School of Medicine

Policies

Official Correspondence
Examination Absences
Reporting Illness or Absence
Weather Related Closure
Records
Student Concerns
Leave of Absence
Student Rights and Responsibility
Counseling Confidentiality
Student Fitness Facility (Scott Hall)
Student Mistreatment
Sexual Harassment
Drugs and Alcohol
Away Electives
Absences for Jury Duty

Official Correspondence

To initiate any correspondence from the School of Medicine concerning your status here, including good standing letters or a "Dean's Letter", you must submit a written request to the Office of Student Affairs.

NO LETTERS OF REFERENCE/RECOMMENDATION ARE SENT OUT WITHOUT A WRITTEN REQUEST.

Download Request Letter

Examination Absences

The School of Medicine’s Policy for absences from scheduled course/clerkship examinations is as follows:

1.  If you are ill on the day of a scheduled examination and need to defer taking the examination to a later date, you are required to contact the Office of Student Affairs (313-577-1463) no later than 8:30 A.M. on the day of the examination, report the nature of your medical emergency and request permission to defer taking the examination to a later date (usually the previously announced examination make-up date).

2.      Your request will be noted and you are to follow the procedures given below:

a)     Immediately report to the Detroit Medical Center, Occupational Health Services (OHS) Clinic registration located at 4D of the University Health Center.  You will be examined by a health-care clinician in the OHS Clinic (4K-UHC).  The Occupational Health Services Clinic will release to the Office of Student Affairs a report including a diagnosis, treatment/prescriptions given, referrals and follow-up recommendations. The OHS Clinic report must include a statement that the severity of your illness is such that you are physically unable to take the examination on the given date.  This required statement must be signed by the clinic’s supervising physician.  The Occupational Health Services Clinic fee for his service is $25.00 that will be billed to your health insurance provider or directly to you.  If you are too ill to drive and do not have someone who can transport you to the UHC, take a taxi to the UHC, pay the taxi fare, get a receipt and your fare will be reimbursed by the medical school.

b)     If you have a documented chronic health problem, you may elect to visit your personal physician who will release a report including all of the information required in #2 a) of this policy.

c)     Personal emergencies (car problems, expressway tie-ups, family emergencies) will be handled on an individual basis and require documentation.

The authority to grant or deny a request taking a scheduled examination resides in the Office of Student Affairs.  If a request is denied and you do not take the scheduled examination, the absence is recorded as "unexcused" and a score of  "zero" (0) is recorded for that particular examination.

Reporting Illness or Absence

If a student anticipates an absence of several consecutive days, the student should immediately notify the Student Affairs Office.  The Student Affairs Office will assist the student, his/her physician, and the faculty in arranging a make-up schedule.

If the absence is longer than one (1) week, a letter sent from the student's physician indicating diagnosis and estimated length of absence is required.  The Student Affairs Office will evaluate the situation and develop a plan that will allow the student to make-up missed studies.  If it is impossible to make-up the material missed within the same academic year, the student's counselor in consultation with the Assistant Dean, Student Affairs, will work with the Office of Curricular Affairs and the student to develop a workable solution.

Weather Related Closure

The School of Medicine may be closed when severe weather conditions exist.  Year I and Year II classes are usually cancelled.  However, Year III and Year IV clerkship assignments involving direct-patient care are expected to fulfill these commitments.  Closure will be publicized through the University news line (577-5345), WDET-FM (Public Radio 101.9) and by local radio and television stations.

Records

You must make an appointment with your counselor whenever you wish to review your permanent file.  Information received prior to your matriculation into medical school is held in confidence and is not available for review.

Student Concerns

The counselors will help channel student concerns and interests to the appropriate department and personnel. They will represent the student's interests to faculty and others when appropriate.

Students are expected to complete assignments as scheduled and pursue the course of study in the prescribed medical school sequence.  On occasion a student's normal progression may be interrupted by - illness, pursuance of another course of study or research, or personal reasons.  All requests for a leave of absence from the School of Medicine must be made in writing to the Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.  Leaves should be discussed with the student's counselor and the Student Affairs Dean, prior to submitting a formal written request.

Student Rights and Responsibility

Since the days of Hippocrates, medicine has traditionally promoted integrity and ethical conduct among the members of its profession.  The academic medical community has stringent requirements for the students who will enter the profession of medicine.  Thus, in the catalog of the Wayne State University School of Medicine it states that ultimately the administration of the medical school has the "prerogative of determining a student's desirability of character and suitability for the study and practice of medicine".  Cheating of any kind will not be tolerated.

Offenses which will require disciplinary action include, but are not necessarily limited to, the following:  cheating, plagiarism, knowingly furnishing false information to the medical school, university or hospital; preparing or selling contents of a paper, examination or other academic requirements; forgery, alteration of any university or hospital examination document or record; using institutional documents and/or records or instruments of identification with an attempt to defraud; failure to discharge responsibilities for patient care.

Counseling Confidentiality

The administration has adopted a set of policies regarding confidentiality that is designed to permit students to feel free to share personal information with their counselors and thereby enabling them to gain the full benefit of the counselors' professional skills.

These policies are:

a.      Personal information about the student discussed in counseling session will not be disclosed to anyone without consent of the student unless there is a clear and imminent danger to the individual or others.

b.      If a student's academic performance is sufficiently unsatisfactory to require consideration by the Promotions Committee, the counselor will be required to provide information about the student's problem that appears to impair academic performance, the plan for dealing with the problem, the progress being made and the prognosis for resolution of the problem(s).  Prior to this, there will be a review with the student to check the substance of the report and to define which, if any, personal information the student authorizes the counselor to present.

c.      The Dean's letters of recommendation will be based upon information in the student's educational record.  Students have the right to review all letters of recommendation.

