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College of Human Medicine

Mistreatment

The College of Human Medicine has defined mistreatment as behavior that shows disrespect for medical students and unreasonably interferes with their respective learning process. Such behavior may be verbal (swearing, humiliation), emotional (neglect, a hostile environment), and physical (threats, physical harm). When assessing behavior that might represent mistreatment, students are expected to consider the conditions, circumstances, and environment surrounding such behavior. Medical student training is a rigorous process where the welfare of the patient is the primary focus and that, in turn, may appropriately impact behavior in the training setting. Students are encouraged to report possible mistreatment.

EXAMPLES OF MISTREATMENT INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:

  • Harmful, injurious, or offensive conduct
  • Verbal attacks
  • Insults or unjustifiably harsh language in speaking to or about a person
  • Public belittling or humiliation
  • Physical attacks (e.g., throwing objects, hitting, slapping, or kicking)
  • Requiring performance of personal services (e.g., errands, babysitting)
  • Intentional neglect or lack of communication (e.g., neglect in a clerkship of students with interests in a different field of medicine or who have different religious or political beliefs)
  • Disregard for student safety
  • Persistent attempts to engage the student or persuade the student regarding political or religious beliefs or behaviors that are not relevant to the clinical setting or curriculum
  • Denigrating comments about a student's field of choice
  • Assigning tasks for punishment rather than to meet educational objectives or for objective evaluation of performance
  • Exclusion of a student from any usual and reasonable expected educational opportunity for any reason other than as a reasonable response to that student's performance or merit
  • Other behaviors which are contrary to the spirit of learning or violate the trust between the teacher and learner

Learn more by reviewing the College of Human Medicine Student Mistreatment Policies and Procedures.

Student Resolution Advocate