2023-2024 CUNY School of Medicine Student Handbook

Recent Policy Updates Approved by the Curriculum Committee

Letter Grades in UGRD MED course will be assigned according to CCNY policy and approved by the CUNY School of Medicine Curriculum Committee

Reassessment after failing a MED Course in the BS Program is not allowed.

Students who submit evaluations in 80% of their courses will receive a Professionalism Commendation that will be documented in their Medical Student Performance Evaluation.

Course directors are not empowered to change the exam start time. Students are not allowed to start NBME examinations later than 15 minutes.

Students in the M1 and M2 year curriculum who fail any two Organ System modules within a semester will not be allowed to reassess either course. Failing any two modules within a semester will require repeating both modules. If a student fails the first 2 modules of a semester the student will not be allowed to proceed to the 3rd module of that semester. When a student fails two modules within a semester the student will be referred to student affairs for a remediation plan and then may join the next year’s medical school class to resume their medical education.

Students whose self-assessments indicate potential failure of Step 1 are strongly encouraged to enroll in the one semester Bridge to Clerkship independent study course as students who then pass step 1 may be eligible to enter the M3 clerkship curriculum. Students who fail Step 1 yet obtained a passing grade in the independent study may repeat the independent study course during the next semester.

Student Handbook Introduction

This edition supersedes all previous publications. All policies in the CUNY School of Medicine Student Handbook supersedes information indicated in course syllabi or by course directors and course faculty.

Important Notice of Possible Changes

The City University of New York reserves the right, because of changing conditions, to make modifications of any nature in the academic programs and requirements of The University and its constituent colleges. The academic requirements, policies, and procedures set forth in this handbook are subject to change without advance notice. Circumstances may require that a course be withdrawn or that an alternative offering be made without advance notice. The responsibility for compliance with the regulations in each catalog rests entirely with the student.

Clinical site policies

The third and fourth year mandatory clerkships and some Medical School courses require placement at clinical sites. Students must abide by the clinical site policies and requirements to be allowed at these sites. Noncompliance with a clinical site’s policies will result in the student being removed from the course.

Important note about your records; Please note all admitted and registered CCNY students are assigned a CCNY e-mail address. The email address is: userID@citymail.cuny.edu

E-mail Correspondence Policy

Every student is required to activate his or her CCNY email account upon enrollment. Instructions are posted on the CCNY website: http://citymail.ccny.cuny.edu/index.html. For problems with an assigned CCNY email account, the student should contact the Office of Information Technology (OIT) Service Desk at 212-650-7878 or e-mail servicedesk@ccny.cuny.edu

If a student’s email address is changed, the student must notify the Office of Academic Records/Registrar by emailing SOMRegistrar.med.cuny.edu or in person, in Room H10 of the Harris Building (telephone: 650- 7156/7160) so that the school records can be updated.

Email is an official means for communication within the CCNY and Medical School community - faculty, staff and matriculated students. It is expected that email communications will be read and responded to in a timely fashion. When a response is requested, failure to respond to email in a timely fashion is considered an act of unprofessional behavior.

Change of Name, Phone Number, Address, Social Security Number

A student may change his/her address, (billing, home, and mailing) in CUNYfirst Student Services Center. However, to change the permanent address, name, or social security number, students are required to complete a change request form, provide supporting documentation and submit, in person or email (to SOMRegistrar@med.cuny.edu), to the CCNY Office of the Registrar and the CUNY School of Medicine Office Registrar.

The change request forms can be found on the CCNY Registrar's website at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/request-forms.

Failure to update personal information may lead to problems in directing important mail regarding academic decisions. CCNY and the Medical School are not responsible for problems due to a student’s failure to notify the colleges of changes in personal information.

Student Code of Honor

The Student Code of Honor states, “As the future physicians of America, we the students of the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program, have the duty to uphold the highest standard of ethical, professional, and respectful behavior. In the future, as physicians, our actions can have profound implications on the well-being of our patients; therefore, it is crucial that we accept responsibility for our actions now."

According to the American Medical Association (AMA) Code of Medical Ethics, “those who serve patients should uphold the standards of professionalism, be honest in all professional interactions, and strive to expose those who are deficient in character or competence, or who engage in fraud or deception. As testimony of our dedication to this society and to the preservation of its esteem, we deem it necessary to acknowledge our responsibilities and to accept them.”

This Code of Honor charges students to live in a community that values the highest standards of ethics and behavior and to take responsibility for enforcing those standards. As such, the Student Code of Honor provides specific instruction for the hearing of cases by the Student Honor Code Committee. This committee may refer cases to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs who in collaboration with the Deputy Dean for Medical Education and the Chair of the Student Academic Progress Committee will make decisions about a hearing before the Student Academic Progress Committee.

Policy on Professional Behavior

Students are expected to know, understand, and practice appropriate professional behaviors in all educational settings (classroom, hospital, clinic, fieldwork site). Practice of these behaviors is critical to professional development. Professional behavior will be assessed throughout courses and unprofessional behavior can be the basis for course failure. (For example: continued chronic lateness after a warning; failure to submit material on the due date without prior notification and permission.)

Please refer to our medical school objective [https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/csom/professionalism] and your course syllabi for expectations on professional behavior.

The Student Academic Progress Committee (SAPC)

The Student Academic Progress Committee, a standing committee of the CUNY School of Medicine, consists of voting members from the teaching faculty and non-voting ex-officio members. The committee also includes student members who only attend during policy discussions.

The responsibilities of the Student Academic Progress Committee include:

• Reviewing each student’s progress as indicated by grades, narrative assessments and other information on performance. Individual grades are evaluated in the context of overall achievement;

• Seeking methods for enhancing student achievement;

• Determining each student’s academic status;

In reviewing student performance, the Student Academic Progress Committee may decide that the student be:

● promoted to the next academic year;

● awarded the Bachelor of Science degree;

● awarded the Doctor of Medicine degree;

● allowed to repeat a failed course during the next academic year;

● granted the opportunity to repeat an academic year;

● placed on administrative leave;

● placed on academic probation;

● granted a leave of absence (academic or personal). Leave of Absence requests should be submitted to the Office of Student Affairs;

● dismissed from the Program.

BS Program

Introduction

The CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program provides an integrated curriculum in medical studies. Students must satisfy not only the academic requirements of the CUNY School of Medicine but also the additional requirements of the City College of New York. These requirements are designed to ensure that students receive the broad-based education that will prepare them to meet the constantly changing demands of the medical profession in accordance with the highest ethical and professional standards and the goals of the Medical School.

During the Program’s first three years, students fulfill all requirements for the BS degree in Biomedical Sciences. After receiving the BS degree and with approval by the Student Academic Progress Committee, students will be eligible for admission to the MD program. Upon successful completion of the MD program and with approval by the SAPC, students will be granted the MD degree. The City College of New York confers both degrees.

Undergraduate Advising System

The Office of Student Affairs assigns every student an advisor. Advisors are identified from among faculty and interested non-instructional staff. Advisors, during the first year, will meet periodically with individual students and once per month with the entire group of students assigned to their advisor.

Students and their advisors are encouraged to develop meaningful relationships. If, at any time, either the advisor or the student feels that their relationship is unsatisfactory, either or both should contact the Associate Dean for Student Affairs who will assign a new advisor.

Overall curriculum structure

The CUNY School of Medicine curriculum has been designed to promote the maximum intellectual and personal development of each student and to foster student interest in practicing primary care medicine in underserved communities.

The City College Bulletin of Undergraduate Programs contains course descriptions for all required courses at: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/bulletins

Curriculum requirements, regulations, and options for the BS degree.

Registration

CCNY regulations apply to registration for all courses in the undergraduate curriculum. To maintain their enrollment, students must register on time for all required courses under the prescribed curriculum in the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program. A student who fails to register or registers for non-required courses instead of the prescribed curriculum during the registration period allowed by the College will be considered to have resigned from the Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program unless the Associate Dean for Student Affairs gave prior written approval.

Schedule Changes and Dropping Courses

Students must follow the prescribed Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program curriculum as scheduled, taking each course (including electives) no later than the semester and year that it is scheduled to be taken. Because each succeeding MED course serves as foundation for the subsequent MED course, it is imperative that students take MED courses at the prescribed time, completing each one in scheduled sequence. A student who wishes to postpone or drop a course or take any course out of order must first obtain written permission from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

In general, a student will not be permitted to postpone or drop a required MED course except under the most unusual, compelling circumstances.

A student will not be permitted to drop a course that the student is repeating, except under unusual circumstances and only after consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. A student who drops any required course (including a course needed to fulfill the electives requirement) or who does not take a course by the time it is scheduled, risks jeopardizing his or her academic progress and standing. If a student does not take a course at the scheduled time, it is usually difficult, and often impossible, to schedule the course later in the curriculum. Since many courses are prerequisites and serve as foundation for subsequent courses, not taking a course at the scheduled time may lead to problems in progressing through the curriculum.

Each student must successfully complete all courses required for graduation to be eligible to receive the BS degree (see "Requirements for the Awarding of the Baccalaureate degree," below).

City College Regulations on Dropping Courses

After the registration period, a student may drop a course during the time allowed by the City College. To drop a course without academic penalty, the student must drop the course early in the semester. To drop a course without academic penalty, we recommend doing so prior to the first day of class. Please refer to the CCNY Calendar for all important data, including the first day of class for a given semester, drop and withdrawal deadlines and tuition refund dates. If the student drops the course during the first three weeks of the semester, tuition for the course(s) will be calculated based on the CCNY Tuition Refund Policy. https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/bursar/refund-policy.

A student who drops a course during the fourth through approximately the tenth week of the semester and obtains the written approval of both the course instructor and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will receive the non-penalty grade of "W" [withdrawal without penalty]. Although this grade will appear on the student's transcript, it will not be counted in calculating the student's GPA. Instructors cannot assign the grade of "W" [withdrawal without penalty]. Students should consult the official college academic calendar for the exact dates of drop deadlines - https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/academic-calendar.

A student who does not complete the formal drop procedure and stops attending the course without notifying their instructor, will be assigned a grade of "WU" [withdrew unofficially - withdrawal without approval]. The "WU" [withdrew unofficially] will appear on the official transcript and e is treated as an "F" [failure]. It is assigned zero points when the student’s GPA is calculated.

Dropping courses--even if the non-penalty grade of "W" is assigned--can have serious negative consequences. City College regulations stipulate that a student who drops 12 credits or more within two academic years be placed on academic warning. A student who drops 18 or more credits may be subject to dismissal. Dropping courses may result in ineligibility for financial aid since many financial aid programs require that recipients satisfy specific academic progress guidelines.

BS Program Electives Requirement

For the BS program students must successfully complete a total of 21 credits in free elective courses. To complete the Liberal Arts and Sciences requirement at least 2 credits must be fulfilled with courses designated as Regular Liberal Arts and Sciences courses. Eligibility as Regular Liberal Arts and Sciences courses is determined in accordance with the NYS Education Department definition: “The Liberal Arts and Sciences comprise the disciplines of the humanities, natural sciences and mathematics, and social sciences. Therefore, a student may take any elective course in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences that meets this requirement.

Students are strongly advised to fulfill the electives requirement as prescribed in the curriculum by no later than the Fall semester of the third year, since the demands of the remainder of the curriculum make it extremely difficult to take electives.

The free elective credits required for graduation may come from any combination of credits transferred at the time of admission, including CCNY courses in any division, e-Permit courses taken at other CUNY institutions, or credits transferred from work at other colleges.

Undergraduate Independent Study

Students may pursue a program of Independent Study under the direction of a Medical School faculty member.

To design the Independent Study project, a student should first meet with the faculty member who teaches or conducts research in the area of the student's interest. Together they should determine the project goals and write up a brief, but thorough, description.

The faculty member and student should decide on hours per week the student will devote to the Independent Study project, the number of credits the student will receive (between one and four), and how the project will be graded.

The student must submit this information on the Independent Study Form to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for final approval. If approved to register in the course, the student then submits the approved Independent Study paperwork to the Office of Academic Records/Registrar .

On occasion, a student may have an opportunity to conduct an Independent Study project with a physician or scientist from another institution. In such cases, the project must be co-sponsored and co-supervised by a member of the Medical School faculty.

Students may apply up to eight credits of Independent Study, whether taken on a letter grade or “Pass/Fail” basis, to fulfill the electives requirement for graduation.

Advanced Placement Credit

Students who completed Advanced Placement (AP) programs in high school and took Advanced Placement examinations may receive college credit. Generally, for scores 3, 4, or 5, City College will award course credit. For a complete list of AP equivalencies Guidelines: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/admissions/advanced-placement-ap-equivalencies-guidelines

Students should request that the College Board, Advanced Placement Program, (609) 771- 7300 or (888) 225-5427; https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/view-scores and send their scores on Advanced Placement examinations taken in high school to:

The City College of New York (code 2083)
Office of Transfer Evaluations Services
Administration Building, Room 101
160 Convent Avenue
New York, NY 10031

Transfer College Credit

Students who have taken college courses prior to enrolling in BS Program may receive credit for these courses, with the following stipulations:

● For the course to be counted towards fulfilling graduation requirements, the student must have taken the course on a letter grade basis and earned a grade of "C" or better;

● Transfer college credit may be used to fulfill the electives requirement and general education curriculum requirements. Transfer college credit will not be granted for required MED courses.

A student who, before entering the BS Program, had taken a course at a college or University other than CUNY, should arrange to have an official transcript sent to:

The City College of New York
Office of Transfer Evaluations Services
Administration Building, Room 101
160 Convent Avenue New York, NY 10031

E-Permit Courses

A student who plans to take college courses at a CUNY college other than City College after enrolling in BS Program must apply for an e-Permit. E-Permit facilitates obtaining permission to register at other CUNY colleges. E-Permit courses may fulfill general education requirements for graduation, but cannot substitute for any required MED courses.

