CREW EXPECTATIONS: Professionalism and Values
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Professionalism
All students are responsible for understanding and complying with the Standards of Conduct defined by the student professionalism policy. In addition, as physicians-in-training, medical students are held to the highest standards of professionalism and have professional responsibilities that they are obligated to uphold.
The University of Toledo Medical Student Body operates under the tenets of an Honor Code and System. Medical students will meet or exceed the institutional standards for professionalism, particularly with respect to professionalism in interactions with instructors and classmates, as well as punctuality and attentiveness.
The Honor Code System and Procedure Manual can be located here Students can share a concern about the professional behavior of a fellow medical student here
Students are expected to self-report any breeches of professionalism. In addition to the background check that is required upon matriculation, students will be required to undergo background check with fingerprinting prior to entry into the third year clerkships.
The COMLS outlines specific procedures to address conduct that violates the standards set forth, as well as procedures for appealing adverse decisions.
Academic Honesty
Academic honesty is vital to the proper assessment of the level of knowledge and understanding a student acquires in a course. This assessment may be based on quizzes, exams, projects, assessments of performance in simulation and clinical environments, and any other assignments or activities used by the faculty to
ascertain the student’s command of the course material. Any willful act that invalidates the process of
assessment is an act of academic dishonesty.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined as the practice of taking someone else’s work or ideas and passing them off as one’s own. It is one form of academic dishonesty. PCM (Principles of Clinical Medicine) requirements include the submission of course assignments and the completion of various examinations. Plagiarism on any assignment or examination will result in a failing grade for the assignment or exam as well as the submission of a Professional Behavior Report form. Examples of plagiarism include, but are not limited to:
- Having someone else complete an assignment or portion of an assignment for you
- Submitting work for PCM that was originally completed for another course
- Using words extracted from a printed or online reference in your work without giving credit to the original source
- Directly cutting and pasting text or information from a source, or from multiple sources, into your work
If you have questions about what constitutes plagiarism for any course assignment or examination, please contact the course faculty. If you have questions regarding how to use appropriate citations for your references, please consult MLA or APA guidelines.
Professional Behavior
Professional and responsible behavior is the expectation for all students admitted to the College of Medicine. Medical students are physicians-in-training, and thus are held to the highest standards of professionalism.
Students must be thoughtful and professional in verbal, written, and electronic communications. When interacting with patients and their families, faculty, staff, and health team colleagues, the medical student must deal with all members in a cooperative and considerate manner. Fatigue, stress, and personal problems do not justify unprofessional behavior. Failure to comply with policies and standards of conduct may result in disciplinary action, as described here.
The Professional Behavior Report Policy adopted by the College of Medicine will be used as needed to evaluate professional behavior. Examples of behavior that is likely to result in the submission of a Professional Behavior Report form include, but are not limited to:
- Patterns of tardiness for completion/submission of assignments
- Unexcused absence from a required experience
- Patterns of tardiness for required educational experiences (e.g. clinical skills sessions)
- Failure to make up work and/or missed experiences in a timely manner
- Inappropriate behavior when interacting with standardized patients
- Any behavior that demonstrates failure to accept responsibility for learning and the educational program
A copy of the Professional Behavior Report Policy can be found here.
Professional Dress
Students should always maintain a neat and clean appearance, and dress in attire that is appropriate. When students are functioning as medical professionals, either with clinical patients or simulated patients, dress must be appropriate and professional. A professional image increases credibility, patient trust, respect, and confidence. In addition, because medical students utilize facilities on campus where patients and the public are present, professional dress and appearance are also expected even when students are not engaged in patient care. In addition, medical students must comply with the dress codes of clinical sites to which they are assigned. Photo I.D. badges are to be worn at all times.
Attendance
Students enrolled in the college of medicine are being educated in all aspects essential to becoming a physician, including the importance placed on active participation in their education, both clinical and non- clinical. Absences, whether excused or unexcused, do not absolve the student of these responsibilities.
Students in the college of medicine are expected to behave professionally, which includes demonstration of conscientiousness through punctual and regular attendance for all required academic and clinical responsibilities.
Attendance is mandatory for all examinations and summative and formative assessments, as well as for specified classes and academic activities in all of the curricular years.
Excused Absences
Policies and procedures for the timely notification of all appropriate parties in the event of an absence, as well as for requesting a formal excuse for the absence, are enforced per the excused absence policy.