Academic Deceleration & Dismissal Policies

Deceleration

For the purposes of this handbook, deceleration is defined as halting progression in the program while awaiting the start of a future semester to retake coursework, and dismissal is defined as being dismissed from the program without opportunity to return or continue later. Specific to the clinical phase of the program, failing a supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) and repeating that course at the end of the clinical phase of the program, is considered ‘course remediation’ rather than deceleration.

Deceleration due to poor academic performance: Halting progression in the PA program due to poor academic performance is not automatic. The CUNY Med PA program does not decelerate students who cannot meet the program’s academic and/or professional conduct requirements. It is also not an option in lieu of disciplinary action including but not limited to probation, suspension, or any other situation that would be considered grounds for dismissal from the PA Program. The student will meet with the Committee on Course and Standing for determination of continued academic status.

Failure to receive a grade of ‘C’ (≥70.0%) in any course is considered course failure and, in the case of didactic phase coursework, will prevent the student from progressing to the next semester. Depending on the course, course exams may be able to be remediated for grade change, as noted in course syllabi. However, course grades cannot be remediated or changed once finalized by the course director

Failure of more than one Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) courses in the clinical phase of the program, will make the student eligible for dismissal from the program.

Professional Probation & Dismissal Policies

A student, faculty member, administrative officer, or employee of the College may charge a student with a conduct violation. Further, complaints from SCPE sites or the community, at the discretion of the Program Director, will be investigated thoroughly by the Course and Standing Committee as the program expects student professionalism to be maintained at all times.

Students found to be in violation of the student conduct policies/standards and/or unable to meet the Program defined technical standards are subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program. Students placed on professional probation are immediately removed from any program, school, and/or college student leadership roles and student committee participation and are not able to serve as mentors to other students.

Depending on the violation, and at the discretion of the Department Chair/Program Director, students may be referred to the Course and Standing Committee for determination of recommended disposition (e.g., professional probation). Egregious violations, including, but not limited to, issues of cheating and/or plagiarism (also termed an academic infraction), and issues adversely affecting the safety and welfare of others involved in the college and/or clinical sites (e.g., classmates, principal faculty, instructional faculty, staff, patients, campus/clinical site visitors) may result in consequences up to and including immediate dismissal at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee.

Student Rights Regarding a Required Meeting with the Committee on Course and Standing

Students will be notified by the Course and Standing Committee Chair in writing, of their required attendance at the committee meeting, no less than 24 hours in advance of the required meeting.
Students will be advised that the committee meeting is considered confidential and is not to be discussed with other students.
Students may request a CUNY School of Medicine advocate** to accompany them to the Course & Standing Committee meeting, but the advocate must be approved or confirmed by the Program Director and remain silent during the meeting.
Students are not allowed to bring any outside advocates to any program related meetings.
If students continue to exhibit behavioral issues while on professional probation, they will be automatically considered for a leave or dismissal by the Course and Standing Committee called at the discretion of the Program Director.
If students are placed on professional probation on more than one occasion, consecutive or nonconsecutive, they will automatically be considered for a leave or dismissal at the discretion of the Course and Standing Committee.
In addition to the above, a notation that the student had professionalism and/or conduct issues during their enrollment in the program, including but not limited to that the student was placed on Professional Probation, will be noted in any Program and/or faculty letters of reference/recommendation.

**The CUNY School of Medicine PA Program has defined advocate as a member of the medical school faculty and/or Student Affairs Office, excluding the program director, who functions to ensure that the student understands the allegation and the policies to which the allegation pertains. The advocate role is to ensure the student receives due process. If a faculty member called to serve as a student advocate is recused from the decision-making process of the Course and Standing Committee.

***Course & Standing Committee meetings are considered confidential and may not be discussed with other students

Student Support and Wellness

On-Campus Resources

The CUNY School of Medicine provides all students with access to the CCNY Health and Wellness Center (https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/shs) , the Wellness and Student Life Center (https://medicine.cuny.edu/counseling-and-wellness-office/) , Learning Resource Center (https://medicine.cuny.edu/learning-resource-center/) , the Accessibility Center/Student Disability Services (https://medicine.cuny.edu/accessability-center/).