For an e-Permit course to be counted in fulfilling requirements for graduation, a student must take the course on a letter grade basis (not Pass/Fail) and earn a grade of "C" or better.

If a student plans to take a course at another CUNY college, the student should first meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for academic advisement and program approval and then file for an e-Permit, following the College’s guidelines: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/e-permit-information

E-Permit course grades are recorded on the official transcript and are included in calculating the student's City College GPA.

Absence policy

Undergraduate BS Absence Policy https://ccny-undergraduate.catalog.cuny.edu/academic-requirements-and-policies/policy-on-lateness-and-absence

BS Academic Policies

Guidelines for medical courses

At the beginning of each Med Course, the Course Director, in consultation with the Department Chairperson and in accordance with the CUNY School of Medicine Curriculum Committee approved guidelines, will provide information on course content, course requirements, grading policies.

Attendance at all required class sessions is mandatory for all MED courses within the parameters set forth in the Attendance Policy of the CUNY School of Medicine (see “Attendance Requirements,” below).

Grading policies and requirements

In all MED courses, students must attain a minimum final score of 70 to pass the course. In MED courses a score of 70 percent is equivalent to a grade of “C”

Letter Grades will be assigned according to CCNY policy and approved by the CUNY School of Medicine Curriculum Committee. All grade information can be found on the CCNY website - https://ccny-undergraduate.catalog.cuny.edu/academic-requirements-and-policies/grading-system-and-glossary

All course grades will be submitted by the deadline established by City College.

All courses required for graduation must be taken for credit and for a letter grade "C" or Better

Information on the evaluation and grading procedures in non-MED courses will be provided by each instructor at the beginning of the course.

Grades become permanent one year after completion of the course.

At the Course Director’s discretion, a passing grade may be accompanied by a brief narrative further evaluating the student's performance

Upon satisfactory course completion grades of INC will be changed to the appropriate letter grade. Unsatisfactory completion will result in the grade being changed to a failing grade.

Students must earn a grade of "C" or better in all the courses for credit required for graduation and all electives counted towards fulfilling the electives requirement for graduation. A grade of “P” (Pass) will not suffice. The exception is Independent Study, which may be graded Pass/Fail.

Required Minimum Grade Point Average

Students must maintain at least a "C" average, the minimum grade point average allowed by City College, as stipulated in the CCNY Bulletin of Undergraduate Programs.

City College require that a student with a GPA below 2.0 (1.75 or lower if a first-year student) be placed on academic probation. A student on academic probation has one year to improve the GPA to 2.0 or better. Failure to do so will lead to dismissal from the school.

A third-year undergraduate student who is not eligible to repeat a course in the next academic year, either because the student is repeating or had previously repeated an academic year, achieves a grade in a third-year MED course that is below a “C” (i.e., below 70), that student will be ineligible to progress to the Medical school curriculum.

However, if the student’s overall grade is the minimum CCNY passing grade of 70 or higher, the Course Director may award a final course grade of “C” or “P”. If the student successfully completes all other third-year courses, the Student Academic Progress Committee may recommend awarding the student the BS degree, but the student would NOT be approved for admission to the medical school.

Repetition of a Failed Course

The Student Academic Progress Committee will mandate that a student who fails one required academic course in an academic semester repeat that course in the next semester or in the next academic year. The academic program for that student must be approved by the CUNY School of Medicine Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Failure of a course that is being repeated will result in a recommendation for dismissal from the Program.

For unsatisfactory performance in a required, non-MED course (including electives), a student will receive a grade of “C-,” “D,” “F,” or "WU" [withdrew unofficially] (see "City College Regulations on Dropping Courses," above) and, if eligible, will be required to take the course again.

For MED courses, the student will receive a grade of “NC” [no credit] for the initial enrollment in the course. Both grades (the originally failed course and the retaken course) will appear on the student's transcript.

Please note that the MED course grades for both attempts will be calculated in the cumulative G.P.A

City Collage adheres to the CUNY repeat policy when determining if the grades from both attempts of a non-med course will be factored into the cumulative G.P.A.. CCNY’s repeat policy can be found at https://ccny-undergraduate.catalog.cuny.edu/academic-requirements-and-policies/f-repeat-policy

Failure of a second course in the third-year will be grounds for dismissal.

A student who is given the opportunity to repeat an academic year will have a curriculum developed for the repeat year in consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Course Director of the failed course.

Undergraduate Grade Appeals Procedure

If a student disagrees with the Course director’s final MED course grade, the following guidelines govern grade appeals.

• Within five business days after posting of the final course grade, the student must submit a written communication, via CCNY CityMail account, to the Course Director, outlining the reason(s) for the grade appeal, and requesting a meeting to review his or her course grade. At the meeting, the course requirements, grading policies, and the student’s performance will be reviewed.

• Within 5 business days of the meeting, the course director will inform the student of their decision. The decision may be to maintain the original grade or to change the grade and submit an amended grade to the Office of Academic Records.

• If the student believes the Course Director’s decision was not made in accordance with academic standards, or the decision regarding the final grade was arbitrary, capricious, or biased, the student has five business days after receiving the course director’s decision to appeal the decision to the Deputy Dean for Medical Education or his/her designee. A request to appeal must be made in writing via the student’s CCNY CityMail email account, requesting a meeting to review his/her course grade.

• After the review, the Deputy Dean or designee will have 5 business days to inform the student of his/her decision. The designee can advise the course director to maintain the original grade or to submit an amended grade to the Office of Academic Records.

• The decision of the Deputy Dean or designee will be final. No further institutional recourse to appeal a grade is available to the student.

Requirement for Promotion to the Next Academic Year

To be promoted to the next academic year students must successfully complete all requirements in each year of the curriculum. Students will not be promoted to the next year while carrying academic deficiencies.

Requirements for the awarding of the baccalaureate degree

To be eligible for graduation, students must have successfully completed the entire curriculum and all other CUNY School of Medicine academic requirements.

Recommendation for graduation are based upon satisfactory completion of the curriculum in accordance with the requirements of the Board of Regents of the State of New York, the Trustees of the City University of New York, and the faculty of CUNY School of Medicine.

Receiving the BS degree requires resolving all fiscal obligations to the City College of New York and the successful completion of at least 120 credits of coursework. The Biomedical Education BS Program includes 99 Major and General Education credits and 21 Elective credits. Specific course requirements are listed in the Curriculum Map. Individual degree audits will be listed within CCNY Degree Works - https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/registrar/degreeworks

The School of Medicine reserves the right to withhold the BS degree from any candidate whom the Student Academic Progress Committee has not recommended for graduation on grounds of moral or ethical unfitness for the profession of medicine.

Students have the right to appeal denial of graduation decisions to the Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine (see “Appeals Procedure,"). A student who refuses to accept the official notification letter loses the right to appeal the decision.

Requirements for progression to the CUNY School of Medicine MD program

The final decision about promotion into the medical school portion of the program (Years M1-M4) is made upon completion of the spring semester of the U3 Year. Prior to entering the Medical School, students are notified of their final progression status via official letter from the Chair of the Student Academic Progress Committee

Students with GPAs higher than 3.2 and with approval from the Student Academic Progress Committee will progress into the medical school.

Satisfactory academic progress

Satisfactory Academic Progress is a standard used to measure a student’s successful completion of coursework toward a degree. To achieve satisfactory academic progress students must:

● Meet all academic standards established by the City College of New York (as specified in the CCNY Bulletin of Undergraduate Programs), including maintaining at least the required minimum grade point average of 2.0 (“C”) for the BS degree.

● Earn passing grades in all courses required for graduation (described in the following section).

● Earn 3.2 or above in their undergraduate coursework.

Students who fail to fulfill the above requirements may be:

• placed on probation

• given the opportunity to repeat an academic year

• required to complete a remediation program

• placed on administrative leave

• dismissed from the program (see “The Student Academic Progress Committee,” below)

Students with GPAs lower than 3.2 and/or an adverse report in their record will be required to appear before the SAPC. Students will have an opportunity to submit a statement and present information (personal, medical, etc.) relevant to their academic and professional performance. The Committee will review the student’s academic and professional record and may decide to:

• promote the student to the M1 year without imposing any additional requirements;

• promote the student to the M1 year on Monitored Academic Status (MAS) with specific requirements for advisement and support;

• place the student on Administrative Leave for one year, impose requirements for remediation, and allow the student to petition to advance to the M1 year the following year; or

• NOT promote the student’s progression to the M1 year. A student deemed not suitable to enter medical school may have completed sufficient credits to be awarded a BS degree or can decide to transfer to another CCNY major to graduate with a BS degree.

Academic Probation during the Undergraduate program

The SAPC will place undergraduate students on Probation in accordance with the policies of the CUNY School of Medicine and the City College of New York.

Students who fail to successfully complete one or more required courses in a semester (see "Curriculum Requirements" and "Grading Policies and Requirements) will be placed on Academic Probation. The CCNY Bulletin of Undergraduate Programs specifies additional criteria that warrant probation for all CCNY undergraduate students, including undergraduate students in the CUNY School of Medicine (e.g., failure to maintain the minimum required GPA of 2.0).

To be removed from academic probation, a student must clear his or her record of all academic deficiencies within one year, including incomplete grades in progress. If the student's deficiencies are not corrected, the student will be recommended for dismissal from the program.

The SAPC will determine what actions a student must undertake to be removed from professional probation. The determination will be based on the action that caused the student to be placed on professional probation.

Repeating an Academic Year

The Student Academic Progress Committee may mandate that a student repeat an academic year to correct academic deficiencies.

A student given the opportunity to repeat an academic year must retake and successfully complete the requirements for all courses failed in the previous academic year. Additional courses and activities for the student will be determined in consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The repeated academic year will be designed to provide the student with the best preparation possible for improved academic performance in subsequent years.

All course work during a repeated academic year must be completed successfully by the end of each semester. Failure of coursework during a repeated academic year is grounds for dismissal from the School of Medicine.

A student cannot repeat more than one academic year, except under exceptional circumstances and with the approval of the SAPC.

Adverse Academic Actions

If a student’s performance does not meet the school’s academic standards, the Office of Academic Records will officially notify the student via email that his or her academic status will be reviewed by the committee. The student’s record will be considered to determine eligibility for repeating an academic year, for an administrative leave, or dismissal. The Student Academic Progress Committee letter must provide information on the reasons the student’s performance is being discussed, and the students’ rights as per the Student Handbook. The student will be advised to meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who will act in the capacity of student advocate and advise the student on the proceedings.

Dismissal

The Student Academic Progress Committee may dismiss a student due to academic or professional deficiencies. For example, dismissal may occur if a student:

• Fails to achieve removal from academic probation within one year, especially when the student has multiple or repeated academic deficiencies;

• Fails any course during a repeated academic year;

• Fails a course that the student is repeating;

• Fails to meet professionalism competencies

• Meets any criteria for dismissal established by City College (e.g., fails to earn removal from GPA probation), as specified in the CCNY Bulletin of Undergraduate Programs;

The Medical School Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Medical School Counseling Center staff are available to provide transition-career counseling for any student who is dismissed.

Students dismissed from the BS Program may be able to transfer to the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences or to another School of City College. Should a dismissed student wish to continue his or her studies at another School of City College, the student must apply for a transfer to that school after meeting with the school’s academic advisor to discuss the school's requirements and the student's planned program.

Due Process Notification of Dismissal Hearing

The student will be informed of their right to appear at the dismissal hearing. A student who wishes to contest the dismissal must appear at the hearing on the day and at the time set by the Student Academic Progress Committee. Written notice via receipt email will be forwarded to the student by the Registrar at least ten working days prior to the scheduled meeting at which the dismissal question will be addressed. The written notice will state the SAPC meeting date and time at which the consideration for dismissal will be addressed and will advise the student of their right to be present at the meeting. The notice will set out a summary of the student’s academic performance deficiencies, indicate all relevant action(s) of the SAPC to date, and describe the concerns that led the SAPC to consider dismissal of the student from the School of Medicine.

The student will have the right to select and be accompanied by a support person at that time. The SAPC must be informed prior to the hearing of the support person’s name and that person’s relationship with the student. The support person is not allowed to speak at the hearing. Legal representation is not permitted at SAPC meetings, and the meeting proceedings may not be recorded by the student or their support person. The written notification will also advise that the student may submit a written statement about the academic performance deficiencies set out in the SAPC notice letter. Such response will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Records and the SAPC Chair at least three (3) working days in advance of the meeting.

Notification of Adverse Decisions by the SAPC

The student will be officially notified of all SAPC decisions via an email sent from the Registrar with an attached Academic Standing letter from the SAPC Chair. If permitted to continue in the MD program, the student will be advised of any additional requirements. If the SAPC dismisses the student, the Academic Standing letter will inform them of the right to appeal to the Dean of the School. Cc’d on the Academic Standing letter will be the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Deputy Dean of Medical Education or his/her designee, SAPC Chair via SAPC@med.cuny.edu, Registrar, and when appropriate, Chair of the Ethics and Professionalism Committee. This is the only official notification regarding the decision that is transmitted to the student in writing. The CUNY School of Medicine is not responsible for the failure of a student to receive this notification. A student who refuses to claim or accept an official notification of dismissal or denial of graduation loses the right to appeal the decision (see "Appeals Procedure," below).

Appeals Procedure

Students have the right to appeal dismissal and denial of graduation decisions to the Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine. To exercise this right, a student must provide a written appeal via their CCNY email address, to the Dean - Dean-CSOM@med.cuny.edu. The student must send this appeal within ten business days of their receipt of the official notification of the decision.

