Honor and Professionalism Council

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The Honor and Professionalism Council (HPC) is a group of students, elected by their peers, whose goal is to promote and ensure professional and ethical behavior in the College of Medicine.

Honor and Professionalism Council Structure

The structure includes 16 peer-elected student members and one faculty member:

• Four members from each of the four medical classes
• One faculty member who is the advisor for the HPC
• The president and vice president are members of the Med 2 class elected by the
    student members of the HPC
• "Business" meetings are held on a monthly basis
• Hearing committees will meet as needed

Elections for the HPC

Elections occur at the beginning of each new school year for Med 1 and Med 3 classes, with each representative serving a two-year term. Those running for a position on the board will respond to a posed mock incident and are also encouraged to write a brief personal statement. Any HPC member can be dismissed at the council's discretion before his or her two-year term is complete. If a vacancy in the council arises in the Med 2 or Med 4 classes, the election to fill the vacant spot will be held--often at the same time as the Med 1/Med 3 elections.

HPC Hearing Committee

A temporary group (Hearing Committee) will be formed once the Associate Dean for Student Affairs determines (only after speaking directly with the accused) that a reported incident warrants further investigation and possible consequences. The Hearing Committee will consist of six voting members made up of current HPC student members and three faculty members who will advise the committee:

• Six student members (voting members)
   1. If the accused student is in his/her preclinical years, at least three representatives will
        be from the Med 1/Med 2 classes.
   2. If the accused student is in his/her clinical years, as least three representatives will be
        from the Med 3/Med 4 classes.

• Three faculty members (nonvoting members)
    1. HPC faculty advisor
    2. Two other faculty selected by the HPC student members (one clinical and one
         preclinical faculty member)

• The hearing will be organized and facilitated by the vice president of the HPC

• The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will provide background information on
    the case being considered and information regarding how incidents, similar to the
    one under review, have been handeled in the past and offer guidance as to
    possible courses of action.

The Hearing Committee as a whole will meet with all involved parties individually to discuss, question, and clarify details of the case. Persons appearing in front of the committee include the accused and anyone whom the accused wishes to speak on his or her behalf (limited to one). The accuser, who initially reported the event, will be encouraged but not required to appear in front of the committee.

Once the hearing is completed, it is the duty of the committee members to decide if a breach of professionalism has occurred and, if so, to formulate a plan of action. An open discussion will be held by the committee to come up with recommendations that will help the guilty student understand the importance of professionalism and to grow and succeed in his or her future schooling and career. The recommendations will be voted on by the nine members of the hearing committee. Six of nine votes are required to approve the proposal. If the recommendation is to expel the student, seven of nine votes are required. All decisions are made on a case-by-case basis.

Reporting an Incident

A student or faculty member can report an incident to any member of the HPC or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. In incidents involving the accusation of specific individuals, the HPC will require the accuser to reveal his or her identity to at least one member of the board so that dialogue can take place during the investigation. The accuser will not have to appear before the entire Hearing Committee (but it is encouraged).

For general concerns or complaints about honor and professionalism in the College of Medicine, students are encouraged to talk to any currrent HPC member. These conversations can be confidential and do not have to result in action being taken against any student.

Steps that Follow the Reporting of an Incident

The incident will be immediately reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs if it was not initially reported to the Associate Dean by the accuser. The first step in all reported incidents will be a one-on-one meeting between the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the accused student. The tone of this meeting is to be friendly and nonjudgmental and clear up cases of simple misunderstandings. The accused student will be notified of this meeting via email, and if he or she does not respond within 24 hours, a phone call is then appropriate to contact the student. If the Associate Dean for Student Affairs determines that further investigation is warranted after the initial conversation with the accused, the HPC will then form a Hearing Committee. No punishment may be given to a medical student for a violation of the Honor Code without consulting the HPC, unless it is a direct dismissal by the Dean of the College of Medicine.

Appeals

All decisions by the HPC Hearing Committee are subject to appeal. If a student is recommended for dismissal, the review process is automatically forwarded to the Academic Review Board. If the recommendation is for something other than dismissal, the student may choose to appeal the decision to the Executive Committee of the Professionalism Council.