Learning Resource Center

The Learning Resource Center (LRC) provides free academic counseling to PA students. This includes instruction regarding study skills and test-taking, as well as content information in some areas. Students with academic difficulty are mandated to visit the LRC, but any student is free to use these services. The LRC is located in Harris Hall – Room 114. (212) 650-8408.

The Committee on Course and Standing

The Committee on Course and Standing (CCS) enforces the academic and professional standards of the PA Program. The Committee hears cases of students in academic or professional difficulty, takes all information into account and makes decisions regarding further action. The Committee is appointed by the Associate Dean/Program Director of the PA Program and consists of a minimum of two (2) core PA Program faculty members, two (2) faculty of the CUNY School of Medicine BS/MD program, the Medical Director of the PA Program, and two ex-officio members, the Associate Dean of PA Program and the School of Medicine Director of Academic Records. A simple majority of the voting principal members must be present for a meeting to commence. Decisions must be approved by a majority of the members in attendance. The CCS acts through the Program Director, who communicates the decisions of the CCS in writing to the student. Students have the right to appeal the CCS decision through the Dean's office.

All leaves of absence, withdrawals/resignations, placement on or removal from probation, course failures, rotation failures, professional breeches and potential dismissals are brought before the CCS. For academic concerns, students may provide the Committee with a letter explaining extenuating circumstances or may appear before the Committee if they wish. Should a student choose to appear, providing a letter beforehand is advised. Students may bring a support person to the meeting, however, only the student will be permitted to speak to and with the committee. Students are not permitted attorney representatives to a CCS meeting or to record the meeting.

Once a student is referred to the Committee on Course and Standing, each situation will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis.

Appeal of Dismissal

A student may appeal an adverse decision of dismissal in writing to the Dean of the CUNY School of Medicine within ten (10) business days of the official notification. The Dean will then appoint an Ad Hoc Appeals Committee, which will be provided with a copy of the student's appeal, the minutes of the CCS meetings at which the adverse recommendation was made, and the complete academic student record. The Appeals Committee is charged with determining:

If the adverse decision was made in accordance with the approved and established policies of the PA Program Committee on Course and Standing
If the student was accorded due process, or if the adverse decision was arbitrary, capricious or reflected prejudice against the student

It is not within the purview of the Appeals Committee to critique the academic judgment of the PA Program Committee on Course and Standing.

The student has the right to be present at the meeting of the Ad Hoc Appeals Committee, and to make an oral or written statement. Should the student wish to appear, the Dean of the School will notify him/her of the time and place of the meeting at least ten (10) business days beforehand.

The Appeals Committee may request, in writing, that the appropriate course coordinator, instructor and the PA Program or the Chair of the CCS attend the meeting. Within seven (7) business days of the meeting, the Appeals Committee will send its written recommendation to the Dean.

The Dean will review the report of the Appeals Committee. After finding that the Appeals Committee properly carried out its charge, the Dean will accept or reject the recommendation. The Dean will promptly notify the student in writing of the final decision. If the original recommendation is reversed, the Dean will return the matter to the PA Associate Dean/Program Director for action. The decision of the Dean in such cases is final; no further institutional recourse is available to the student.

Communication

Students are required to maintain active e-mail and telephone accounts at all times. Throughout the course of study at the CUNY School of Medicine PA program, a variety of events occur (some unexpected, some matters of routine business) making it necessary for students to be reached. Phone numbers, mailing addresses, and citymail.cuny.edu e-mail addresses are required to be current and on file in the program office and in the clinical logging system and updated appropriately. All student email correspondence with the program must be through their assigned citymail.cuny.edu student email account for all departmental communication. Students are required to check their citymail.cuny.edu student e-mail daily. The CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant program is not responsible for information missed by students who have not maintained up-to-date, reliable contact information with the University and have not checked their citymail.cuny.edu email daily.

Cultural Competency

The range of clinical experiences will include working with patients of varied racial, ethnic, economic, geographic, sexual orientation, and cultural backgrounds. Students will be assigned to sites in various geographical areas or work with patient populations with which they may be unfamiliar.

Providing care to all populations is a central part of the mission of our profession, and of the mission of our program. Students are expected to rotate to all sites to which they are assigned, regardless of their geography or patient population.

Email Etiquette

Email is an effective and standard way to communicate quickly with the faculty, staff, and fellow students and is also the standard in business communication. The following are reminders to help make the experience more positive and productive for students, faculty, staff and other professionals.