Upon receipt of the written appeal, the Dean of the School will appoint an Appeals Committee and will notify the Student Academic Progress Committee, the Deputy Dean for Medical Education, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

The Appeals Committee is a joint committee of the BS/MD and Physician Assistant (PA) programs, comprised of 3 BS/MD faculty and 2 PA faculty. The committee reviews student appeals from either program.

The Appeals Committee will be provided with a copy of the student's written appeal, the minutes of the Student Academic Progress Committee meetings, and the student’s complete academic profile.

The Appeals Committee is charged with determining:

• If the adverse decision was made in accordance with the approved and established policies of the Student Academic Progress Committee; and

• if the adverse decision was made in accordance with academic standards; and

• if the adverse decision was arbitrary or capricious, or reflected prejudice against the student.

It is not within the purview of the Appeals Committee to review the substance of the decision or the academic judgment of the Student Academic Progress Committee.

Within ten business days before the Appeals Committee meeting with the student, the Dean of the School will notify the student, in writing, by email (return receipt email requested), of the time and place of the meeting and of the student's right to be present at the meeting and to make oral or written statements to the committee regarding the decision. The student may also bring a non-legal support person, such as a faculty member or fellow student, to the meeting. This support person is not allowed to speak at the meeting.

The Appeals Committee may request, in writing, that the appropriate Course Director(s)and the Chair of the Student Academic Progress Committee attend the meeting.

After reviewing all documentation and hearing all presentations, the Appeals Committee will formulate a recommendation either confirming or reversing the original adverse decision. Within five business days of the meeting, the Appeals Committee will transmit its’ written recommendation to the Dean of the School.

The Dean of the School will review the report of the Appeals Committee. If he/she finds that the Appeals Committee properly carried out the appellate process, he/she will confirm the Appeals Committee recommendation. If the original adverse decision is reversed, the Dean of the School will refer the student’s record to the Student Academic Progress Committee for remediation.

The decision of the Dean in such cases is final; no further institutional recourse is available to the student.

The Dean of the School will notify the student in writing of the final decision (with copies to the Appeals Committee, the Student Academic Progress Committee, the Deputy Dean for Medical Education, and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs).

Resignation from the CUNY School of Medicine/ Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program

A student who is considering resigning from the School of Medicine is encouraged to first discuss the issue with the Office of Student Affairs. A student who decides to resign from the program should submit a letter to the Chairperson of the Student Academic Progress Committee at SAPC@med.cuny.edu notifying the school of the decision. The student should also meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who, with the Wellness Center staff, is responsible for providing transition-career counseling to any student who resigns.

Technical Standards, U1-M4 Students

Every student admitted to the program is asked to affirm their compliance with Technical Standards on admission and every year thereafter.

The CUNY School of Medicine/ Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program is committed to admitting qualified students without regard to race, color, age, national or ethnic origin, disability, gender, sexual orientation, marital status or religion. Qualified applicants are individuals who demonstrate the academic abilities, intelligence, physical, professional, and communication skills required to complete a rigorous curriculum and meet certain technical standards for medical students, physician assistant students, physician assistants, and physicians. Both MD and PA degrees signify the acquisition of general knowledge in the fields necessary for the practice of medicine. A graduate of the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program must have the knowledge and skills to function in various clinical settings and to provide a wide spectrum of care.

To acquire the requisite knowledge and skills, students must possess both sensory and motor abilities that permit them to accomplish the activities described in these standards. A student must be able to take in information received by whatever sensory function is employed, consistently, rapidly, and accurately. Students must be able to learn, integrate, analyze and synthesize data.

Providing care for patients’ needs is essential to the role of a physician and physician assistant and comprises a significant component of training. A student must be able to tolerate physically challenging workloads and function under stress. A student who experiences difficulty with the workload such as experiencing excess anxiety or depression is strongly advised to meet with student affairs. The responsibilities of medical students may require their presence and attention during daytime and nighttime hours.

A student in the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program must be capable of demonstrating observation, communication, motor, and intellectual-conceptual, integrative, quantitative, attitudinal, behavioral interpersonal, social, and emotional skills.

Observation: Students must have sufficient visual ability to be able to observe patients accurately from a distance and close at hand. They must be able to observe laboratory exercises and demonstrations. They must be capable of viewing and developing the skills needed to interpret diagnostic modalities. Students must be capable of observing, detecting, and interpreting non-verbal communication such as change in posture, body language mood, and facial expressions demonstrated by patients.

Communication: Students must be able to communicate effectively, in both written and oral English and must be able to speak with and comprehend patients and other members of the health care team. Students must be capable of establishing rapport with patients and families. Students must be able to compose and record information accurately and clearly.

Motor: Students must have sufficient motor and sensory function necessary to conduct a routine history and physical examination, differentiate normal from abnormal findings and document the findings. Students must have sufficient motor function in order to conduct movements required to provide general care and emergency treatment to patients according to acceptable medical practices. Students must have sufficient motor ability to access and perform at clinical sites required for mandatory experiences.

Intellectual, Conceptual, Integrative and Quantitative Ability: Students must have sufficient cognitive abilities to master the body of knowledge comprising the curriculum of the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program. Students must be able to recall large amounts of information, perform scientific measurements and calculations, and understand and learn through a variety of instructional modalities including but not limited to: classroom instruction, small group discussion, individual and self-directed study of materials, preparation, and presentation of written and oral reports, peer review, and assessment, as well as use of computer-based technologies. Students must demonstrate reasoning abilities necessary to analyze and synthesize information from varying sources. Students must learn, retrieve, analyze, sequence, organize, synthesize and integrate information efficiently and reason effectively. Students must be able to measure and calculate accurately.

Attitudinal, Behavioral, Interpersonal, and Emotional Characteristics: Students must have the capacity to learn and understand ethical principles, as well as those state and federal statutes governing the practice of medicine. Students must be able to relate with patients, faculty, staff, colleagues, and all members of the health care team with honesty, integrity, nondiscrimination, self-sacrifice, and dedication. Students must demonstrate the maturity, emotional stability, and sensitivity required to form effective relationships with patients. Students must have the capacity to develop the requisite skills needed to identify personal biases, reactions, and responses as well as recognize differing points of view and to integrate these into appropriate clinical decision-making. Students must have the capacity to effectively communicate and provide care for, in a non-judgmental manner, individuals whose culture, spiritual beliefs, sexual orientation, or gender expression differs from their own. Students must be able to examine the entire patient, male and female, regardless of the social, cultural, or religious beliefs of the students.

Students must be of sufficient emotional and mental health to utilize fully their abilities, exercise sound judgment, and complete educational and patient care responsibilities with courtesy, compassion, maturity, and respect. Students must be capable of modifying their behavior in response to feedback and evaluation. Students must be able to demonstrate a nonjudgmental demeanor when caring for a patient and not allow personal attitudes, perceptions, or stereotypes to compromise patient care. Students must exhibit adaptability and be able to work effectively under stress and tolerate an often physically taxing workload.

In the consideration of students for admission and in the training of students for the medical education degree, it is essential that the integrity of the curriculum be maintained, that elements of the curriculum considered necessary for the education of a physician be preserved, and that the health and safety of patients be considered vital. While reasonable accommodation is possible for certain disabilities, students must be able to perform in an independent manner with such accommodations. The use of a trained intermediary is not acceptable in many clinical situations as judgment is mediated by someone else’s power of selection, observation, and interpretation.

The CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program will consider any candidate who demonstrates the ability to perform the skills specified in these technical standards with or without reasonable accommodation, consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act. Candidates for the degree will be assessed on a regular basis according to the Academic and Technical Standards of the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program on their abilities to meet the curricular requirements.

Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 address the provision of services and accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities. Services for students with disabilities are provided to qualified students to ensure equal access to educational opportunities, programs, and activities in the most integrated setting possible.

Students requesting accommodations must contact CCNY AccessAbility Center (AAC), located in the North Academic Center Room 1/218. Students will be required to schedule an appointment with an AAC counselor by calling AAC at (212) 650-5913 or by emailing disabilityservices@ccny.cuny.edu

Once accommodations are granted, documentation must be submitted within a sufficient time in advance of an exam, course, program, workshop or activity, in which accommodations are requested, in order to allow for appropriate review and evaluation of materials submitted. The student may be required to provide additional evaluation materials.

The CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program reserves the right to provide services only to students who complete and provide results of evaluations within the specified time frame and who follow the instructions provided by the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education Program.

Academic integrity Policy

All students are expected to maintain the highest standards of academic integrity. Academic dishonesty is a basis for disciplinary action and will not be tolerated in any guise. Academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to:

(1) plagiarism: using another’s words, ideas, or paraphrases without giving credit to the source[s] and implying they are your own;

(2) cheating: examples include using hidden notes or examining another person’s responses to answer questions on a quiz/test/exam; (

3) ringers: having another person fulfill your assignment (e.g. homework, exercises, laboratory, quiz, paper, or test).

The university takes matters of academic dishonesty very seriously. The CUNY Academic Integrity Policy provides detailed descriptions of types of academic dishonesty and outlines processes for those that violate the policy. The policy can be accessed at:

https://www.cuny.edu/about/administration/offices/legal-affairs/policies-resources/academic-integrity-policy/

The faculty member in whose course or under whose tutelage an act of academic dishonesty occurs has the option of failing the student for the academic hours in question if the student accepts the penalty. If the student does not accept the penalty, the faculty member should document the incident with a Professionalism Documentation Form. Penalties for academic dishonesty may include suspension or dismissal.

Students should be aware that the process of looking for plagiarism is an automatic one done through a program such as SafeAssign, which checks all submitted materials against a very large source material database. To help understand what plagiarism is and how to avoid it, students are encouraged to read a guide provided by CCNY.

MD PROGRAM

Introduction

Students are expected to satisfy not only the academic requirements of Medical School Program but also the City College of New York requirements. These requirements are designed to ensure that students receive the broad-based education that will prepare them to meet the constantly changing demands of the medical profession in accordance with the highest ethical standards and the goals of the CUNY School of Medicine.

The Educational Program at the CUNY School of Medicine/Sophie Davis Biomedical Education is designed as an integrated curriculum in medical studies.. After receiving the BS degree, fulfilling all grade requirements and with approval by the SAPC, students will be eligible for admission to the MD program. Upon successful completion of the medical school curriculum students will be granted the MD degree. The City College of New York confers both degrees.

MD Program Advising System

At the beginning of the medical school program, each student will be assigned to a medical student advisor. The medical student advisor will meet with students in groups and individually. The medical student advisors will coordinate discussion of careers in medicine, preparation for United States Medical Licensing Exams (USMLE) Steps 1 and Step 2, elective selection and any other support issues that arise. During the last half of medical school, medical student advisors in coordination with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will take responsibility for preparation of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE) required for residency application.

Sometime during the third year of medical school, students will select a career advisor from among clinical faculty in their area of interest. The career advisor, along with the medical student advisors, will guide students toward adequate preparation for residency in their chosen area of specialization.

Curriculum

The academic requirements for the MD degree include the satisfactory completion of the MD curriculum at CUNY School of Medicine. The Student Academic Progress Committee monitors and determines each student’s progress in working toward the MD degree. At the end of each academic year, students must have academic standing consistent with the CUNY School of Medicine's curricular and graduation requirements.

MD Program Progress Requirements

All students in the MD program are required to successfully complete all The CUNY School of Medicine’s required courses, clerkships, and examinations to progress through the curriculum and fulfill graduation requirements. The Offices of the Registrar and Financial Aid, the SAPC, the Learning Resource Center, and the Deputy Dean for Medical Education and Associate Dean for Student Affairs collaboratively shall have the responsibility for monitoring and enforcing Satisfactory Academic Progress.

To progress to the M2 year students must complete the following

• Pass all the following M1 Courses

To progress to the M3 year students must complete the following:

● Pass all the following M2 Courses

and

● Pass the USMLE STEP 1 Exam

To progress to M4 students must complete the following

All M3 Clerkships

MED 60209 - M3 Summative OSCE/ Clinical Skills Assessment.

To be eligible for graduation, the M4 Year students must complete the following

• Complete the three (3) Core Clerkships during the M4 year and the Intro to Internship Course

• Complete four (4) Electives during the M4 year with no more than three (3) electives in the same specialty

and

• Pass the USMLE STEP 2 Exam

Curriculum Requirements and Regulations

The academic requirements for the MD degree include the satisfactory completion of the MD curriculum at CUNY School of Medicine. The progress of each student working toward the MD degree is monitored and academic progress reviewed at the end of each course/clerkship. At the end of each academic year, students must have academic standing consistent with the CUNY School of Medicine's curricular and graduation requirements.

Registration

Students in the MD program are required to be enrolled fulltime each semester. Fulltime status requires a minimum of 9 credits in each of the fall and spring semesters unless mandated..

Students must register on time for all courses required under the prescribed curriculum to maintain their enrollment in the CUNY School of Medicine. A student who fails to register during the registration period allowed by the College will be considered to have resigned from the MD Program. A student will also be considered to have resigned from the program if the student, without the prior written approval of the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, either (a) does not register for all required courses under the prescribed curriculum but registers instead for other non-required courses or (b) registers for all required courses, but then changes his or her registration from these courses to other non-required courses.

Regulations on Dropping Course

Except in the M4 year, students are not permitted to drop courses after the registration period. Dropping courses in the M1, M2 and M3 years will result in removal from the MD program. Students will be required to meet with their advisor to discuss any need to modify their registration. During the M4 academic year, students will receive detailed instructions regarding the enrollment process and be given the opportunity to select specific courses. The adding and dropping of M4 courses is permitted and will be coordinated and monitored by the M4 Coordinator.