Information shared during counseling is confidential; it does not become part of your academic file.  Services include:  individual counseling, group counseling, crisis intervention and referral to specialists.

Student Fitness Facility (Scott Hall)

FITNESS CENTER  - 108 Scott Hall (Lower Level)

Wayne State University School of Medicine Student Fitness Center Policies:

These policies have been designed to facilitate student use of the fitness center to its fullest.  We hope to create a comfortable atmosphere for you to relax and enjoy your workout.

Please feel free to ask the fitness center staff or Mrs. Loretta Robichaud, Office of Student Affairs at (313) 577-1463, if you need clarification on any policies.

Emergency:  In case of an emergency, PLEASE CALL PUBLIC SAFETY at 7-2222 from the telephone located in Room 108 or the next nearest telephone that is located on the first floor, just east of the guard desk.  Please note, there are three different phone lines set up including a campus and public phone.

Access Cards:  All medical students and graduate students are required to present their Scott Hall identification badges to gain access to the exercise room.  Users must sign in and sign out of the facility.

Fitness Room Rules:

1. Smoking is not permitted in Scott Hall.
2. Food and drinks are not allowed in the fitness room.
3. Shirts and athletic shoes are to be worn in the fitness room at all times.  Proper attire and full T-shirts are required.
4. Children are not allowed in the fitness room.

Hours:

Monday - Friday from 7 - 8:30 a.m., noon - 1 p.m., 5 - 11 p.m.

Saturday-Sunday from 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.  

Admission to the fitness room will end 15 minutes prior to posted closing time.  We ask your cooperation in vacating the room on time.

Each Medical/Graduate Student is responsible for:

1. Bringing his/her own One-Card identification.
2. Signing in at the desk upon entering the fitness room and signing out upon leaving.
3. Proper care and use of all machinery and fitness room facilities.
4. There is a 20-minute limit on machines if other students are waiting.
5. Bringing in his/her own towel.
6. Wiping off equipment after use.  Cleaning solution and paper towels will be provided.
7. General use of the facility may be limited when scheduled classes are in progress. All medical/graduate students are welcome to attend classes and seminars.
8. A walkman with headphones is permitted; radios and "boom boxes" are prohibited. The School of Medicine and Wayne State University are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
9. The School of Medicine and Wayne State University are not responsible for lost or stolen items.
10. A first-aid kit is available from the fitness staff.
11. Students using the Smith machine must view the Instructional video prior to using the machine.
12. Shower facilities are available at the end of the corridor.

Room #118 - Women      Room #114 - Men

Your cooperation is required.  Thank you from your fitness room staff and Office of Student Affairs.

Student Mistreatment

The school adheres to the professional standards of behavior established by the Association of American Medical College.  These standards of behavior prohibit behavior by faculty, staff and students which results in perceived or real incidents of inappropriate behavior or mistreatment.  Examples of mistreatment include sexual harassment; discrimination or harassment based on race, religion, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, physical handicap or age; humiliation, psychological or physical punishment and the use of grading and other forms of assessment in a punitive manner.  When such perceived or real incidents occur, students are to report such incidents to the Office of Student Affairs.  The University’s Office of Equal Opportunity investigates and responds to all reported incidents.  

Sexual Harassment

See Wayne State University’s sexual harassment statue and policy.

Drugs and Alcohol

See Wayne State University’s drugs and alcohol policy.

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Class of 2006 Year IV Away Electives

When turning in Away Elective applications to Student Affairs for processing, the following information might be helpful.

• All approved (listed in the curriculum guide) away elective are processed and mailed by the Office of Student Affairs.


• All elective sites require different application materials. Some programs require a Letter of Recommendation and/or a good standing letter. Be sure to find out what their requirements are (usually they will offer a checklist to make sure all information is sent with your application). It is helpful to our office to include that checklist when turning in your completed application..

When you have all the application material, turn entire application in to Student Affairs (Mrs. Robichaud) for processing/mailing.

Following are YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to complete:

“Senior Elective Request” form: Accurate and complete address of the elective and signature of the Department Chair of the specialty you are doing. (It is then signed by Mrs. Robichaud).

Any health forms that need a physician's signature: YOU MUST take care of this prior to handing in your application. Also, if health information needs to be copied from your medical files, please have Benita do this prior to turning in your application.

If application requires a transcript: YOU MUST make this request prior to handing in your application through the Office of Records and Registration. Please tell that office it is for an “away elective” and they will deliver it to Student Affairs to be included with your application.

• Proof of health insurance: Copy your card FRONT and BACK.
• Include check or money order if required.
• Proof of HIPPA: Copy
• Proof of Respirator Fit Testing: Copy
• USMLE scores: Copy
• Photo ID: Be sure to write your name on the back of the photo.

PLEASE REMEMBER THAT NO APPLICATIONS WILL BE PROCESSED OR MAILED WITHOUT ALL OF THE REQUIRED APPLICATION MATERIALS.

Absences for Jury Duty

Medical Students are subject to being called for jury duty on the same basis as other adult members of the community.  A summons to serve cannot be ignored.  If a medical student is summoned for jury duty and wishes to request postponement of this service, he or she should:

1. Bring to the Office of Student Affairs both the summons and a personal letter requesting postponement addressed to the Clerk of the Court.
2. The Office of Student Affairs will write a supporting letter, mail a copy of the summons, your letter and the school's letter to the appropriate court officer.  A copy of all documents will be retained in your School of Medicine record. 

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