Conflict of Interest in the Student-Faculty Relationship

School of Medicine Policy Manual  

Policy Statement

The health professionals and faculty/staff who provide psychiatric/psychological/personal counseling or other sensitive medical and healthcare services to University (PHSU) students will have no involvement in the academic, professional, or disciplinary evaluation, promotion, or dismissal of students receiving those services.

Purpose of Policy

It is essential to have a separation of roles to assure confidentiality in the provision of health and counseling services to PHSU students and the absence of conflict of interest in PHSU student evaluation, promotion, and dismissal.

Procedure

Members of the PHSU faculty assigned to evaluate students or to make decisions regarding the promotion or possible disciplinary action of students for whom they have provided psychiatric/psychological/personal counseling or other sensitive health services are obliged to report the conflict of interest to the block or clerkship director so that the student or faculty/staff can be reassigned to preclude any conflict of interest, real, perceived, or potential.

Students who have been assigned to a course, preclinical experience, or clinical clerkship rotation in which they would be evaluated by a member of the faculty or staff who has provided them with psychiatric/psychological counseling or other sensitive medical or health services, should report the real, perceived, or potential conflict of interest to the block or clerkship director as soon as they receive the assignment so that there will be no involvement of said faculty/staff in the academic evaluation or promotion of the student.

In the event that the student or faculty has not been re-assigned after reporting the conflict, the student should report the matter to the Vice President of Students Affairs for resolution. Similarly, if faculty or students are involved in a hearing for a possible adverse action related to academic, professionalism, or disciplinary matters, they should notify the Chairperson of the Student Promotion Committee or the Vice President of Students Affairs if one or more members of the hearing committee have provided a student with any psychiatric/psychological counseling or other sensitive medical or health services so that the faculty can be excused from the committee.

Evaluation instruments shall include a disclaimer in which faculty members attest that they have not had a professional relationship with students that could affect their judgment upon evaluation of the students.