Schedule Changes and Dropping Courses

A student will not be permitted to drop a course that the student is repeating, except under unusual circumstances and only after consultation with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. A student who drops any required course (including a course needed to fulfill the electives requirement) or who does not take a course by the time it is scheduled, risks jeopardizing his or her academic progress and standing. If a student does not take a course at the proper time, it is usually difficult and often impossible for the school to schedule the course later in the curriculum. Since many courses are prerequisites for subsequent courses, not taking a course at the prescribed time may lead to problems in scheduling later courses as well.

Academic Policies, Rules, and Regulations

CUNYMed policy requires all grades be posted to CUNYFirst with 6 weeks of the last day of the course.

A student has 8 years maximum to achieve the M1 through M4 curriculum: 4 years maximum for preclinical M1-M2 including passing the USMLE Step 1 examination and 4 years max for M3 through M4 including passing USMLE Step 2.

Pre Clerkship (M1 and M2) Absence Policy

Students attending the CUNY School of Medicine must comply with the attendance policy in all years of education and training. Students must attend and actively participate in all components of the curriculum, including required lectures, small group sessions, laboratories, fieldwork, patient clinics, and other course activities. Absence from courses is discouraged and should be avoided whenever possible. Absence from any required course activity must be reported.

While the above absence policy is a general CUNY School of Medicine policy, students should refer to each course syllabus for details specific to the course.

● Course directors will track student attendance at mandatory sessions.

● If a student has more than one unapproved absence, the course director may submit a professionalism documentation form to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Absences due to illness or personal or family emergencies must be reported to the Office of Student Affairs via the dedicated email address: absence@med.cuny.edu . These should be reported prior or as soon as possible after an absence. Students need not report the reason absence to the course director. The Office of Student Affairs will inform the course director of the absence.

Absences for the following reasons must be reported to the Office of Student Affairs via the dedicated email address (absence@med.cuny.edu ) a minimum of 2 weeks in advance (except for holidays for which dates are announced with shorter notice):

1. Absences due to religious obligations should be reported as early as possible prior to the date of the holiday. Students should use discretion in judging a holiday’s importance and in requesting absence. Students may not extend the absence beyond the timeframe of the official religious holiday. Students need not report the reason for such absence to the course director. The Office of Student Affairs will inform the course director of the absence.

2. Requests for absence due to a scheduled conference for research presentation or in functioning as a leader of a student organization must be approved by the Office of Student Affairs at absence@med.cuny.edu and the course director at least 2 weeks in advance of the conference. Students must await approval before making travel plans that could interfere with attendance at required course sessions. For students in good academic standing, leadership in co‐curricular activities is encouraged; however, such opportunities must not occur at the expense of a student’s required coursework and attendance. The Office of Student Affairs will inform the student of the decision as soon as possible after the request is made.

3. Requests for absences for life events such as family weddings, graduations, etc. must be sought from the Office of Student Affairs at absence@med.cuny.edu and the course director at least 2 weeks in advance of the event. The office of Student Affairs will inform the student of the decision as soon as possible after the request is made.

All absences from a scheduled examination require documentation (e.g., a physician letter) that should be sent to the Office of Student Affairs at absence@med.cuny.edu only.

All other absences must be reported to the course directors in advance. If confidentiality about the reason is necessary, the student can report the reason for the absence to the Office of Student Affairs instead of at absence@med.cuny.edu.

Each course syllabus specifies the number of absences that are allowed each semester, and the consequences for exceeding this number. Every absence may require the student to complete “makeup” assignments. These policies are described in each course syllabus.

Students can find policies related to non-compliance with the Attendance Policy in individual course syllabi. Consequences may include:

● issued professionalism form,

● ad hoc Professionalism Committee referral for review

● a lower grade assigned

● failing a course

● additional time assigned to the course.

Grades Awarded in MD Program Courses

Grades in the MD program courses are awarded using the following Grading System:

*Note: Electives, End of M3 Clerkship Clinical Skills Assessment, Clerkship orientation, Clerkship intersession and the Neurology Clerkship will be graded P/F

*Withdrawal Grades (W, WN, WD Grades) may have financial implications.

Pre-clerkship Grade Clarification and Appeal Procedure

If disagreement on a final MED course grade exists between the course director and the student, the following guidelines govern grade appeals.

1. Within five business days after posting the final course grade, the student must submit a written communication, via their college email, to the course director, outlining the reason(s) for the grade appeal, and requesting a meeting to review his or her course grade. At the meeting, the course requirements and grading policies, and the student’s performance will be reviewed.

2. Within five business days of the student-course director meeting, the course director will inform the student of their decision. The decision may be to maintain the original grade or to change and submit an amended grade to the Office of Academic Records.

3. If the student believes he/she was not accorded academic standards, or the decision regarding the final grade was arbitrary, capricious, or reflective of bias, the student has five business days after receiving the course director’s decision to appeal the decision to the Deputy Dean for Medical Education or his/her designee. A request to appeal must be made via written communication, using the college email account requesting a meeting to review his/her course grade.

4. After the review, the Deputy Dean or designee will have 5 business days to inform the student of his/her decision. The designee can advise the course director to maintain the original grade or to submit an amended grade to the Office of Academic Records.

The decision of the Deputy Dean or designee will be final. No further institutional recourse to appeal a grade is available to the student.

Pre-clerkship Course Reassessment Policy

Students in the Pre-clerkship M1 and M2 curriculum who fail any two Organ System modules within a semester will not be allowed to reassess either course. Failing any two modules within a semester will require repeating both modules. If a student fails the first 2 modules of a semester the student will not be allowed to proceed to the 3rd module of that semester. When a student fails two modules within a semester the student will be referred to student affairs for a remediation plan and then will join the next year’s medical school class to resume their medical education.

Students who passed the course elements but failed the NBME examination will be assigned a grade of C (Conditional) and will be given the opportunity to take the NBME re-examination if eligible. Students who pass the NBME re-examination will be assigned a grade of C/P. Students who fail the NBME re-examination will be assigned a grade of C/F and will be referred to the Student Academic Progress Committee for action.

Students who fail a course/module for not meeting competency in non-NMBE assessments will be assigned a grade of U and will be given the opportunity for reassessment if eligible. Students who reassess successfully will be assigned a grade of U/P. Students who fail reassessment will be assigned a grade of U/F and will be referred to the Student Academic Progress Committee for action. In organ systems CUNY SOM policy allows students who fail the anatomy practical to receive a U grade. Once the student passes the reassessment the student is awarded a U/P.

Requirements for Advancement to M3 Clinical Training

Students must complete all requirements for the pre-clerkship curriculum and pass the United States Medical Licensing Examination Step 1 to advance to the M3 curriculum.

Deadline to Take Step 1

Students must sit for Step 1 by the deadline set annually as part of the M2 curriculum.

Students whose assessments (Standard timed, on campus Comprehensive basic Science Examination or Standard timed, on campus Comprehensive Basic Science Self Assessment Examination) indicate potential failure of Step 1 are strongly encouraged to enroll in the one semester Bridge to Clerkship independent study course. When students, who are enrolled in the independent study course, pass Step 1 they will be eligible to enter the M3 clerkship curriculum. Students who do not show readiness for Step 1 or who fail Step 1 but receive a passing grade in the Bridge to Clerkship independent study may repeat the independent study course, if offered, in the following semester. Students who do not sit for the Step 1 exam by the deadline and do not enroll in the independent study Bridge to Clerkship or request a personal leave of absence, will be placed on an administrative leave of absence by the SAPC and will be considered for dismissal.

Students have a maximum of three attempts to pass Step 1. All three attempts must be completed within one year of the test date deadline set annually as part of the M2 curriculum. Students who fail Step 1 a second time or who do not take Step 1 within the allotted time will appear before the SAPC.

In all cases, leaves may only be granted if the student is eligible under the Maximum Time Frame policy.

Students Requesting an Extension to take Step 1 Examination

Students whose assessments indicate readiness, either by standardized time based NBME Comprehensive Basic Science Examination or time Based Comprehensive Self Assessment on campus testing, but who experience acute extenuating circumstances may request an extension to the deadline.

Students must submit their request for an extension in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The Office of Student Affairs (OSA) will refer appropriate requests to the Step 1 Committee for consideration. The Step 1 committee will consist of the deputy dean or designee, the assistant dean for basic science curriculum and one faculty member.

The Step 1 committee may grant an extension in the case of acute and significant extenuating circumstances that impede the student’s ability to sit for the Step 1 exam by the deadline. Students requesting an extension must demonstrate likelihood of passing Step 1 by the new deadline as determined by the Step 1 Committee.

Students Granted an Extension

Students who are granted an extension, will be given a deadline for taking the Step 1 examination. In general, extensions are three weeks or less from the deadline mandated in the curriculum. Students granted an extension must sit for their examination by the deadline set by the Step 1 committee. Students who are granted an extension and take their exam by the given deadline will be allowed to begin clerkships with their class while they await their score.

Students who enter their clerkships but fail Step 1 will be removed from the clerkship upon notice of the failure and enrolled in the Independent Study-Bridge to Clerkship.

Students Not Granted an Extension

Students, not granted an extension, must sit for the exam by the mandated date, or enroll in the Independent Study-Bridge to Clerkship or request a year-long personal leave of absence. Students who do not sit for the exam or do not request a personal leave of absence by the mandated date will be placed on an administrative leave of absence by the SAPC and will be considered for dismissal.

Step 1 Failures

Students who fail Step 1 will be required to enroll in the Independent Study-Bridge to Clerkship.

Students on leave must pass the USMLE Step 1 by December 15 to be entered into the following year’s M3 clerkship lottery. Students who fail Step 1 a second time must create a written plan of study with the Associate Dean of Student Affairs and present the plan to the Step 1 Committee.

Clerkship Grade Appeal Procedure

1. If the student disagrees with their final clerkship grade the following guidelines govern the grade appeal procedure.

2. Within five business days after posting of the final clerkship grade, the student must submit a written communication, via CityMail account, to the clerkship site director, Ms Alston clerkship_admin@med.cuny.edu and the Deputy Dean’s designee to request a clarification meeting with the clerkship director. This meeting will be a face- to-face where the clerkship site director explains how the clinical grade was determined. The clerkship site director may determine that the clinical grade was fairly awarded and remains unchanged, or he/she may determine that a change is warranted, in which case the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education will be notified and the grade will be updated in LEO. If the student would like clarification around the non-clinical aspects of the grade, the Deputy Dean’s designee will include them in the appeal process as described below.

3. If the student believes the grade finally awarded was arbitrary, capricious, or reflective of bias, the student has 5 business days after the clarification meeting to appeal the decision to the Deputy Dean’s designee. A request to appeal must be made via written communication, to the Deputy Dean’s designee and Ms Alston at clerkship_admin@med.cuny.edu, using the CCNY CityMail email account, requesting a meeting to review his/her clerkship grade.

4. The Deputy Dean’s designee will conduct a formal review of the clerkship grade or summative evaluation along with any other information that has become available, such as a letter provided by the student with contextual information. This may include meeting with the clerkship director.

5. After the review, the Deputy Dean’s designee will have 5 business days to inform the student of his or her decision. The designee can advise the clerkship coordinator to maintain the original grade or to submit an amended grade to the Office of Academic Records. The decision of the Deputy Dean’s designee will be final. No further institutional recourse to appeal a grade is available to the student.

Clerkship Attendance Policy

Students' presence, participation, and engagement are cornerstones of clinical clerkships. All clerkship activities are mandatory and include all educational activities and clinical shifts. Clinical shifts may include nights, holidays, and weekend duties.

Determination of an absence as approved, or unapproved is described in the CUNY SOM policy. The Absence policy requires students to report their absences to the clerkship director, clerkship coordinator, and to absence@med.cuny.edu.

Approved absences must be made up. The clerkship site director will determine how missed days are made up. Missed days can be made up during or after the clerkship. Unapproved absences cannot be made up. Students must meet with the clerkship site director after one unapproved absence. Students will be referred to the SAPC for 2 unapproved absences.

Competence in clinical work requires a student to be present, therefore all absences including excused absences may affect a student’s grade. For all types of absences (approved or unapproved), if a student misses more than 20% of the clerkship or the equivalent of 1 day per clerkship week, the student will need to repeat the clerkship. (More than six days for a six-week clerkship and eight days in eight-week clerkship)

Clerkship Failure and Reassessment Policy

One Excused Absence from a Shelf Exam: A student who misses the exam due to extenuating circumstances will receive a grade of INC. The student will be required to reassess the exam on the next scheduled shelf reassessment day. If the student is unable to take the exam during the semester in which they are enrolled, they will be required to request a personal leave from the Dean of Student Affairs and will not be permitted to enroll in the following semester. The Office of Student Affairs and the SAPC will determine the appropriate conditions to be placed on the student’s return to clerkships. Students are only permitted to sit for one shelf exams during winter and spring breaks. Students may sit for two exams during summer break.

One Shelf Exam Failure: A student who fails the shelf exam on the first attempt will receives a grade of C/ and be placed on Monitored Academic Status by the SAPC. The definition of Monitored Academic Status is provided below). The student will be required to reassess the exam on the next scheduled shelf reassessment day. If the student passes the re-examination, they will receive a grade of Pass for the clerkship, with a notation on the MSPE letter that the shelf exam was passed on the second attempt. If the student is unable to take the re-examination shelf exam during the semester in which they are enrolled, the student will be required to request a personal leave from the Dean of Student Affairs and will not be permitted to enroll in the following semester. The Office of Student Affairs and the SAPC will determine the appropriate conditions to be placed on the student’s return to clerkships. Students are only permitted to sit for one shelf re-examination during winter and spring breaks. Students may sit for two re-examinations during summer break.