Students are required to use their assigned citymail.cuny.edu email account for all departmental communication.
Emails should include a respectful salutation (Dear Dr. or Professor). Students are advised to check with faculty to see how they prefer to be addressed.
Emails should maintain a neutral, respectful tone at all times. Email communication is a form of professional communication and should be consistent with the professionalism policies of the Physician Assistant program and CUNY School of Medicine.
Faculty and staff will respond to a student’s email within 24-48 business hours. If a student sends a faculty or staff member an email on a Friday afternoon, the student should not expect to hear back until the following Monday or Tuesday.
Students are expected to respond to email within 24 hours and are required to check their citymail.cuny.edu email daily.
Students are advised not to send passwords, credit card information, or other sensitive material over the web.
Email responses and forwarded emails should include the original message when appropriate.
Students are advised to use a signature line in their emails, including their full name and class, as well as a phone number, such as the following example:

Jane Smith
MSPAS Class of 2025
212-445-1313

Failure to check an e-mail account and junk mail folder is not an allowable excuse for missing a Program event or notification.

Text Etiquette

Text-based communications like email, text messages, and even discussion boards can be tricky. It is easy to read into something that someone says without all of the other in-person clues like the tone of voice, hand gestures, etc. However, there are a few tips that will help to keep written communication appropriate and genial.

Avoid using caps lock - For better or for worse, using all caps when typing SEEMS LIKE YOU’RE YELLING! --The same can be true when overusing exclamation marks!!!
Read first, then think, then write - While another student may have posted something in a discussion board with which you disagree, take a minute to reread and make sure it says what you first thought. Then, take another moment to think through your response. Taking a minute to think about what you want to say, and how you want to say it, can ensure that your response is thoughtful and well received.
Be your own proofreader - Review your text before replying. Make sure your grammar and punctuation are correct. Typos and incorrect words can change the meaning of what you are trying to say.
Be forgiving - If you notice a minor grammatical mistake or error in another student’s post do not pounce. Instead, respond the way you would want someone to respond if you had made that error.
Embrace diversity - We all have different backgrounds and experiences that have made us who we are. It is always ok to ask for more information about something you may not be familiar with, just do it in a respectful and supportive way.
Cite your sources - When appropriate, always cite your source of information using AMA formatting. It strengthens your contribution. If you are unsure, always err on the side of citing and ask for clarification!

Social Media Policy

It is strictly prohibited to take photographs of patients, including in the operating room, even if the patient is not identified. Similarly, the accessing of diagnostic images or any form of patient data for the purpose of transmission on a social media platform including but not limited to You Tube, Face Book, Instagram, iTunes, LinkedIn, Twitter, WhatsApp and B/Vlogs, etc. is strictly prohibited. Violation of this policy will result in being called before the Course and Standing Committee and possible dismissal from the program. Witnessing any violation of this policy should be immediately reported to the Clinical Coordinator or Program Director.

Artificial Technology Policy

AI-tools, such as ChatGPT are based on a large language model--they are basically crowdsourcing information and providing likely answers based on the vast amount of text in their databases. While they can provide some helpful information, and may spur your thinking in some areas, they are NOT reliable sources and cannot provide citations or references to reliable data or evidence.

Things you can do: You may use ChatGPT for brainstorming purposes. That is, you may ask it questions. Given the concerns about the accuracy and veracity of the output, you'll then need to do some research to find peer reviewed and reliable evidence that might corroborate (or contradict) what the AI tool told you. Use those articles to find other articles that consider the same question (review the citation list for other articles to read). Either before or after you ask ChatGPT a question, conduct a more traditional search (e.g., PubMed, other CCNY library resources, Google Scholar). Review, compare, and investigate. Repeat this cycle, keeping in mind that what you're getting from AI is crowdsourced information, not the reliable product of research and assessment.

Things you cannot do:

Do not use ChatGPT to draft your clinical case/ PowerPoint presentations. Do not use ChatGPT to give you citations. This is important both for the purpose of coming up with reliable evidence and also from an academic integrity (i.e., cheating) standpoint. If you didn't write it, don't put your name on it and claim that you wrote it. Don't modify a few words here and there and claim you wrote it either. Close the search/chat window before you start drafting and put the real evidence and articles you've found into your own words. Do your own analysis and critical thinking.

