VCOM College Catalog and Student Handbook

• Suspected or alleged physical, sexual, or emotional abuse (until evidence resolves or substantiates allegation); or • Behavior considered to be unethical or unprofessional in a medical student or medical professional as deemed by the Campus Dean to warrant such action. • Behavior that is considered to pose a possible threat to the health and safety of other medical student(s), employee(s), or patient(s). • Behaviors or alleged behaviors that present enough evidence to pose serious concern that the student’s attendance may pose a significant risk for his or her personal health and safety. In this case, the Dean will appoint an individual assessment team in a timely manner to evaluate if the student meets technical standards for continued enrollment. The Campus Dean may also evaluate whether the student is eligible to be considered for a Mandatory Medical Leave of Absence, instead of an Emergency Mandatory Suspension, if the behaviors may be due to a medical condition. In such cases, the Campus Dean will follow Policy S003, VCOM Mandatory Medical Leave of Absence Policy and Procedures. Once suspended, the student is no longer eligible to participate in the curriculum or any type of clinical activity until a resolution has occurred. The Campus Dean (or designee) must notify the student verbally as soon as possible of the suspension (generally within 3 days of learning of the actions causing the concern and in writing by certified letter to the student’s address on record. The Campus Dean (or designee) must also notify any other parties, such as the student’s assigned clinical site, within 7 days of taking such action. As soon as reasonably practicable following an Emergency Mandatory Suspension, the Campus Dean will call for a Professional and Ethical Standards Board to be scheduled. Return from suspension for the allegation is determined by the Professional and Ethical Standards Board’s (PESB) recommendations to the Campus Dean and the Campus Dean’s subsequent decision, as described in the PESB section of this Handbook. In any of the aforementioned circumstances, the student may be suspended effective immediately.

Dismissal

Dismissals from VCOM are based on one or more of the following: (1) academic reasons – failure to make academic progress; (2) behavioral reasons – failure to act in a professional and ethical manner expected of a medical student and future physician; and infrequently (3) for failure to meet the technical standards of the college. Dismissal may only be imposed by the Campus Dean or Provost and is generally based on recommendations made by the Promotion Board or the Professional and Ethical Standards Board, or as a result of an individualized assessment by the Individual Assessment Team as applied to the technical standard assessment. Dismissal is made as “with” or “without” the ability to reapply.

Dismissals are made for any of the following:

• Any student who ceases to maintain the required academic attendance at VCOM will be considered for a dismissal according to this Handbook. Should a student miss 14 consecutive calendar days (including weekends and holidays) when the College is in session, without being granted an excused absence, the student will be reviewed for dismissal and the date of dismissal will be the first date the College became aware of the lack of the attendance.

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