The adjective professional is defined in Webster's Third Unabridged Dictionary as "(1): engaged in one of the learned professions or in an occupation requiring a high level of training and proficiency;" but the definition continues "(2): characterized by or conforming to the technical or ethical standards of a profession or an occupation." The Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences requires that students aspiring to roles as health professionals evidence a high level of proficiency and a similarly high level of professional behavior and ethical conduct. In their codes of ethics and guides for professional conduct, some health professional organizations have defined what their constituency believes is professional behavior. The students, like the professionals in these disciplines for which ethical codes exist, are expected to be familiar with them and to abide by them.
Professionalism has two separate but related aspects--personal behavior and ethical behavior. Both are essential to professional effectiveness. Personal behavior refers, for example, to dependability, punctuality, sensitive and respectful treatment of individuals under their supervision, appropriate and effective communication, and appearance. Ethical behavior refers to honesty, integrity, loyalty, and adherence to principles.
It is the duty of the faculty to explore the significance of these behaviors with their students and to encourage the students to subscribe to high standards of professional conduct. Although it is not practical to attempt to cover the range of professional behavior in every circumstance that may arise, it is the faculty's responsibility to deal with the general concepts of professionalism. From the very beginning of a student's professional preparation faculty should discuss applications of professionalism when the opportunity and need arise. In this way students are continuously sensitized to the importance of professionalism, what constitutes professional behavior, and the process of making appropriate judgments when faced with complex situations involving conflicting considerations and interests.
It is the responsibility of students as they grow in professional skills and knowledge to continue to develop personal and ethical behaviors, striving constantly to achieve high standards of professional conduct. Although the faculty will guide the students in the area of professional behavior, the students must actively work toward their own self-improvement. The students can do this by analyzing the many situations that confront them and making judgments as to the most ethical positions to assume, the most appropriate stances to take, and the most effective ways to behave when faced with complex situations involving conflicting considerations and interests.
By the time students begin their clinical experience they should be well aware of what is expected in terms of behavior. They should recognize that positive and/or negative observations of professional behavior are necessary components of their evaluation. It is the responsibility of clinical and university-based faculty, tactfully and privately, to point out deviations from accepted standards. It should be emphasized that it is the student's right to be advised by the faculty if behavior is unprofessional or inappropriate and to be given an opportunity to alter it to meet acceptable standards. If so advised, it will behoove students to alter their behavior promptly and appropriately. Students who persist in unacceptable behavior, especially if it interferes with clinical or educational practice, will be in jeopardy of dismissal.
All unprofessional behavior will be documented and become part of the student’s permanent file. Students who exhibit unprofessional behavior will be given one warning in writing. A student who exhibits unprofessional behavior after one warning will be dismissed from the Program. A student that is dismissed from the Program for unprofessional behavior can make a written appeal which will be reviewed by the Chair of the Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences and a committee of the MT Program Faculty and Clinical Faculty. Re-admission to the Program is granted at the discretion of the reviewers.
A faculty member who observes persistent or serious unacceptable behavior must bring the matter to the chair's attention. The chair has the right to recommend counseling, probation, suspension and/or dismissal. A grievance procedure is available to students who wish to dispute such action.
As members of the Department of Biotechnical and Clinical Laboratory Sciences, Program in Medical Laboratory Science, students are expected to assume appropriate responsibility for their personal and professional behavior during the teaching-learning process. Students are to:
Students are also responsible for university policies on obstruction or disruption in the classroom.
Evidence of any of the behaviors listed below will be documented and kept in the student's record. They may result in verbal admonition, written warning, reduction in course grade, failing grade of class, or dismissal from the Program.
To ensure the safety of the BCLS faculty, staff, and students, it is required that all laboratory work areas be clear of physical hazards and have unobstructed benches and designated work areas. Students should arrive to the laboratory with only the items needed to complete the assignment for that day’s lab. For this reason, it is MANDATORY that students store all personal items (coats, backpacks, bags, purses, personal computers and other electronic technology items, etc.) in the assigned locker, and secure the locker with a lock that the student provides.
Students are assigned a locker on an availability basis each semester for storage of educationally related materials and personal belonging. They may attach their own lock to said locker, but are responsible for removing the lock and contents of the locker at the end of the semester. After this time the lock will be cut off and the contents of the locker will be discarded.
UB IT maintains computer labs on campus; these labs are for student use in program courses and email service. Students are NOT permitted to tamper with the system configuration files. UB IT also has Help Desks on both North and South Campuses. BCLS does not have its own computer labs.
Email messages from the members of the department will be sent to an UB email account. It is the responsibility of the student to activate the account and to check frequently for email. If a student prefers a different email account (Gmail, Yahoo, iCloud, Hotmail, etc.) it is the responsibility of the student to:
However, if mail from a UB email account is forwarded by the student, and subsequently not recognized, lost or deleted by the other server or provider and email is not received, the University, Department, Faculty Member or Advisor shall not be held responsible for such lost correspondence.