Student Employment

Employment during a student’s course of training is strongly discouraged. Any student who seeks part-time employment and is unable to maintain adequate academic standing as outlined in this document may be asked to terminate his/her employment.

At no time is a CUNY School of Medicine PA student allowed to or required to work for the program.

Academic Accommodations

In compliance with CSOM policy and equal access laws, appropriate academic accommodations are offered by the Access Ability Center. Students who are registered with the AccessAbility office and are entitled to specific accommodations must follow the processes outlined by the Office of Student Affairs of the CUNY School of Medicine.

Mandatory Attendance Policy

The CUNY School of Medicine PA Program has a mandatory attendance policy for required activities. PA students are expected to be in attendance for all didactic and clinical activities. Absences or lateness must be reported to the Clinical Team and Ms. Lopez via e-mail, phone message, or in person prior to the start of rotation. It is unacceptable to report an absence or lateness of another student. Excessive absences whether excused or unexcused, and chronic lateness, will be referred to the Committee on Course and Standing. Please be advised that merely reporting an absence does not constitute approval.

Students must sign the attendance sheet for each program activity session they attend, and each student is required to sign only their own name. Signing the attendance sheet on behalf of another student constitutes academic dishonesty and may result in a referral to the Committee on Course and Standing.

The student is expected to meet with the preceptor to set his/her work schedule and hours, which may include on-call time. Students are required to be on-site for the same period of time as the others on the medical team, including students working with only one preceptor. Students take call with their preceptor or other team members.

Timely Access to Services Addressing Personal Issues

The CUNY School of Medicine and the CUNY School of Medicine PA Program are committed to the personal and academic success and well-being of all students, including timely access to services addressing personal issues which may impact progress in the PA Program. Although it is ideal if students receive services outside of their classroom hours, and, as noted below, time is included in the schedule for such activities, given the course load in the program this is not always possible. In such cases when timely access is otherwise not possible due to severity, access, or after-hours availability, the CUNY School of Medicine PA Program permits students class release time to receive services from healthcare providers and the Wellness Center - including academic success services, counseling, and disability support services.

Absences for Clinical Phase Students Job Interviews

All attempts must be made to schedule an interview so it does not interfere with the rotation. In the event that this cannot be accomplished, students must first obtain the permission of the Clinical Coordinator to attempt to arrange for an excused absence.
Students must still submit the Clinical-Phase Student Absence Form Program Activity Form.
The Clinical-Phase Student Absence Form Program Activity Form must be submitted to all course directors at least 24 hours in advance of the absence.

Attendance & Absence Policies Specific to Clinical Year

Students are expected to follow arrival-on-site reporting instructions and to notify the program of any changes or difficulties.

A suitable work schedule will be determined by the preceptor or his/her designee and should include at least an average minimum of 40 hours of clinical activities per week, a minimum of (200) hours over the course of the entire five weeks rotation, as determined most appropriate by the preceptor or their designee. The student is required to continue working with the preceptor or their designee for the entire five weeks, according to the preceptor’s (or their designee’s) schedule, even if the 200 hours is completed prior to the end of the scheduled five-week rotation. Students should expect to work any time their preceptor is working to include some nights and weekends on all rotations. Permission from the Clinical Coordinators must be obtained prior to absence from any rotation activities (unless an emergency occurs, please refer to the policy for notifying the program of emergencies while on SCPE’s).

Absenteeism Policies: Excused Absences

Incapacitating illness or injury, such as those requiring bed rest and unexpected personal or family emergencies are considered valid reasons for absenteeism; however, the procedure for absenteeism must be followed.
All absences must be made-up with similar activities. All attempts should be made to make-up the time during the same rotation. Otherwise, such absences will result in a grade of “INC” (incomplete) for the rotation until the time is made-up at a later date; this may result in delay of graduation. Rotations, in which you receive a course grade of Incomplete due to excused absences, may be completed at a later date, depending on the availability of the rotation and at the discretion of the Clinical Coordinators and preceptors. All such activities may cause a delay of graduation.
Absences for scholarly and service activities (e.g., attendance at NYSSPA or AAPA conferences) or committee work, may be granted on a case-by-case basis, at the discretion of the Program Director and Clinical Coordinators. Students who wish to attend such activities must submit their intentions in writing to the Clinical Coordinators two months in advance.
A leave of absence may be granted by the Program Director for extended illness or absence (i.e., >3 days). The Program Director, on an individual basis, will consider all requests for a leave of absence if done prior to failure of a rotation.

