First established in 1973 in Rootstown, OH, the Northeast Ohio Medical University (NEOMED) College of Medicine is today one of three schools on the 120-acre NEOMED campus, which hosts a combined enrollment of nearly 1000 students. The College of Medicine itself boasts 15 academic departments and is partnered with more than 30 regional health care systems and major universities.
The medical field is highly competitive with high standards of excellence in keeping with the public trust. For medical students, a pristine academic record at NEOMED can open career doors to some of the nation's top medical facilities. Conversely, when a student gets derogatory notations due to student discipline, this can limit the student's career opportunities. If you're a medical student facing allegations of academic or professional misconduct or other medical school issues, an experienced attorney-advisor can significantly increase your odds of a favorable resolution.
Student Expectations Conduct and Professional Commitment
Upon enrollment, NEOMED students must agree to abide by the stipulations of a Student Honor Code based on the school's six core values of Leadership, Excellence, Advocacy, Diversity, Equity, and Respect (LEADER). Academic and professional matters at the College of Medicine are overseen by the Committee on Academic and Professional Progress (CAPP), while the Chief Student Affairs Officer investigates general violations of the Student Conduct Code. If a medical student fails to hold to the standards of academic and professional performance demanded by the school, they may face disciplinary actions that include reprimands, probation, suspension or dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Remediation
The high academic demands and aggressive course schedules in medical school can be overwhelming at times—to the point that sometimes even the most dedicated medical students fail to keep up their grades or course work. To help struggling students get back on track academically, NEOMED College of Medicine provides options for remediation, which may include customized plans via Academic Intervention or specific Course Remediation.
Remediation is a mixed bag, at best. On one hand, some remedial actions may appear on the student's academic record, causing potential restrictions to career opportunities. On the other hand, if the student would otherwise face dismissal from the medical school, it can actually save the student's career. In either case, remediation costs additional time and money for the student, and in many cases it can be proven unnecessary—especially with a successful grade dispute. For this reason, medical students facing remediation may want to enlist help from an attorney advisor to better understand their rights and their options before moving forward.
Dismissal
Dismissal from medical school, either for academic reasons or for reasons of misconduct, can be highly devastating to a student's career plans. It results in a permanent negative mark on the student's academic record, which may haunt them for years even if they manage to graduate from another school. The student may also be faced with a mountain of student debt from medical school tuition—without the advantage of a physician's salary to help pay it off. For these reasons, dismissal is an outcome that students and parents should take every reasonable step to avoid.
NEOMED College of Medicine has a relatively lenient dismissal policy compared to other medical schools. For example, rather than erasing all academic progress and causing the student to forfeit tuition, the school recognizes all current grades and refunds unused tuition as if the student were withdrawing voluntarily. In addition, the student may be allowed to reapply for admission based on criteria set by the school. That being said, there can still be considerable damage to a student's career prospects overall.
Appeals
Before any disciplinary decision becomes final, the student has the right to file an appeal. By NEOMED policy, appeals will only be heard on the grounds of procedural errors inconsistent with school policy or introducing new information that was not available during the hearing/investigation. The school only allows a five-day window for the filing of a formal appeal. Hiring an attorney advisor may be crucial at this point because the student's career may hinge on an effective appeal.
Attorney-Advisor for Medical Students
Between the overall complexities involved in medical education and the constant pressure felt by medical schools to maintain an irreproachable reputation, misunderstandings can often result. In many cases, students feel the brunt of the school's public pressure in the form of unfair allegations and lack of due process. An experienced attorney advisor can improve the student's chances for a more favorable outcome, and in many cases even save the student's career.
Joseph D. Lento is a renowned expert in student rights and student discipline issues, and he has successfully helped many medical students with misconduct allegations and other concerns in medical schools across the country. Don't risk your future by going it alone. Get the help and advice you need by calling the Lento Law Firm at (888) 535-3686.