One Failure on a clerkship OSCE: The student will receive a grade of U. The student will be allowed to reassess the OSCE once. After the student passes the reassessment, they will receive a grade of P. The OSCE reassessment will be noted on MSPE letter.

One Failure of the Clinical Portion of a Clerkship: The student will receive a final clerkship grade of Fail, will be required to appear before the SAPC and placed on Academic Probation. The student may be given an opportunity to repeat the clerkship during the M4 year.

Failure of a Shelf Exam Reassessment: If the student has not failed any elements of any other clerkships, and the clerkship director confirms that they have passed the clinical and professionalism portions of the clerkship the student may use their Step 2 dedicated time to study and take the shelf exam for the third time at the end of that block. This will count as an M4 elective done within the M3 year. If the student passes the shelf exam on the third try, they will receive a grade of Pass, and the MSPE letter will reflect that the student passed the clerkship after taking a shelf remediation elective and passing the exam on the third try. If the student fails the shelf exam on the third attempt they will be subject to dismissal.

Failure of a clerkship that was repeated for any reason (clinical or shelf failure) will result in the student referred to the SAPC for dismissal.

Two Shelf Exam Failures: A student who fails two different shelf exams on the first attempt will be required to appear before the SAPC and will be placed on Academic Probation.

Clerkship Failures: A student who receives more than one failing grade in a clerkship (either two Fail grades, two C/F grades, or one of each) in a clerkship will be presented to the SAPC and considered for dismissal.

Three Shelf Exam Failures: A student who fails three different shelf exams on the first attempt will be presented to the SAPC and considered for dismissal.

Step 2 Policies

Students may only take USMLE Step 2 CK after successfully completing the M3 year. The deadline for the exam is July 31.

Students Requesting an Extension

Students must submit their request for an extension in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

1. The reason the student is requesting an extension.

2. The date the student plans to take the exam.

3. The student’s last two self-assessment score reports.

4. A plan for preparation including:

A study schedule.

A list of resources the student plans to engage, including tutors or LRC support.

Documentation that the student has discussed the plan with their Medical Student Advisor.

The Associate Dean for Students Affairs will refer appropriate requests to the Step 2 Committee for consideration. The Step 2 committee is made up of the Deputy Dean, the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education and the Chair of the phase 2/3 committee.

The Step 2 committee may grant an extension in the case of acute and significant extenuating circumstances resulting in the student’s inability to sit for the Step 2 exam by the deadline.

Step 2 Failure

Students must have a passing score in the Step 2 exam by May 1 to be certified for graduation. The SAPC will require students who do not pass by May 1 to take an administrative leave and will consider allowing the student an opportunity to repeat the M4 year.

Students who fail the USMLE Step 2 exam while on a required clerkship or elective experience will finish the clerkship block and meet with their student advisor to plan any schedule modifications.

Students must retake Step 2 with enough time to record a passing score by the deadlines set by the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) to be verified for the Match and to be verified for Post-match Supplemental Offer and Acceptance Program (SOAP). Students should review the reporting schedule for Step 2 on the USMLE website to ensure that their scores will return in time.

Any deviation from this schedule must be requested in writing two weeks before the deadline to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and be approved by the Step 2 committee. Students who fail Step 2 a second time must create a written plan of study with their Medical School Advisor or another faculty member and present it to the Step 2 Committee and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Students who fail the exam a third time will be subject to dismissal by the SAPC. Students who are given the opportunity to repeat the M4 year will sit for the exam by July 1 of their second M4 year.

Maximum Time Frame

The standard time frame for required course work completion for the MD degree is four academic years. Due to academic, personal difficulties or scholarly enrichment activities, a student may be granted additional time. In such situations, an academic plan must be established for the student that extends their time in the MD program beyond four years. Extending their time may require the repetition of all or a part of a year of study (i.e., subsequent to incomplete or unsatisfactory course work or an approved leave).

All students must complete the MD portion of the program within 8 years or be considered for dismissal. The eight years includes all types of leaves.

Students must complete the M1 and M2 curriculum (including all leaves of absence) and pass USMLE Step 1 in 4 years.

Students must complete the M3 and M4 curriculum (including all leaves of absence) and pass USMLE Step 2 CK in 4 years.

Students who encounter extenuating circumstances that lengthen their time frame can request an extension from the Associate Dean of Student Affairs with the request reviewed by the SAPC.

Financial aid rules regarding the maximum time frame for eligibility are different from academic rules. Please see rules governing financial aid in Section h-Satisfactory Academic Progress.

M3 Clerkship Lottery Policy

1. Lottery

The M3 clinical clerkship lottery takes place in the early spring of the M2 year. Students rank their preferences for the order and sites they wish to do their six core clerkships.

2. Lottery Oversight

The Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education oversees the clerkship lottery. After students receive their lottery results, students who wish to seek alternatives employ one of two primary mechanisms: either 1) switching sites with other students or 2) requesting a change through the administrative mechanism.

3. Post-lottery Changes of Site

After students receive their lottery results, they have a one-week period in which they can switch sites with their classmates. Both students must complete the clerkship change redcap survey and notify Ms Alston, clerkship_admin@med.cuny.edu. The switch must be completed during this open period, and student switches cannot be done once clerkships begin.

4. Administrative Mechanisms

Students can request a site reassignment before or during an assigned clerkship for a compelling reason. The student must submit a clearly-articulated request to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs regarding his or her rationale for seeking a change.

Before the Clerkship Begins and after the lottery switch period has ended.

If the request for a site change is made before the clerkship begins, the student must make the request in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Ms Alston at clerkship_admin@med.cuny.edu. If the request is found to be appropriate, the team will work to find an alternative site. If the request is not approved, the situation will be discussed with the Associate Dean for Students Affairs and the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education. The student will be notified in writing of the decision.

After the Clerkship Begins

The student must request in writing to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Ms Alston malston@med.cuny.edu. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs together with the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education will determine the request’s appropriateness. If they find the request compelling, they will work to find an alternative site. If the reason is not compelling, the student may appeal to the Associate Dean for Students Affairs and the Deputy Dean for Medical Education. The result of the appeal will be final.

Criteria Used

Students must have a compelling reason to make a change. Before the clerkship begins, compelling reasons include major life events, health, disability or conscientious objections. After the clerkship begins, compelling reasons include any of the former reasons or concerns about team dynamics or the learning environment. Each request is decided individually.

Individuals tasked with making the decision include the Medical Student Advisors in the Office of Student Affairs, and, at times, the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education. Requests that are initially disallowed may be adjudicated by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Deputy Dean for Medical Education.

Policy on Student Duty Hours During Clinical Rotations

The following policy pertains to the amount of time medical students spend in required clinical and educational activities during clinical rotations, including clerkships and electives. The policies have been established in line with ACGME guidelines for work hours of interns and residents to promote patient safety and medical student well-being.

● Duty hours are limited to an 80 hours per week averaged over the length of the rotation. This includes all clinical care, in-house call activities, and departmental and medical school sponsored core educational sessions including rounds, lectures, and seminars. Duty hours do not include time spent at home reading or studying.

● No duty shift (such as a call day) may exceed 24 hours, plus 3-hour sign out.

● Students are required to have one 24-hour period off in seven days, averaged over the length of the rotation.

● Students may not have more than 12 consecutive hours on duty in the Emergency Department.

Compliance:

Clerkship Site Directors, Clerkship Directors, Elective Course Directors, and the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education will monitor compliance with the Clinical Rotation Duty Hours policy. Students are advised to report violations of this policy in one of several ways. The student may directly report the violation to the clerkship/elective site course director or clerkship director. Students may also directly report the violation to the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education. At the end of each clerkship and elective course, students will be asked about course/clerkship compliance with the student duty hours policy on the course/clerkship evaluation form. The responses to the course evaluation form will be anonymous, and will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education and the Clerkship Director. Additionally, students may anonymously report duty hour violations at any time through an on-line reporting system that will be reviewed by the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education.

If the duty hour violation is reported directly to the Clerkship or Course Director, the Course or Clerkship Director must investigate the report and attempt to resolve the situation. If the situation is not resolved, the student must report the violation to the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education. The Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education will address these and any other reports of duty hour violations that were directly reported to him/her by meeting with the specific clerkship or Course Director. The Clerkship Director will be required to submit a final report to the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education and the Deputy Dean to summarize how the compliance issue was resolved.

Policy on M3-M4 Students Taking Electives at Other Institutions

Students have up to 16 weeks of elective time at other institutions in the M4 year. Students must have prior approval of all extramural electives by the Elective Oversight Committee to ensure student safety and suitability of the elective. The Elective oversight committee consists of the Associate Dean for Medical Education, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and a Medical Student Advisor. Required M4 courses and clerkships (Critical Care, Emergency Medicine, a Sub-internship and Introduction to Internship) must be completed at CUNY School of Medicine clinical affiliates. In addition, prior to arranging any M4 electives, either at an affiliate or extramural site, students should meet with a Medical Student Advisor to develop a plan that provides a broad elective experience.

The Office of Student Affairs can provide information on registration for M4 electives.

CUNY SOM Policy on Clinical Supervision

At the CUNY School of Medicine, we value the role of learners in providing excellent clinical care. We also embrace the educational principle of graded responsibility to maximally support learners in developing clinical expertise. We believe that appropriate supervision is critical to performing assessments of the learner and providing meaningful feedback.

CUNY School of Medicine students must be appropriately supervised when participating in required or elective clinical activities.

1. Medical students may not provide unsupervised care.

2. Supervisors must hold an affiliate faculty appointment or be supervised in their teaching and assessment role by affiliate faculty members that may include physicians, residents, fellows, and other licensed health professional faculty supervising an activity within their scope of expertise or practice.

3. Students may be supervised at one of two broad levels as determined by the supervisor:

a. Direct observation: the supervisor is present with the student and the patient

b. Immediately available indirect supervision: the supervisor, while not in the presence of the student and/or patient, is immediately available to the learner and/or at the site of care to provide direct supervision

4. Determination of appropriate level of supervision is made by the supervisor, based on many factors, including:

• Level of training of the student

• Previous experience and skill of the student with the clinical activity and setting

• Familiarity of the supervisor with the abilities of the student

• Acuity of activity and level of risk to patient

5. Students may not perform procedures without direct supervision.

The Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education, and the Clerkship Directors or Site Directors, are responsible for adherence to this policy

Financial Aid Satisfactory Academic Progress Policy

Federal and State regulations require that all students receiving financial aid, including all federal and state aid, must maintain satisfactory academic progress to maintain financial aid eligibility. Academic decisions made by the SAPC (other than dismissal) do not have bearing on students’ financial aid eligibility; nor does financial aid eligibility have bearing on academic decisions. The Office of Financial Aid will monitor students’ academic standing at the end of each spring term.

The standard required length for the MD degree is four years. A student will be permitted a time limit of enrollment beyond the standard required length of study as a full-time student to complete the program, with the understanding that academic or personal difficulties or opportunities for scholarly enrichment may present themselves. The maximum time frame for financial aid eligibility is 150% of the program, or six years in the case of the MD Degree. Students are not eligible to receive financial aid while on leave, but time on leave will be counted toward the maximum time frame for financial aid eligibility.

Students whose financial aid is suspended due to a failure to meet the requirements listed above may apply for a one-time waiver to re-establish eligibility for Federal aid for one semester only. To qualify for this one-time only waiver, the student must submit the following forms to the Office of Financial Aid:

• A signed financial aid waiver for probation form.

• A letter that describes the reasons for the failure to maintain Satisfactory Academic Progress

A financial aid hold will be placed on the student’s account until the forms are received. Failure to submit the forms will result in the suspension of the student’s financial aid. If the appeal is approved the student will be placed on financial aid probation until the end of the Spring term at which point status and eligibility for Federal aid will be re-evaluated. Other forms of aid, such as grants or scholarships, may not permit reinstatement.

A student who is granted a financial aid probation must achieve a 100% pass rate standard for all courses for this probationary period, or be suspended from financial aid eligibility in the following semester.

Requirements for Academic Progress and Graduation

Each student at CUNY School of Medicine is required to successfully complete all required courses, clerkships, and examinations to graduate with the MD degree. CUNY School of Medicine does not measure academic progress by means of a cumulative grade point average but rather with grades of Pass or Fail in Years M1 and M2, Clerkship orientation, M3 intersession, M3 Neurology Clerkship, M2 Summative OSCE, the End of M3 Clinical Skills Assessment, electives and the Introduction to Internship and with grades of Honors, High Pass, Pass, or Fail in all other clerkships in Years M3 and M4. Specifically, all courses in M1 must be completed with a grade of Pass for progression to M2, and all courses in M2 and the USMLE Step 1 must be completed by the date required by CUNY School of Medicine with a grade of Pass for progression to M3. Students must complete all courses in the pre-clerkship curriculum and demonstrate readiness on a school-administered assessment examinations to be certified to sit for Step 1.

To graduate, students must pass all courses, clerkships, and summative OSCEs (M2 and M3), and must pass both Step 1 and Step 2. Students must also successfully meet all program competencies including those that pertain to professional behavior to progress to the next academic year, phase or to graduate.

Qualitative Measures

Students will be assessed on all competencies outlined in the Educational Program Objectives throughout the program, in all settings (classroom, clinic, small groups, meetings, email communications). Students may be subject to action by the SAPC due to failure to meet competencies or because of lapses in any competency both inside and outside the classroom. Some competencies, i.e. Life-long learning, Interpersonal skills and Communication and Professionalism, will be assessed qualitatively, through observation of students’ behavior. Students will be notified of perceived lapses and provided with feedback and expectations for remediation.

