We aspire to become a community that provides unparalleled care to any individual that is in need. By joining the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, we have assumed a trust in one another that is founded on honesty, integrity, and three core tenets which undergird the nature of our profession. These core tenets are:
In fulfilling these tenets, we acknowledge that:
Every member of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences community can thrive knowing that we aspire to build an equitable, trusting environment with honor and integrity at its core. The Code of Professional Conduct establishes the minimum that we expect of ourselves and one another as our careers advance.
The following are expected as the minimum standards of professional behavior in our clinical responsibilities:
At the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the following are expected as the minimum standards of professional behavior in our academic responsibilities:
Professionalism extends beyond the brick-and-mortar structures of the clinic and university. At the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, the following are expected as the minimum standards of professional behavior in our personal endeavors:
The Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences considers actions that do not align with the Code to be incompatible with the title of ‘physician.’ As such, we all consider violations of the Code to be intolerable to the profession to which we have dedicated ourselves.
In the unfortunate instance that a student, faculty, or staff member of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences observes a violation of the Code, they are honor-bound to report that behavior. The Professional Conduct Committee (PCC) is obligated to rigorously review every violation. Each member of the PCC vows to be impartial in reviewing each reported violation of the Code. Each potential violation will be assessed through a template championed by University of Virginia and adapted to the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences: act, knowledge, and significance.
The following is the process by which a violation of the Code is investigated by the PCC:
Upon receipt of any report of a student’s violation of the Code, the PCC will convene a subcommittee of three volunteer PCC student members from classes that are different from that of the investigated student. This group is referred to as the ‘Investigative Subcommittee.’ This procedure will be followed unless it is impossible for this condition to be met, at which time a faculty member on the PCC will assign three students who are not in the same class as the reported student to evaluate the report. If three students who are not in the same class as the reported student are not available, every effort will be made to maximize the number of student representatives on the Investigative Subcommittee who are not in the same class as the reported student.
Each member of the Investigative Subcommittee will disclose any possible or actual conflicts of interest to the PCC faculty advisor. If a member of the PCC is implicated in a reported violation, faculty at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will directly oversee the case. Multiple reports regarding the same violation will be conducted as one investigation unless circumstances clearly delineate the necessity of another investigation.
No member of the PCC may divulge information regarding investigations outside of the investigation process.
The Investigative Subcommittee will meet and assess the report. The Investigative Subcommittee will then determine if the report should be dismissed, further investigated, referred to the Student Progress Committee, or referred for professional assistance by law enforcement or other appropriate entities. If the Investigative Subcommittee concludes that further investigation is required, that Investigative Subcommittee will conduct an investigation, hold a hearing, and reach a resolution.
Reports may be included on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) of the investigated. It is the duty of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to candidly communicate Code violations to future employers and residency positions because prospective educators and advocates require a truthful, equitable evaluation of our students.
Upon receipt of any report of a student’s violation of the Code, the PCC will convene a subcommittee of three volunteer PCC student members from classes that are different from that of the investigated student. This group is referred to as the ‘Investigative Subcommittee.’ This procedure will be followed unless it is impossible for this condition to be met, at which time a faculty member on the PCC will assign three students who are not in the same class as the reported student to evaluate the report. If three students who are not in the same class as the reported student are not available, every effort will be made to maximize the number of student representatives on the Investigative Subcommittee who are not in the same class as the reported student.
Each member of the Investigative Subcommittee will disclose any possible or actual conflicts of interest to the PCC faculty adviser. If a member of the PCC is implicated in a reported violation, faculty at the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences will directly oversee the case. Multiple reports regarding the same violation will be conducted as one investigation unless circumstances clearly delineate the necessity of another investigation.
No member of the PCC may divulge information regarding investigations outside of the investigation process.
The Investigative Subcommittee will meet and assess the report. The Investigative Subcommittee will then determine if the report should be dismissed, further investigated, referred to the Student Progress Committee, or referred for professional assistance by law enforcement or other appropriate entities. If the Investigative Subcommittee concludes that further investigation is required, that Investigative Subcommittee will conduct an investigation, hold a hearing, and reach a resolution.
Reports may be included on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) of the investigated. It is the duty of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences to candidly communicate Code violations to future employers and residency positions because prospective educators and advocates require a truthful, equitable evaluation of our students.
Any members of the PCC with a conflict of interest will not participate in any phase of the investigation or hearing. Representatives not directly involved in the investigation or hearing will not have access to any information gathered in the investigation.
An impartial report will be written by the Investigative Subcommittee delineating the facts of the alleged incident. The report will contain:
Note that purposeful misuse of the PCC is, in and of itself, a violation of the Code. Retaliatory reports against reporters is inherently a misuse of the PCC.
A component of professionalism is ensuring the privacy of all parties involved an investigation and it is expected for students to behave accordingly.
The report may conclude that a hearing be called to address any party involved in the Investigative Subcommittee’s investigation.
Following an investigation for which the Investigative Subcommittee determines that a hearing is necessary, a hearing will be scheduled with a quorum of the PCC. The following guidelines are to facilitate an equitable hearing:
The hearing is to include the following components:
After the hearing is concluded and the hearing document is disseminated to the aforementioned parties, the Student Progress Committee will make the final ruling of which of the recommendation(s) are to be adopted as a formal resolution procedure. The resolution propositions may be approved or modified by the Student Progress Committee. Recommendations will be based on, but are not limited to, the severity of the violation, situation, strength of evidence, attitudes toward the process, and past actions by the PCC or Student Progress Committee. All individuals who are included in the hearing document will be informed of the final decision of the Student Progress Committee by a member of the PCC.
The PCC will consist of three voting representatives of each of the four classes who will be elected by their peers. Representatives will be elected during their first year and will serve for the duration of their medical education. In the event that a representative is unable or unwilling to continue to serve, elections will be held to fill their place with a new representative from their original class year. The Chairperson will be a representative from the second-year class who has served at least one semester on the PCC, elected by the student representatives.
The PCC will also contain one voting faculty representative and one alternate for each Phase I and Phase II. A non-voting administrative representative will also function as a coordinator of the PCC. All faculty representatives will be appointed by the Senior Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs, in consultation with the Chair of the PCC.
Reports are to be submitted here.
A student found responsible of a conduct violation may make a request to appeal to the Senior Associate Dean for Medical Curriculum or the Senior Associate Dean for Student and Academic Affairs.
All sections of the Code will be subject to the possibility of amendment through a voting process to be held no more often than once per academic year. As with the approval process, changes to the Code will be accepted following the consensus of a two-thirds majority of the votes received from members of all four classes.
This version of the Code was last revised by Isha Garg, Blake Kruger, Lauren Lewis, Lauren Smith, Issac Swartzman, Joshua Taubman, Maritza Taylor, Jessica Baker, JD, David Milling, MD, Andrea Manyon, MD, and Blake Kruger. This version of the Code was ratified by the 2/3rds majority of all classes on April 8, 2022.
Orientation Committee
Offices of Medical Education
Room 1201, 955 Main Street
Buffalo, New York 14203
Phone: (716) 829-2802
Fax: (716) 829-2798
Email: JSMBSorientation@gmail.com