Absenteeism Policies: Unexcused Absences and Tardiness

Absenteeism not reported as outlined above will be considered unexcused regardless of cause.
As arriving on-time is considered a part of professionalism, tardiness to rotations and/or end-of-rotation events is not acceptable and may be counted as unexcused absences at the discretion of the Clinical Coordinators.
Unexcused absences are considered a violation of professionalism and subject to consequences up to and including course failure and delay of graduation.
Chronic tardiness and absenteeism are a violation of professionalism standards and the student will be referred to the Course and Standing Committee.
As the clinical experiences are vital to the PA student’s education, missing clinical experiences represents a significant obstacle to success in the CUNY School of Medicine PA Program. Given this, the Program has developed the following policies specific to unexcused absences in SCPE courses:
The first occurrence will result in a decreased score on appropriate items from the Clinical Coordinator Evaluation of Student Grading Rubric for that specific SCPE course and a mandatory meeting with the Clinical Coordinators.
The second occurrence will result in a mandatory meeting with the Program Director for consideration of placing the student on Behavioral Probation and either (a) further reductions in score on appropriate items from the Clinical Coordinators Evaluation of Student Grading Rubric if in the same SCPE course or (b) decreased score on appropriate items from the Clinical Coordinators Evaluation of Student Grading Rubric for that specific SCPE course.
The third occurrence will result in a mandatory meeting with the Course & Standing Committee (C&SC) which will result in either course failure or an ‘incomplete’ grade for the course at the discretion of the Clinical Coordinators and the C&SC, and will mandate repeating the SCPE at the end of the year and delaying graduation; note, students are fully responsible for all tuition and fees associated with any delayed course or course activity completion.

Students are required to follow the schedule of their medical team, which may include CCNY or legal holidays. Students are expected not to leave before other team members. Students are not permitted to take a “half-day” or to determine that there isn’t enough to do to warrant spending an entire day on the site. Consult a Clinical Coordinator for clarification of this policy. THERE ARE NO DAYS OFF DURING THE CLINICAL YEAR.

Additional CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program Policies on Attendance

Attendance policies for courses within the CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant Program are more stringent than the standard University Attendance Policy. All PA students are responsible for knowing and abiding by the program’s attendance policy.

Due to the rigorous nature of the coursework and the accelerated pace of learning, attendance for classes and clinical experiences is mandatory for successful completion of the program. It is the expectation of the Course and Standing Committee that all students will attend all scheduled classes, conferences, seminars, laboratory experiences, and clinical practicums. Any student who is absent from a required scheduled course activity (didactic or clinical) must notify the Course Director, as well as the respective Director (Didactic or Clinical) of the absence. The student assumes full responsibility for obtaining all materials and making up all course work that is missed during an absence, as well as making up the time during clinical clerkships.

The course syllabus will further define how attendance is graded and/or monitored. All students are responsible for reviewing and abiding by the attendance policy for each course, which is located in the course-specific syllabus. Students who are absent due to a medical condition will be excused for as long as a healthcare provider states it is medically necessary for the student to be absent. The PA Program will not accept any healthcare provider documentation from the student that includes personal protected health information. This is done for the student’s protection against any accusation of neglect or indifference, as well as to ensure that students have received appropriate medical attention.

Recurrent absences and tardiness will not be tolerated and may result in a disciplinary action to include a formal review by the Course and Standing Committee. Any student who requires time off for personal or other reasons is obligated to request approval in writing from from the Program BEFOREHAND. An e-mail request to the Clinical team must be submitted at least two weeks in advance. For emergencies, both the preceptor and the Program must be notified via e-mail by the time the student is due to report to the preceptor. Absence the day before the end-of-rotation examination will not be permitted. Only medical and/or government documentation will suffice as proof of need for an absence at this time. In the event a student is called to Jury Duty, they are to notify the program immediately to be provided with appropriate excuse documentation.

Any time missed during rotations, for any reason, must be made up. The preceptor will determine the nature of the made-up time, which must be communicated to the Clinical Coordinator. Failure to report an absence, or to make up the time, may result in a failing grade for the rotation. Misrepresentation of time spent at clinical rotations is a serious offense that could result in dismissal from the program, this is a professionalism issue and can result in dismissal from the program. Excessive absence may result in repeating an entire rotation.

