LCME Standard 10.9 States: A medical school assumes ultimate responsibility for the selection and assignment of medical students to each location and/or parallel curriculum (i.e., track) and identifies the administrative office that fulfills this responsibility. A process exists whereby a medical student with an appropriate rationale can request an alternative assignment when circumstances allow for it.
College of Medicine students have the right to request a change in their assigned faculty supervisor, evaluator, small group, clinical team, or rotation site in any course, clerkship, rotation, or experience within the curriculum. Valid reasons for requesting reassignment include when one of the following unexpectedly occurs or is identified during a student's experience:
- A conflict of interest as outlined in the COM Conflict of Interest Policy.
- Instances of mistreatment
- Environments where students are not treated equally based on their characteristics, such as race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, religion, disability, or age
- Environments that are prohibitive for students with approved accommodations
- Experiences in which there is inadequate supervision
- Groups in which active participation by the student is not allowed or is discouraged
- Environments in which there is an expectation of provision of personal services to supervisors
- Instances where the assignment would cause substantial hardship (i.e. major illness and unable to receive adequate care at that site)
Regardless of the circumstance, students are expected to complete all required elements of each educational experience. Students are to initially direct requests to the relevant course/clerkship/rotation director who determines if it meets the criteria outlined above and reassign the student if needed and as possible. The student may appeal the director’s decision to the Phase Director and Associate Dean for Medical Education, sequentially. The latter's decision is final.
Approved by Curriculum Committee: November 24, 2020
Modified by the OME: July 28, 2021
Approved by Curriculum Committee: July 26, 2022