Academic Status

Academic standing refers to a student's academic status within the CUNY School of Medicine, as determined by the SAPC at the conclusion of each course. Students are considered to be in Good Academic Standing if they are making satisfactory progress through the curriculum. Students not making satisfactory progress will be placed on Academic Probation or considered for dismissal from the school.

Monitored Academic Status (MAS)

Monitored Academic Status (MAS) is an informal, internal CUNY School of Medicine designation that is not documented in a student’s MSPE letter. A student who is placed on MAS is still considered to be in good academic standing. MD students will be placed on Monitored Academic Status for receiving a Conditional (as distinguished from a failing) grade in any course or clerkship. Students placed on MAS will receive a letter from the SAPC notifying them that they are required to meet with the designated Medical Student Advisor in the Office of Student Affairs to develop a plan to ensure their future success and access appropriate support resources. Upon passing any required reassessment and the next course in the curriculum, students will no longer be on MAS.

Academic or Professional Probation

Academic or Professional Probation is a formal designation that is recorded on the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE). If placed on probation, the student will have 12 months to improve their academic/professional standing. Failure to improve academic/professional standing by the end of 12-month will result in recommendation for dismissal. Students will receive this designation for:

● Professional misconduct deemed by SAPC to warrant this designation .
● Failing one course (each Organ Systems module is a course) or clerkship.
● Receiving two Conditional grades in pre-clerkship (M1 and M2) years .
● Receiving two failures of Shelf Exams on the first attempt or one clinical clerkship failure during clerkship (M3 and M4) years .

The SAPC will determine the conditions that are required to remove the probationary status

Dismissal

The Student Academic Progress Committee may dismiss a student from the CUNY School of Medicine if a student has serious academic or professional deficiencies that, in the committee’s opinion, the student is unable to continue with the program. Dismissal may occur, for example, if a student:

Fails to earn removal from academic probation within one year, especially when the student has multiple or repeated academic deficiencies;
Fails any course during a repeated academic year;
Receives a Conditional grade in a third Organ Systems course/module in the Pre-Clerkship (M1 and M2) years;
Fails a course or module or clerkship a second time, no make-up tests or reassessments are allowed;
Receives a conditional grade in a third shelf exam (third conditional grade) in the M3 year;
Fails the clinical portion of 2 clerkships;
Fails any course or clerkship the student is repeating;
Fails to meet professionalism competencies.

When a student is considered for dismissal, the SAPC will first review the case and then decide whether to proceed with a Dismissal Hearing. If the SAPC determines that grounds for dismissal for academic performance or professional conduct may exist, a dismissal hearing will be conducted. The student is entitled to be present at a Dismissal Hearing and may bring one support person. Ahead of the hearing, the student must inform the SAPC of who the support person will be and what their relationship is to the student. The support person is not permitted to speak during the proceedings. The student is also entitled to hear a summary statement of the concerns of the SAPC, make an oral statement, and rebut any adverse information. The SAPC members will have the right to question the student.

The student and the student’s support person will not have the right to be present during deliberations of the Committee. Motions related to the student’s academic status will be voted upon using a secret ballot.

The Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the CUNY School of Medicine/ Counseling Center staff are available to provide transition-career counseling for any student who is dismissed from the CUNY School of Medicine.

Students have the right to appeal dismissal decisions to the dean of the CUNY School of Medicine (see "Notification of Adverse Decisions and "Appeals Procedure, "below).

Academic Due Process and Academic Standing Notifications.

The SAPC, in consultation with the Registrar, will notify in writing students who have not met the standards for Satisfactory Academic Progress outlined above (Requirements for Academic Progress and Graduation, Qualitative Measures and/or Maximum Time Frame). The student will be notified that their record will be discussed at the SAPC meeting and informed of the option to present their case in writing and/or in person. The letter will provide information on the reasons they are being discussed and the students’ rights. The notification will indicate the nature of the deficiency, any methods that may be available for correcting the deficiency, and any consequences that have resulted or may result, such as Monitored Academic Status (MAS), Academic Probation, or dismissal. The student will be advised to meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, who will act in the capacity of student advocate, to learn about the proceedings and to ensure that the academic standards review process occurs. Students are officially notified via receipt email from the registrar’s office. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Deputy Dean of Medical Education, or his/her designee, SAPC Chair, and Registrar will also be notified.

Academic Due Process Notification of Dismissal Hearing.

The student will be informed and given the option to appear. A student who wishes to contest the dismissal must appear before the committee at the day and time of the hearing. Written notice via receipt email will be forwarded to the student by the Registrar at least ten working days prior to the scheduled SAPC meeting at which the dismissal question is to be addressed. The notice will include a summary of the student’s academic performance deficiencies, an indication of all relevant action(s) of the SAPC to date, and a description of the concerns causing the SAPC to consider dismissal from the CUNY School of Medicine.

The written notice will further state the date, time, and place of the SAPC meeting at which the dismissal question is to be addressed and will request that the student be present at the meeting. The student will be informed in writing of the right to select and be accompanied by a support person at that time. Legal representation is not permitted at SAPC meetings, and the meeting proceedings may not be recorded by the student or their support person. The written notification will include a statement that the student may, if desired; submit a written response to the academic performance deficiencies set out in the SAPC notice letter. Such response will be forwarded to the Office of Academic Records and the SAPC Chair at least three (3) working days in advance of the meeting.

Notification of Adverse Decisions by the SAPC: The student will be officially notified of all SAPC decisions via an email sent from the Registrar with an attached Academic Standing letter from the SAPC Chair. If the student is permitted to continue in the MD program, they will be advised of any additional requirements that the SAPC has imposed. If the SAPC dismisses the student, the Academic Standing letter will inform them of their right to appeal to the Dean of the School. CC’d on the Academic Standing letter will be the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, Deputy Dean of Medical Education or his/her designee, SAPC Chair via SAPC@med.cuny.edu, Registrar, and when appropriate, Chair of the Professionalism and Ethics Committee.

The Notification of Adverse Decisions by the SAPC is the only official notification that is transmitted to the student in writing. The CUNY School of Medicine is not responsible for the failure of a student to receive this notification. A student who refuses to claim or accept an official notification of dismissal or denial of graduation loses the right to appeal the decision.

Policies that Apply to both the BS and MD Programs.

Leaves of Absence

Leaves of absence fall into three categories: academic leave of absence, personal leave of absence, and administrative leave of absence. Each type of leave is described below.

Academic Leave of Absence: Students request leaves of absence from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. A student who has passed all required licensing exams and is in Good Academic Standing may request an Academic Leave of Absence for academic enrichment, such as research, for a period of up to one year.

Personal Leave of Absence: Students request personal leaves of absence from the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.

Administrative Leave of Absence: Students who have failed to complete certain academic or non-academic requirements may be placed on an Administrative Leave of Absence by the Student Academic Progress Committee for a specified period to complete these requirements. This involuntary leave of absence may be imposed under circumstances such as:

● failure to meet the academic standards, failure to pay tuition or fees,
● failure to submit proof of insurance,
● failure to submit mandatory medical clearance documents

The length of an administrative leave and the conditions for reentry to the school will be determined by the Student Academic Progress Committee.

Applying for Academic or Personal Leave.

The request must be in writing and must set out the dates, the reasons and, the proposed use of Leave of Absence. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee may grant the request or refer the request to the SAPC for action.

Approval Process for Academic or Personal Leave.

If a Leave of Absence is granted, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will communicate, in writing, to the student any conditions which must be met during the leave and upon return. Associate Dean for Student Affairs will also notify the Registrar, Financial Aid, and SAPC Chair. If the request is referred to the SAPC for action, the SAPC will evaluate the request and make a determination. If requests for leaves are reviewed and approved by the SAPC, a letter from the SAPC Chair will be sent to the student.

Under no circumstances will a student be allowed to take more than 8 years from the time of matriculation to complete the requirements for the MD degree, including leaves of absence. Student should also consider the ramification of Leave on their Financial Aid eligibility.

Ethics and Professionalism

Professionalism Assessments Beyond the Scope of Course Requirements

As future physicians, students are expected to conduct themselves in a professional manner consistent with the ethical standards of physicians. Throughout the curriculum, students are taught, assessed, and given the opportunity to remediate the professionalism competencies. Supporting students through the process of cultivating a professional identity as a physician involves collaboration among faculty and staff, the Student Honor Code Committee, the Office of Student Affairs, the ad hoc Ethics and Professionalism Committee (EPC), and the Student Academic Progress Committee (SAPC). Please refer to CUNY School of Medicine objectives on professional behavior [https://cunymed.org/bs-md-program/].

The Student Academic Progress Committee hears cases involving violations of professional behavior as brought forth by report from Medical School faculty to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, by students through the Student Honor Code Committee, or by the recommendation of the Ethics and Professionalism Committee (EPC).

An initial professionalism hearing before the Student Academic Progress Committee is convened to:

● assist the instructor, student, and other members of the academic community in resolving the issue;

● maintain a record of all such incidents involving students in the School;

● provide guidance to the academic community about the nature and impact of cheating, plagiarism, and unprofessional behavior.

The following procedures will pertain to the decision of whether to convene a Committee hearing and the rights of students charged with unprofessional or unethical behavior:

● Any charge, accusation, or allegation that a faculty or staff member wishes to lodge against a student and which, if proven, may subject a student to disciplinary action, must be submitted through a Professionalism Documentation Form. (See Section A above).

● In most cases, these reports will be reviewed by the Ethics and Professionalism Committee to determine whether to refer the case to the SAPC.

The Associate Dean for Student Affairs may refer cases directly to the SAPC

Professional Behavior Documentation Forms

Professional behavior documentation forms may be submitted online by faculty or staff.

Faculty and staff are strongly encouraged to use the forms to document both commendations or lapses in professionalism. It is recommended that faculty and staff meet with the students to discuss the incident prior to submission. Professional Behavior Documentation Forms are submitted to the Office of Student Affairs electronically where they are reviewed. If the faculty and student have met during this process then students have the right to submit their comments to in response to the comments submitted by the faculty/staff member.

Completion of Course/Clerkship Evaluations

Student completion of course evaluations is mandatory and a professional responsibility. Students as future physicians have obligations to support continuous quality improvements in medical education. Student course evaluations are used extensively in annual reviews of all courses by the Curriculum Committee and the issues raised are addressed. Student who submit 80% or more of their evaluations will receive a Professionalism Commendation that will be documented in their Medical Student Performance Evaluation.

Ethics and Professionalism Committee

The Ethics and Professionalism Committee (EPC) will be comprised of members of the CUNY School of Medicine administration and teaching faculty. The EPC will be notified to review Professional Behavior Documentation Form reports for the following reasons:

● two or more notices of unprofessional behavior;

● one notice of unprofessional behavior that, in the judgment of the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, warrants involvement of the EPC;

● one notice of unprofessional behavior on which the reporter has indicated that the concern is severe enough to be reported to the SAPC.

The committee will consider relevant history and facts about the infraction(s) to determine the appropriate disposition and whether the student should be reported to the SAPC. The committee may opt to meet with the reporter, the student, and any other relevant parties prior to deciding.

The Committee may recommend any of the following actions:

● If no basis for the allegations exists or the allegations do not warrant disciplinary actions the individuals involved shall be notified that the complaint has been dismissed.

● The matter will be referred to the SAPC for review. The following matters will be referred directly to the SAPC:

o Second incidents or patterns of unprofessional behavior.

o Incidents of unprofessional behavior that take place within clerkships, LCE, EHS Fieldwork, and OSCEs.

o Any incident of unprofessional behavior that is serious enough to lead to the failure of a major assignment, course, or clerkship.

The matter will be referred to the City College Vice President of Student Affairs or the CCNY Chief Diversity Officer, if warranted.

Within one week of completing the investigation, the Chair of the EPC will deliver their recommendation to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Should the EPC determine that the issue should be reviewed by the SAPC, the EPC Chair will inform the SAPC Chair at that time.

http://www.gc.cuny.edu/CUNY_GC/media/CUNY-Graduate-Center/PDF/Publications/AvoidingPlagiarism.pdf

Student Academic Progress Committee Professionalism Hearing Procedures

The hearing procedure is as follows:

1. In advance of the hearing, the student will be informed of the charges, the hearing procedures, and his or her rights, including the right to be accompanied by a nonlegal support person of their choosing.

2. The SAPC Chair shall preside at the meeting. In the event that the Chair is not available, the meeting will be chaired by the Vice-Chair or another appropriate designee.

3. Prior to accepting testimony at the hearing, the presiding Chair shall rule on any motions questioning the impartiality of any committee member or the adequacy of the notice of the charges.

4. The individual(s) bringing charges will present the details of the circumstances in front of the full Committee and the student.

5. The individual(s) bringing the charge will then be excused.

6. The student will then be asked by the Committee to respond to the charges. The student may elect to acknowledge the correctness of the charge and offer any explanations of extenuating circumstances he or she feels that the Committee should consider in making its recommendation(s). The student may also dispute the charge and offer his/her defense.

7. At the end of the fact-finding phase of the hearing, the student may introduce additional records, such as character references. The Committee Chair may introduce a copy of the student’s previous disciplinary record, where applicable, provided the student was shown a copy of the record prior to the hearing. No disciplinary record shall be introduced until the determination of unethical or unprofessional behavior in the current case has been made. The records and documents introduced by the student and the School shall be opened and used by the Committee for dispositional purposes, i.e., to determine an appropriate penalty, if the charges are sustained

8. The Committee shall deliberate in closed session. The Committee’s decision shall be based on the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties.