Students are also responsible for attending all activities on Call Back days, which may include and are not limited to: lectures, presentations and clinical seminars and examinations. ALL Call Back days are mandatory. There will be no excused absences with the exception of a medical emergency and or Government Issue. Absence documentation from Call Back Day is subject to the same conditions as absence during a clerkship.

Examinations: Attendance is mandatory for all examinations, both written and oral. Students are responsible for being present at the beginning of all examinations. Exams will begin ON TIME. Students who arrive after an examination has begun will be refused admission to the testing room.

Students are only allowed to take an examination prior to the regularly scheduled test administration if it is approved by Didactic Coordinator or by the Clinical Coordinator. Students must remain in the proctored setting until the start of the regularly scheduled class examination.

Students who are excused from the regularly scheduled administration of a test will be required to set up a time with the Course Director/ Clinical Coordinator to make up the missed test as soon as possible. Permission for any deviation from the regular test schedule must be requested through the Didactic Coordinator or the Clinical Coordinator. Depending on the nature of the absence, it is at the discretion of the Didactic or Clinical Coordinators if the student will be allowed to make up the examination. Any missed exam may be referred to the Course and Standing Committee for evaluation. If the student would like to appeal the decision, then the Program Director should be contacted.

All absences, whether from a rotation site or Call Back Day, must be documented by a medical provider’s note or other secondary verification. Any unexcused absence in excess of three (3) during the clinical year will result in appearing before the Committee on Course and Standing. All absences, including verified absences, from a clerkship site may be required to be made up at the discretion of the preceptor.

Reporting of Absences: Second year student absences must be reported to the Clinical Coordinators, the preceptor and the CUNY Office Assistant. Students unable to meet as scheduled with individual clinical preceptors must notify the preceptor personally, as well as the Clinical Coordinator. When absence due to illness extends beyond 48 hours, a signed healthcare provider’s note will be required. The PA Program will not accept any healthcare provider documentation from the student that includes personal protected health information. This is done primarily for the student’s protection against any accusation of neglect or indifference, as well as to ensure that a proper health care provider has been sought by students in the case of illness.

Tardiness: Students are expected to be in class/clinic and ready to participate on time. Students are recommended to arrive 15 minutes prior to course scheduled activities and at least 30 minutes prior to clinical clerkships. Tardiness a reflection of your unprofessional behavior and will not be tolerated in either the didactic or clinical phases of the program.

Each didactic class will be monitored by faculty to identify those students who arrive late. In the clinical phase of the program, preceptors are responsible for monitoring attendance and tardiness. The first offense will result in a verbal warning. Any subsequent offenses will require a meeting with their faculty advisor and may result in referral to the Course and Standing Committee.

Religious Observances: The CUNY School of Medicine Physician Assistant program recognizes that excellence in medical education cannot be dependent solely upon any calendar, since patient illness respects no calendar, be it secular or religious. The PA Program is committed to providing an academic environment that is respectful of the religious beliefs of all students. As part of this commitment, the PA Program will make a good faith effort to avoid scheduling examinations during religious holidays and to provide reasonable accommodations to students who identify conflict with their academic requirements or schedule due to their religious beliefs and practices. Any student who is unable to participate in an examination or course requirement because of their religious observances will be given the opportunity to make up the missed examination(s) and/or course requirement(s).

Students who anticipate conflicts with regularly scheduled classes, tests, examinations, and/or any clinical experiences must notify, in writing, the Clinical Coordinators during their orientation to clinical year.

Due to the “non-scheduled” nature of clinical training, each student is expected to recognize his/her own personal responsibility for patient care and his/her own learning experience. Preparing students to assume the responsibility for patient care is the nature of clinical training and is critical to students’ professional training. During the clinical phase, students are expected to be at the rotation site for any days surrounding holidays when the rotation site is in operation. If the clinic/office is closed the day prior to or the day of the holiday and the preceptor will not be available, you may be given the day off as well.

If a student is unable to resolve a schedule conflict concerning religious holidays with the Clinical Coordinator, the student may appeal. Appeals should be made in writing first to the Physician Assistant Program Director.

Extended Absence Request

The Program defines an extended absence as more than 1 (didactic) and 2 (clinical) consecutive days missed.

