Medical Student Professionalism Expectations

and procedures related to the professionalism concern reporting process

Guiding Principles of Professionalism

Professionalism as a physician begins in medical school, and at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, professionalism is as important as academic performance and is treated as such. Professionalism is grounded in the commitment to maintain patient interests above physician self-interest and to maintain personal, academic, and professional integrity. These commitments are guided by the principles of our Cultural North Star: Do What’s Right, Make Things Better, Be Kind. Our expectations of your professional behavior begin with your first day at DGSOM and include:

  • A commitment to professional excellence
  • Integrity, demonstrating exemplary moral and ethical character
  • Intellectual and academic honesty
  • Respect and compassion for others

Professional Responsibilities and Expectations

As a medical student and future physician, we expect you to demonstrate exceptional professionalism. All students shall adhere to the Honor Code and Code of Conduct for the School of Medicine and the University; however, our expectations of your professional behavior extend beyond these oaths.  The following are our expectations for the demonstration of professional behavior for all students entering the medical profession.  Any violation of these professionalism expectations will be treated seriously. (Please see “Professionalism Concern Process” below.)

Professional Responsibility and Judgment

  • Adhere to the standards of the profession outlined in the ABIM Physician Charter whose fundamental principles are social justice, patient autonomy, and the primacy of patient welfare.
  • Meet all educational, administrative, and clinical responsibilities in a timely fashion (i.e. completion of course evaluations).
  • Continuously seek feedback from supervisors in order to continually improve the educational experience, including the development of knowledge and clinical skills.
  • Recognize limitations and seek help when in situations where expertise, knowledge, or level of experience is inadequate to manage the situation.
  • Contribute to an atmosphere in the classroom, clinical setting, and laboratory that promotes optimal, respectful, and interactive learning.
  • Attend to your physical and emotional well-being, and work to support peers and other members of the community during difficult times in their academic, professional, and personal lives.
  • Refrain from using any substance and/or medication in a manner that may compromise judgment, safety, or the ability to contribute to safe and effective patient care.
  • Maintain attire appropriate for the professional setting.

Honesty, Integrity, and Confidentiality

  • Place patients’ interests and well-being at the center of educational and professional behavior and goals.
  • Treat patient medical records and patient/family communications as confidential and follow compliance and confidentiality guidelines for social media and conversations in public places.
  • Assume responsibility for mistakes made in a mature and honest manner and develop productive strategies for correcting them.
  • Demonstrate academic and scholarly honesty.
  • Provide constructive feedback to others to facilitate ongoing improvement of the curriculum and learning environment.
  • Adhere to DGSOM’s Honor Code, Technical Standards, University policies, and UCLA Student Conduct Code.

Respect and Compassion for Others

  • Be respectful of everyone, including teachers, peers, residents, staff, and patients, with respect to their time, rights, values, religious, ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds. There is no tolerance for any behavior that discriminates against another individual or group of individuals.
  • Communicate respectfully, respecting everyone’s right to hold differing opinions.
  • Maintain appropriate relationships with patients, teachers, staff, peers, and residents.
  • Demonstrate care and compassion for others.
  • Seek to constructively approach conflict resolution with others.

Professionalism Concern Process

When anyone (faculty, staff, residents, etc.) identifies a lapse in student professionalism, they may notify a Course Chair or Dean. The Course Chair or Dean may choose various courses of action.  They may choose to provide the student with feedback on the specific behavior, and they may also choose to formally document and report the lapse using the Professionalism Concern Reporting Form.

Professionalism Concern Reporting Form

If the lapse in professionalism falls within the parameters of the University disciplinary system (e.g. plagiarism, falsification of documents, verbal or physical or sexual assault, or sexual harassment), the student will be referred to the appropriate University Disciplinary Body.

After a Professionalism Concern Reporting Form is filed, the student will first meet with the Course Chair or their Assistant Dean to discuss the concerns, and together, they will make a plan for remediation.

Professionalism Concern Reporting Form (PDF)

Procedure following the issuance of a Professionalism Concern Reporting Form

If a student receives one Professionalism Concern Reporting Form:

  • The student will meet with the course chair and/or with their Assistant Dean, depending on the circumstances of the specific concern or violation. If necessary, the Chair develops a plan for remediation.
  • The form is then referred to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and kept in the student's academic file.
  • In most cases, if no other professionalism issues occur throughout the student's medical school career, no record of the incident will be recorded in the student's permanent file.
  • The student may also be referred to the Academic Performance Committee, and/or the UCLA Office of Student Conduct.

 If a student receives a second Professionalism Concern Reporting Form

  • The student will meet with the course chair and/or with their Assistant Dean, depending on the circumstances of the specific concern or violation. If necessary, the Chair develops a plan for remediation.
  • The form is then referred to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and kept in the student's academic file.
  • The student must meet with an Assistant Dean or Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
  • The student’s academic and professional status will be discussed at the Academic Performance Committee and their academic/professional standing may be changed. *
  • In most cases, a change in status will not be reported in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
  • The student may also be referred to the UCLA Office of Student Conduct.

If a student receives a third Professionalism Concern Reporting Form: 

  • The student will meet with the course chair and/or with their Assistant Dean, depending on the circumstances of the specific concern or violation. If necessary, the Chair develops a plan for remediation.
  • The form is then referred to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and kept in the student's academic file.
  • The student must meet with their Assistant Dean and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
  • The student’s academic and professional status will be discussed at the Academic Performance Committee and their academic/professional standing will likely be changed. *
  • A change in status may be reported in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
  • Student may also be referred to the UCLA Office of Student Conduct.

If a student receives a fourth Professionalism Concern Reporting Form:

  • The student will meet with the course chair and/or with their Assistant Dean, depending on the circumstances of the specific concern or violation.
  • The form is then referred to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and kept in the student's academic file.
  • The student must meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
  • The student’s academic and professional status will be discussed at the Academic Performance Committee and their academic/professional standing status will be changed.
  • A change in status will be reported in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).
  • Student may also be referred to the UCLA Office of Student Conduct.

If a student on Academic/Professional Probation for professionalism concerns receives an additional Professionalism Concern Reporting Form, the student may be referred to the Committee on Academic Standing, Progress and Promotion (CASPP) for consideration of dismissal. CASPP has the authority to dismiss a student from the medical school for failure to demonstrate appropriate ethical or professional behavior.

*Note that students may appeal decisions of the Academic Performance Committee (APC) to CASPP.