appeal, then your lawyer may take further action.
Hire a Skilled, Passionate Medical School Attorney-Advisor Serving New Jersey
A skilled education attorney may take steps that wouldn't even occur to you. For example, Attorney Joseph D. Lento may negotiate with your school's Office of General Counsel (OGC) as necessary. During these negotiations, Attorney Lento will present the facts at issue and offer alternatives to the hearing and appeals process, including requesting remediation processes. These negotiations may result in a more favorable case outcome than you might have otherwise achieved. An amicable resolution with your school's OGC may also be preferable to filing a lawsuit.
The Lento Law Firm has deep roots in the New Jersey area. We know the state's universities well, and we've likely helped students facing problems similar to yours (or your child's). Let us help you, too.
Call the Lento Law Firm today at 888-535-3686 to discuss your medical school issue in New Jersey. You may also contact us and submit case details online.