The Policy for Extended Absence Request is evaluated on a case-by-case basis. Students can request in writing to the Program Director, through their faculty adviser. This leave is up to 5 consecutive business days’ absence from the program (e.g., illness/death/family emergencies). All missed assignments must be made up within 1 week of return. The student must be advised; this may result in difficulty with progression due to the fast pace and rigor of a PA Program. A leave of absence should also be discussed with the student as an option. No guarantee is made of approval or length of approved absence. The program strongly feels any more than 5 consecutive days missed must result in a leave of absence or withdrawal. The student cannot request an alternate delivery of course work from the rest of the cohort. For longer leaves, please refer to the appropriate section in the Student Handbook.

Academic Integrity

Cheating and plagiarism are grave infractions of academic and professional ethical behavior and are contrary to the standards of any educational institution. Faculty are required to report all suspicions of academic dishonesty. Faculty may require students suspected of cheating or plagiarizing to confirm the originality of their work. Student breaches of academic standards will be subject to disciplinary or academic action and referral to the Committee on Course and Standing. Please refer to URL:

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

Policy on Drug and Alcohol Use

The CUNY School of Medicine Policy on Drug and Alcohol states that the consumption of alcoholic beverages is not permitted on campus property except in areas or at functions approved by the Dean of Students or designee. For more information, please see:

Policy on Drugs and alcohol at https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/sites/default/files/CUNY%20Policy%20Drugs%20%26%20Alcohol%20and%20Information%20on%20risks%20and%20consequences%20of%20drug%20and%20alcohol.pdf

This policy applies to students on clinical rotations as well. Therefore, students are absolutely forbidden from using any type of recreational drug or alcohol while on clinical rotations. Being under the influence of recreational drugs or alcohol while on rotation is grounds for immediate dismissal from the PA Program. Students are also subject to CUNY School of Medicine penalties such as suspension or expulsion from the College.

Sexual Harassment

The policies of both CUNY School of Medicine and the PA Program promote an environment where respect for all students, faculty and staff exists. Sexual harassment is inconsistent with this objective and illegal under federal, state and city laws. Any member of the college community engaging in sexual harassment or retaliating against anyone raising an allegation of sexual harassment, filing a complaint alleging sexual harassment, or participating in any proceeding to determine if sexual harassment has occurred will not be tolerated. This policy extends to all aspects of the program, including clinical rotations. For more information, please see: https://www.ccny.cuny.edu/affirmativeaction/harassment

Definition

For purposes of this policy, sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other oral or written communications or physical conduct of a sexual nature when:

Submission to such conduct is made either explicitly or implicitly a term or condition of any individual’s employment or academic standing;
Submission to or rejection of such conduct by an individual is used as a basis for employment or academic decisions affecting such individual;
Such conduct has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual’s work or academic performance or creating an intimidating, hostile or abusive work or academic environment.

Examples of sexual harassment include, but are not limited to the following:

Requesting or demanding favors in exchange for employment or academic opportunities (such as hiring, promotions, grades or recommendations);
Submitting unfair or inaccurate job or academic evaluations or grades, or denying training, or academic opportunity, because sexual advances have been rejected;
Sexual comments, teasing or jokes;
Sexual slurs, demeaning epithets, derogatory statements, or other verbal abuse;
Graphic or sexually suggestive comments about an individual’s attire or body;
Inquiries or discussions about sexual activities;
Pressure to accept social invitations, to meet privately, to date, or to have sexual relations;
Sexually suggestive letters or other written materials;
Sexual touching, brushing up against another in a sexual manner, graphic or sexually suggestive gestures, cornering, pinching, grabbing, kissing or fondling;
Coerced sexual intercourse or sexual assault.

Sexual Misconduct

Sexual relations between a PA student and a patient are unethical, regardless of who initiated the relationship. Reasonable proof of a sexual relationship between a student and patient will result in dismissal from the program. Sexual relations between a PA student and clinical staff at a site are similarly unacceptable. Sexual harassment of a physician assistant student by a preceptor or other rotation site employee is a serious matter and must be reported to the Clinical Coordinator immediately. All good faith reports of inappropriate behavior will be supported. Students should not attempt to handle this problem alone, as sexual harassment involves issues of unequal power. Should a student feel s/he has been sexually harassed; assistance from the program faculty must be sought immediately.