9. The role of the Committee is to listen to the testimony, ask questions of the witnesses, review the testimony and evidence presented at the hearing and the papers filed by the parties, render a determination as to the accuracy of the allegation, and any extenuating circumstances associated with it, and institute the appropriate disposition. In the event the student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior, the Committee shall transmit the decision in writing to the student within five days of the conclusion of the hearing.

10. The Committee shall keep minutes pertinent to the case. A disciplined student is entitled to obtain a copy of the minutes of the meeting relevant to their case.

11. All adverse decisions made are subject to the student’s right of appeal.

The following dispositions of a case may occur.

1. If a student is exonerated of charges of unethical or unprofessional behavior, a record of the proceedings will be placed in a file and discarded at the time of the student’s graduation from the program.

2. If a student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior and the Committee recommends sanctions short of suspension or dismissal, the Committee shall notify the student of the disciplinary action. A record will be placed in the student’s school file.

3. If a student is found guilty of unethical or unprofessional behavior, and the Committee decides on either an administrative leave or dismissal from the program, the SAPC chair will notify the student in writing of the disciplinary action and their right to appeal the adverse decision to the Dean of the School. A record will be placed in the student’s school file.

4. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs will serve as liaison to the Vice President for Student Affairs of City College in reporting disciplinary actions, as appropriate.

CUNY School of Medicine Medical Student Performance Evaluation

Overview of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE)

The MSPE provides an honest and objective summary of the student’s personal attributes, experiences, and academic accomplishments based, to the greatest degree possible, on verifiable information and summative evaluations. When possible, comparative assessments of the student’s attributes, experiences, and accomplishments relative to their institutional peers should be provided. The MSPE should primarily contain information about the student’s medical school performance, although a summary of premedical experiences and achievements may be included in the Noteworthy Characteristics when relevant.

The composition of the MSPE. The MSPE contains six sections:

1. Identifying Information,

2. Noteworthy Characteristics,

3. Academic History,

4. Academic Progress,

5. Summary,

6. Medical School Information.

The CUNY School of Medicine MSPE sample can be accessed at the following link: MSPE Review Process https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/2023-02/2022%20MSPE%20Sample%202-24-2023.pdf

Please note the following regarding the review of the MSPE:

1. The MSPE is a letter that describes a student’s medical school performance. It is not a letter of recommendation and does not provide support for a specific specialty. The MSPE is prepared following standards set by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) for the preparation of the Medical Student Performance Evaluation which can be accessed at this link: https://www.aamc.org/professional-development/affinity-groups/gsa/medical-student-performance-evaluation

2. Individual student review of their MSPE will be scheduled and the process for review is outlined by the Office of Student Affairs.

3. During the review, the student may provide comments specifically in the “Noteworthy Characteristics” and identify errors in the other sections.

4. All clerkship narratives included in the MSPE have been submitted by the clerkship faculty and may not be changed without the express written consent from the clerkship director with the exception of typos, factual errors, or grammatical errors.

5. If there are any grammatical errors, typos, or factual errors found during the review of the MSPE, the student will have another opportunity to review before it is finalized.

6. Modifying or sharing of the MSPE is considered a violation of Academic Integrity and if done may result in referral to CUNY School of Medicine’s Student Academic Progress Committee.

7. The final MSPE is part of the student’s academic record and regulated by FERPA.

8. The MSPE will be provided to the student’s selected residency programs as part of the standard residency application process as required by ERAS and NRMP guidelines.

9. Students may contact Student Affairs to discuss the MSPE further, if desired.

Release of MSPE and Addenda

The MSPE release date is established annually by the AAMC Electronic Residency Application Service (ERAS). As per the AAMC, any changes or additions to the MSPE after the release date will be made as an addendum to the original MSPE. The MSPE may be updated to include an addendum(a) after it has been released to residency programs that a student has applied to. The addendum could include updates to enrollment, academic performance data, and/or violation of the Medical School or City University of New York policies. The National Resident Matching Program (NRMP) requires that an addendum be submitted to residency programs if the MSPE is no longer accurate. A MSPE that is false, misleading, incomplete, or not up-to-date is a violation of the NRMP Match Participation Agreement. Any addenda will automatically be sent to all residency programs as required by the NRMP Match Agreement. The MSPE and any addenda will become a permanent part of the student’s academic record at the CUNY School of Medicine.

The CUNY School of Medicine is obligated by the NRMP Match Participation Agreement to notify the residency programs, as well as the NRMP, of any changes in a student’s academic performance or progress that could render the student ineligible to graduate and enter graduate medical education on July 1st in the year of Match. This may require the medical school official to withdraw the student from the match or request a waiver of the match binding commitment if the student has already been matched to a residency program.

Future professional medical credentials committees, residency programs, and other legitimate agencies may require a copy of the MSPE and any addenda from the Medical School for the purpose of licensure, accreditation, and other such related matters. To provide a copy of the MSPE to these external organizations, a formal MSPE release request form must be submitted to the Office of Academic Records. The MSPE is not released to students or graduates of the CUNY School of Medicine. The MSPE request form can be found at this link: https://cunymed.org/registrar/ The CUNY School of Medicine will address telephone and e-mail inquiries from residency program personnel who request additional information or clarification regarding of a student’s application for residency training.

Policies on Teaching and Evaluation by Members of the Medical School Administration

The health professionals who provide health services, including psychiatric/psychological counseling, to a medical student shall have no involvement in the academic assessment or promotion of the medical student receiving those services.

Teacher-Learner Expectations

The CUNY School of Medicine holds professional behaviors and attitudes in high regard, including altruism, integrity, respect for others and a commitment to excellence. Effective learning is best fostered in an environment of mutual respect between teachers and learners. In the context of medical education, the term “teacher” is used broadly to include peers, resident physicians, full-time and volunteer faculty members, clinical preceptors, nurses, and ancillary support staff, and others from whom students learn.

Guiding Principles:

Duty: Medical educators have a duty to convey the knowledge and skills required for delivering the profession‘s standard of care and to instill the values and attitudes required for preserving the medical profession‘s social contract with its patients.

Integrity: Learning environments that are conducive to conveying professional values must be based on integrity. Students and residents learn professionalism by observing and emulating role models who epitomize authentic professional values and attitudes.

Respect: Respect for every individual is fundamental to the ethic of medicine. Mutual respect is essential for nurturing that ethic. Teachers have a special obligation to ensure that students and residents are always treated respectfully.

Responsibilities of teachers and learners:

Teachers should:

• Treat students fairly and respectfully

• Maintain high professional standards in all interactions

• Be prepared and on time

• Provide relevant and timely information

• Provide explicit learning and behavioral expectations early in a course or clerkship

• Provide timely, focused, accurate and constructive feedback on a regular basis and thoughtful and timely evaluations at the end of a course or clerkship

• Display honesty, integrity and compassion

• Practice insightful (Socratic) questioning, which stimulates learning and self-discovery, and avoid overly aggressive questioning which may be perceived as hurtful, humiliating, degrading or punitive

• Solicit feedback from students regarding their perception of their educational experiences

• Encourage students who experience mistreatment or who witness unprofessional behavior to report the facts immediately

Students should:

• Be courteous of teachers and fellow students

• Be prepared and on time

• Be active, enthusiastic, curious learners

• Demonstrate professional behavior in all settings

• Recognize that not all learning stems from formal and structured activities

• Recognize their responsibility to establish learning objectives and to participate as an active learner

• Demonstrate a commitment to life-long learning, a practice that is essential to the profession of medicine

• Recognize personal limitations and seek help as needed

• Display honesty, integrity and compassion

• Recognize the privileges and responsibilities coming from the opportunity to work with patients in clinical settings

• Recognize the duty to place patient welfare above their own

• Recognize and respect patient rights to privacy

• Solicit feedback on their performance and recognize that criticism is not synonymous with “abuse”

Relationships between Teachers and Students

Students and teachers should recognize the special nature of the teacher-learner relationship which is in part defined by professional role modeling, mentorship, and supervision.

Because of the special nature of this relationship, students and teachers should strive to develop their relationship to one characterized by mutual trust, acceptance and confidence. They should both recognize the potential for conflict of interest and respect appropriate boundaries.

All assessment forms will require disclosure of any close relationship including a patient doctor relationship between student and evaluator.

The AAMC has articulated a set of expectations that underlie interactions between teachers and learners. These can be found within the AAMC Uniform Clinical Training Affiliation Agreement document, in the following link:

https://www.aamc.org/professional-development/affinity-groups/gsa/clinical-training-affiliation-agreement

Affirmative Action, Compliance, and Diversity Includes: Equal Opportunity Policy - Sexual Harassment Policy - Title IX Sexual Assault Policy: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/affirmativeaction

CUNY School of Medicine Drug Policy

Although the State of New York recently passed a law legalizing the use of recreational marijuana in New York for those age 21and older, the use and possession of marijuana on CUNY School of Medicine’s campus remains prohibited under federal law and drug tests conducted under this policy will continue to test for the presence of marijuana. City University of New York campuses are bound by the federal requirements under the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act. Under this requirement, the use, possession, cultivation, and sale of marijuana remains prohibited on all CUNY campuses and subject to disciplinary action. Physicians cannot be impaired when practicing medicine whether they are using cannabis for medical purposes or for recreational use. If the physician is impaired from cannabis and/or any other controlled substance or alcohol, the physician puts their patient at risk. This rule applies to students on clinical rotation or other activities interacting with patients. Students may cannot be under the influence of cannabis as students are considered members of the healthcare team

Drugs & drug testing

Federal and State Regulations regarding alcohol and controlled substance abuse are identified in Appendix II of the Student Handbook. The CUNY School of Medicine requires that all students comply with current New York State law and CUNY policies https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/csom/addendum-2-drugs-drug-testing regarding the use of substances to remain eligible for clinical activities (even if they visit another locality, state, or foreign country where such substances may be permitted). Students shall be responsible for assuring that they do not participate in activities or ingest substances when visiting other U.S. states or foreign countries which may cause them to be ineligible to participate in clinical activities because these substances are not permitted in New York State. Failure to do so is a violation of Medical School policy and is subject to academic sanctions for failure to comply with CUNY and CUNY School of Medicine academic standards, as well as potential disciplinary charges.

Cannabis Use

Physicians cannot be impaired when practicing medicine whether they are using cannabis for medical purposes or for recreational use. If a physician is impaired from cannabis and/or any other controlled substance or alcohol, the physician puts their patient at risk. This rule applies to students on clinical rotation or other activities interacting with patients. Students cannot be under the influence of cannabis as students are considered members of the healthcare team. Many of the CUNY School of Medicine’s clinical partners require drug testing to ensure patient safety

When the Medical School receives notification that a medical student has a positive drug test, either from a clinical site or from a drug test that may have been voluntarily undertaken by the student (e.g., such as in preparation for an away elective), the following shall occur:

1. The student will be notified by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or designee) that a positive drug test report has been received.

2. The student will be informed that he/she must take another drug test (usually within one week of our receipt of the drug test report) through CertifiedBackground.com, or another approved vendor, at the student’s expense.

3. The student will not be allowed to participate in clinical activities until clearance (fitness for duty) has been obtained.

4. If the second drug test is negative, then the student will resume participation in clinical activities and warned that any subsequent positive drug tests will lead to appearance before the Student Academic Progress Committee (SAPC) and/or possible external reporting to the New York State Committee for Physician Health.

5. If the second drug test is positive or if the student declines to take a second drug test, then the student will be required to appear before the SAPC for consideration of academic probation/suspension/leave. The student may be reported to the New York State Committee for Physician Health.

Information about the positive second drug test and subsequent outcome will be included in the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE) for residency application.

Alcohol and Controlled Substance use

The CUNY School of Medicine has specific policies and consequences for substance use indicated below:

1. Violation of Alcoholic Beverages Policies:

Students are prohibited from being under the influence of alcohol while engaged in clinical or learning duties. Unlawful possession or use of alcohol as part of any Medical School required curricular activity is prohibited.

Students violating the alcoholic beverage policies will result in the following consequences:

● 1st Offense: The student will be placed on probation and referral to a community substance abuse program.

● 2nd Offense: Suspension for one semester; reinstatement subject to completion of a certified substance abuse program.

● 3rd Offense: Suspension for one year or expulsion if circumstances warrant.

2. Violation of Drugs Policies

Students are prohibited from unlawful possession of, consumption of, or being under the influence of controlled substances**, while taking part in any Medical School activity.

● 1st Offense: Probation and participation in a community substance abuse program and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

● 2nd Offense: Suspension for one semester; reinstatement subject to completion of a certified substance abuse program and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

● 3rd Offense: Suspension for one year or expulsion and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

3. Unlawful possession of any substance** with intent to sell or in quantities sufficient to constitute a felony under the Penal Law of New York State as part of any Medical School activity is prohibited. (See information on New York State felony drug offenses.

1st Offense: Expulsion and referral for criminal prosecution.

4. Unlawful distribution, dispensing, sale, attempted sale, or purchase of any substance** as part of any CSOM activity is prohibited.

1st Offense: Expulsion and referral for criminal prosecution.

5. Unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia as part of any Medical School activity is prohibited

● 1st Offense: Probation and participation in a community substance abuse program and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

● 2nd Offense: Suspension for one semester; reinstatement subject to completion of a certified substance abuse program and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

● 3rd Offense: Suspension for one year or expulsion and possible referral for criminal prosecution.

** As used in this section “substance(s)” is any drug listed in the following Policy Statement.

Counseling, Treatment, Rehabilitation and Re-Entry Programs

Any student who may have developed a drug-related problem suspects he/she is at risk or seeks information about illegal or controlled drugs may seek confidential advice from the director of counseling services to an appropriate treatment program. Please note, however, that such a referral does not exempt any student from any action by the CUNY School of Medicine. A full range of detoxification, outpatient and inpatient rehabilitation, and re-entry programs is available in New York City. The programs listed below will refer clients based on individual needs.

Alcoholics Anonymous 212-870-3400

Al-Anon 212-941-0094

Greater NY Regional Help Line 212-929-6262

N.Y.S. Addictions Hotline 800-522-5353

Federal Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services 800-662-HELP

For medical students and PA students (licensed or unlicensed)

The Committee for Physicians’ Health at 800-338-1833 or

The Professional Assistance Program at 518-436-4723.

SUBSTANCE ABUSE TREATMENT PROGRAMS IN NEW YORK CITY WITH TRACKS FOR IMPAIRED PROFESSIONALS

In-Patient Treatment Programs

South Beach Alcoholism Treatment Center, 777 Seaview Avenue, Bldg. #1, Staten Island, NY 10305: Most private insurances, Medicaid/Medicare, sliding scale for self-pay, no charge; adults 18 and over. (718) 667-5202

Out-Patient Treatment Programs

Arms Acres Manhattan Outpatient Services, 80-02 Q Garden Road, Q Garden, NY, 11415; 3584 Jerome Avenue, Bronx, NY 10467. Most private insurance, sliding scale for self-pay; adults 18 and over; 3 months-1 year program; day, evening, and intensive care programs. ARMSACRES.COM/OUTPATIENT (888) 227-4641

Bedford Stuyvesant Alcoholism Treatment Center, 722 Myrte Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11205: Most private insurance, Medicaid/ Medicare, sliding scale for self-pay, no charge; adults 18 and over; dual diagnosis program; alcoholism treatment only. (718) 636-4200

Bellevue Hospital Outpatient Clinic 462 1st Avenue at 30th Street, New York, NY 10016: Most private insurance, sliding scale for self-pay Medicaid/Medicare; adults 18 and over; alcoholism treatment only. G/I 212 562-4141, App 212 562-5555

Cumberland Neighborhood Family Care Center-Alcoholism Treatment Center, 100 North Portland Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11205: Most private insurance, Medicaid/Medicare, sliding scale for self-pay, no charge; adults 21 and over; alcohol and other drugs; dual diagnosis program; length of program varies. (718) 260-7500

Montefiore North Medical Center (718) 920-9000

St. John’s Episcopal Hospital, 327 Beach 19th Street, Far Rockaway, NY 11691: Most private insurance, sliding scale for self-pay, Medicare/Medicaid; adults 18-65; dual diagnosis program; average length of program 18 months. EHS.ORG (718) 869-7000

Mistreatment Policy

Definition of Mistreatment

Certain behaviors are clearly antithetical to a productive learning environment and are classified as mistreatment of students. Mistreatment of students includes but is not limited to disclosing confidential student information; public humiliation and other actions that can be reasonably interpreted as demeaning or humiliating; sexual harassment (including unwelcome sexual remarks or jokes); inappropriate comments about student’s dress, ethnicity or sexual orientation; physical aggression (including pushing, shoving, or other intentional inappropriate physical contact) or the threat of physical aggression; unjustified exclusion from reasonable learning opportunities; and other unfair treatment of students. Mistreatment of students can result in disciplinary action of the offender. These policies as outlined follow the CCNY Academic Affairs Integrity Process and are not meant to supersede or supplant CUNY policy.

Policy and Procedure for Reporting Alleged Mistreatment and Unprofessional Behavior

The Office of Student Affairs will track and monitor all reports of alleged mistreatment according to the procedures articulated below:

Contemporaneous allegations of mistreatment/unprofessional behavior

If students encounter mistreatment and/or unprofessional behavior, it will be addressed immediately. Students have both non-anonymous and anonymous mechanisms to report mistreatment/unprofessional behavior.

Non-Anonymous reporting: Students may talk to the course/clerkship director, who will work to resolve the issue. The course or clerkship director will report the issue to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs. The student always has the option to report directly to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs, or the Medical Student Advisors either in person or via email at the address mistreatment@med.cuny.edu. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs will report issues to the appropriate Course Director and the Department Chair. When the issue is resolved, a report will be made to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs.

Anonymous reporting: Students may report instances of mistreatment via an online reporting system (https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/csom/mistreatment-policy ). They will have the option to provide their name, or they may report anonymously. The Associate Dean for Student Affairs monitors and reports issues to the appropriate Course Director and the Department Chair. When the issue is resolved, a report will be made to the Office of Student Affairs.

Course Directors must report allegations of mistreatment/unprofessional behavior to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs as soon as possible, but no more than five working days after the student initially reports the event.

Allegations of mistreatment/unprofessional behavior reported in end-of-experience evaluation

Students are asked explicitly about their experiences of mistreatment and unprofessional behavior in every course, clerkship, and clinical experience evaluation. Reported instances are highlighted and given immediately to the Course/Clerkship director, appropriate personnel at the site of the mistreatment/unprofessional behavior, the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education, and the Office of Student Affairs. The Associate Dean of Student Affairs is charged with ensuring the issue is addressed in a timely fashion.

Resolutions of allegations of mistreatment/unprofessional behavior

Those individuals engaging in mistreatment/unprofessional behavior may be disciplined, including removal from teaching responsibilities at the CUNY School of Medicine. Determination of consequences that may arise from mistreatment will be the responsibility of the Course or Clerkship Directors, the Associate Dean for Clinical Medical Education, the Site Directors at clinical sites, and/or the Department Chair. Students who engage in mistreatment/unprofessional behavior will be referred to the Office of Student Affairs and may face disciplinary proceedings through the Student Academic Progress Committee.

Exam Policy

Students, at all times, are expected to refrain from behavior that compromises an exam as an instrument of a fair evaluation for every class member. Students may not engage in conduct which impairs the ability of fellow students to complete the exam without disturbance. Students may not use any reference source, including other persons or material recorded in any form, or any data retrieval devices while the exam is in progress. Students must adhere to the Honor Code. It is imperative that students respect and follow the direction of the proctors. Failure to do so is grounds for professional citation and dismissal.

https://www.nbme.org/support/exam-rules-and-conduct.

Exam Behavior:

Each student is expected to be seated in place for the announced exam start time. Students who are more than 15 minutes late from the stated exam start time will not be admitted. Course directors are not empowered to change the exam start time and should not be called to allow students to start NBME examinations later than 15 minutes. CUNY SOM has adopted the NBME testing regulations for all exams. Proctors must document and report any violation of the NBME regulations. The following items must be left in the area designated by the course director:

● iPads/tablets turned off;

● Cell phones turned off;

● Paging devices turned off

● iPod, radio or media devices turned off;

● Calculators;

● Recording/filming devices;

● Beverages or food of any type;

● Reference materials (books, notes, papers);

● Watches with alarms, computer, or memory capability turned off;

● Backpacks, briefcases, or luggage;

● Coats, hats and head coverings (other than those worn for religious reasons).

Students will not be permitted to enter the test seat with prohibited items.

In the event of computer malfunction or any circumstance under which a student is unable to continue with an exam due to testing site issues, the timing on the exam stops until the problem is resolved. Proctors remain on site until all students have finished their exams.

Students should recognize that NBME can and will evaluate any claim of test irregularities or computer malfunction. The NBME report is taken as the final proof as to whether any testing or computer issues occurred during the examination.

Students may not leave the exam room for any purpose other than to use the rest room. No personal or test related material may be left or used in any school rest room during the examination. Each student will be provided with an exam answer sheet on which they may record their answer choices. These answer sheets will be distributed during the Exam Review Session and will be collected at the end of the test and; students will not be allowed to use other than the provided scratch sheet(s). Upon completion of the exam, all scratch paper sheets must be turned in to a proctor. Students are not allowed to remove any notes taken during the exam from the exam room.

Interactions with Patients and Potential Exposure to Infectious and/or Hazardous Agents.

Policies on interactions with patients and on potential exposure to infections and/or hazardous agents will be articulated in the corresponding course syllabi.

For any personal injury or occupational needlestick or blood/body fluid exposure at any clinical site, students should follow these steps:

Stop what you are doing and ask someone to take over for you

For needle stick or blood/body fluid exposure follow steps below for any personal injury see personal injury instructions below

Exposure

Immediately wash exposed area thoroughly with soap and water. Splashes to mucous membranes (e.g., eyes, mouth) should be flushed vigorously with water. Needlestick sites should be cleaned with soap and water;

Notify your immediate supervisor;

Your supervisor should ask the patient to wait;

The source patient, if available, is tested ASAP for all blood borne infectious diseases –HIV, hepatitis B, hepatitis C and syphilis (RPR) –as per the site’s protocol.

For Exposures That Take Place at the St. Barnabas Hospital Health System (SBHHS) Facilities:

Monday-Friday from 8am-4:30pm: Report immediately to the SBHHS Occupational Health Services (OHS) 4422 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY (718) 960-6537 for a STAT dose of post exposure prophylaxis, risk assessment, work-up and post exposure plan.

All other hours, holidays, and weekends: Report immediately to SBHHS Emergency Department (ED) (4432 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY) for STAT dose of post exposure prophylaxis, risk assessment, and work-up.

When you arrive, identify yourself as a CUNY School of Medicine student and that you have had an exposure and need to be seen immediately.

If the Exposure Occurs At a Site Outside of SBHHS Facilities follow the policies of that site.

 If the Exposure Occurs At a Site Outside of SBHHS Facilities and That Site Does Not Have Their Own PEP (Post Exposure) Meds and Protocol

Please report immediately to the SBHHS Emergency Department (ED) at 4432 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY for STAT dose of post exposure prophylaxis, risk assessment, and work-up.

If you have any questions, call SBHHS at 718-960-9000 and ask to be connected to the Infectious Disease (ID) physician on-call.

When you arrive at the ED, immediately identify yourself as a CUNY School of Medicine student and that you have had an exposure.

Exposure Follow-Up:

Students who have exposures at SBHHS facilities will have their medical at Occupational Health Services at SBHHS.

Students who have exposures occurring at a site outside of SBHHS and are not followed at that site’s Occupational Health Service will have their medical follow up through the SBHHS Infectious Disease Clinic –SBHHS Ambulatory Care Center–4th Floor, located at 4487 Third Avenue, Bronx.

If a student has an infectious disease or is exposed to an infectious disease and must be monitored for a period of time, the occupational health service at the clinical site where a student is assigned, in conjunction with the course director for the course in which a student may require restricted activities, will determine whether any modifications to the student’s clinical duties are required to prevent transmission of infection to other patients or healthcare personnel.

Personal injury

Notify your immediate supervisor;

For Personal Injury That Occurs at the St. Barnabas Hospital Health System (SBHHS) Facilities:

Monday-Friday from 8am-4:30pm: Report immediately to the SBHHS Occupational Health Services (OHS) 4422 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY (718) 960-6537 for evaluation.

All other hours, holidays, and weekends: Report immediately to SBHHS Emergency Department (ED) (4432 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY) for evaluation. When you arrive, identify yourself as a CUNY School of Medicine student and that you have had an exposure and need to be seen immediately.

If the injury occurs at a site outside of SBHHS and that site has urgent care, the student should be evaluated there.

If the injury Occurs At a Site Outside of SBHHS Facilities and That Site Does Not Have Their Own Emergency Department or Urgent Care. Please report immediately to the SBHHS Emergency Department (ED) at 4432 Third Avenue, Bronx, NY as above. The school will reimburse students for transportation to SBH during hours when students cannot receive care at their clinical site. Students should give bring health insurance card with them.

Students who miss educational activities due to illness from occupational/environmental exposure or personal injury will be granted approved absences as per the School’s attendance policy. Each case will be individually reviewed by the Office of Student Affairs to determine whether the student may be required to make up missed course time or clerkship sessions. As per the School’s attendance policy, the student may receive a grade of incomplete for a required clerkship if s/he exceeds the maximum allotted number of absences during the clerkship.

Students should report exposures/personal injury to either the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or their Medical Student Advisor.

 CUNY SOM Policy on Attire at Clinical Sites

• All CUNY SOM students should dress professionally see below.

• You must wear your hospital ID badge in an easily viewable location above the waist.

• Always bring your white coat. Your coat must be clean, pressed and worn at all times.

• Students should dress and accessorize in a manner that projects a professional image. Clothes and work shoes must be clean, neat and in good repair.

• Button-down shirts (with or without ties), professional tops, or blouses, pants, slacks, khakis, skirts, or dresses are appropriate.

• Dress shoes, low heels, or flats are appropriate.

• Jewelry should be minimal and understated.

Students should avoid:

• Bare-back tops, halter tops, midriff tops, spandex or other form fitting material tops and low- cut necklines.

• T-shirts, jeans, sweatshirts, sweat pants, shorts, mini-skirts (skirts that are shorter than finger-tip length) and spaghetti-strap dresses.

• Clothing or accessories bearing pictures or writing that states or implies unprofessional, illegal, distasteful or suggestive language/activities.

• Sunglasses inside (without medical reason).

• Head coverings, except for professional, medical or religious reasons or for reasons related to practice or Board of Health regulations.

• Slippers and/or open-toe shoes, such as flip flops or sandals.

• Excessively worn, ripped, frayed or wrinkled items.

• Any attire that would be worn for sports activity, except for athletic shoes worn by students involved in providing patient care services.

• Artificial fingernails of any type are forbidden. Muted colors of nail polish are preferred. Nails must be neat.

• Facial piercing on eyebrows, lips or tongue or three or more earrings on one ear.

• Visible tattoos must be covered.