Positive Learning Environment & Mistreatment Reporting

Purpose

DGSOM at UCLA is committed to ensuring all learners are educated within a positive, inclusive and respectful environment.  DGSOM is also committed to ensuring an uncomplicated reporting process for mistreatment incidents and to addressing the mistreatment of trainees in a timely fashion. The purpose of this policy is to outline learning environment expectations, provide definitions of mistreatment, and outline mechanisms and procedures for trainees to report any perceived mistreatment against them or perceived mistreatment that they observe against others, both without fear of retaliation. In addition, DGSOM is committed to providing information about the process that is initiated once an incident is reported.

Overview

This policy on mistreatment reflects DGSOM’s commitment to maintaining an environment where there is mutual respect between students, teachers, peers, patients, and all members of the education and health care teams. This framework is provided in addition to the DGSOM Shared Learning Environment Expectations, which provide guidelines and expectations regarding the delivery of lectures, active learning sessions, and related educational content in the DGSOM HEALS curriculum.

Positive Learning Environment Framework

DGSOM’s Cultural North Star helps us build and maintain an inclusive, mission-driven culture by mapping our decisions, actions, and interactions to a shared framework. In addition, the framework below outlines shared expectations and behaviors that promote a professional, respectful, inclusive, and supportive learning environment for trainees across all educational settings. It aligns with LCME Standards (particularly Standard 3) and reflects best practices across peer LCME-accredited medical schools.

Purpose and Core Principles

• Foster a learning environment that is respectful, inclusive, and psychologically safe.
• Support student learning, professional development, and well-being.
• Promote accountability and shared responsibility across all members of the academic community.

Shared Accountability

• All members of the learning environment—students, faculty, residents, staff, and administrators—share responsibility for upholding professional standards.
• Educational hierarchy exists to support learning and patient care and must not be used to intimidate, demean, or exploit learners.

Expected Behaviors

• Treat all individuals with respect, dignity, and fairness.
• Provide constructive, timely, and respectful feedback focused on the advancement of learning.
• Encourage curiosity, questions, and open dialogue without fear of humiliation or retaliation.
• Demonstrate inclusive behaviors that recognize and value diverse backgrounds, identities, and perspectives.

Policy

All members of our medical education community have a right to function in a respectful, positive, and inclusive learning environment that fosters mutual respect and is free of belittlement, humiliation, and hostility. Mistreatment of trainees is unacceptable and inconsistent with our commitment to provide a respectful educational environment. 

• The school will provide a framework for creating a positive learning environment.
• The school will provide mechanisms for students to report mistreatment.
• The school will regularly monitor the learning environment to ensure a respectful educational environment. 
• The school has zero tolerance for mistreatment of any kind, and of any form of retaliation against those who report. Retaliation against a person who reports, or provides information in a mistreatment investigation or proceeding will be subject to investigation and may result in disciplinary action up to and including termination or expulsion.

Mistreatment Definition

The Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) defines mistreatment as behavior that shows disrespect for the dignity of others and unreasonably interferes with the learning process. It can take many forms, and includes any behavior that humiliates, degrades, demeans, intimidates, or threatens an individual or a group. To violate this policy, the behavior should be such that a reasonable person would find that it creates inhospitable working or learning conditions. Specific types of mistreatment can be defined by, but are not limited to the following domains:

Physical Mistreatment

Any behavior that involves physical harm, a threat of physical harm, or the imposition of physical punishment.

Abusive expression

Includes spoken, written, visual, or nonverbal actions directed at another person that are outside the range of commonly accepted expressions of disagreement, disapproval, or critique in an academic culture and professional setting that respects free expression.

Power Abuse

Includes any abuse of authority or inappropriate actions, threats or retaliation in the exercise of authority, supervision, or guidance. This includes using learner evaluation, grades and potential letters of recommendation as a quid pro quo for behaviors.

Psychologic Cruelty

Any malicious behavior that results in psychological pain and suffering.

Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment is defined as unwelcome sexual advances, unwelcome requests for sexual favors, and other verbal, nonverbal, or physical conduct of a sexual nature when a person's submission to such conduct is implicitly or explicitly made the basis for employment decisions, academic evaluation, grades or advancement, or other decisions affecting participation in a University program (quid pro quo), or when such conduct creates a hostile working environment.

Discrimination

Any prejudicial treatment on the basis of race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender, gender expression, gender identity, gender transition status, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition (cancer-related or genetic characteristics), genetic information (including family medical history), ancestry, marital status, age, sexual orientation, citizenship, or service in the uniformed services, including protected veterans.

Reporting Mechanisms & Procedures

Trainees Who Experienced or Witnessed Mistreatment

Concerns about potential violations of this policy may be handled by communication with various individuals, and trainees are strongly encouraged to formally report any potential incidents of mistreatment. Multiple, accessible pathways exist for reporting learning environment concerns. Options include, but are not limited to the following:

• Conversation (by the student or others) with any or all of the following:
  • Individual(s) involved
  • Others such as the chief resident, attending physician, and/or clerkship/site director or course chair
  • Medical School Educational Leadership including Society Deans and leadership of Drew, PRIME and MSTP. 
• Mistreatment Incident Reporting Form - Reports are reviewed promptly, confidentially, and without retaliation. Please see full process listed below.
• DGSOM Course and Faculty Evaluations – Reports are reviewed when the data is available (typically 2 weeks after the closing of the course.
• UCLA Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Office
• UCLA Title IX Office 

Please note that University employees are mandated reporters and are required to inform the appropriate offices if they become aware that a student may have experienced conduct prohibited by the UC Sexual Violence and Sexual Harassment Policy or by the UC Nondiscrimination Policy Statement.

Students should also be aware of confidential resources available to them including:

• Office of the Ombuds
• Behavioral Wellness Center (BWC)
• Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS)
• CARE Advocates 

Student to Student Concerns

Students are provided multiple pathways for situations in which they desire to report student to student mistreatment and/or student professionalism concerns. Students are invited to bring issues to the student professionalism council, student government, DGSOM student affairs staff and/or DGSOM faculty, leadership and staff. Addressing student professionalism/mistreatment concerns lies within the purview of student affairs office, the Committee on Academic Standing Progress and Promotion (CASPP), and when needed the UCLA Office of Student Conduct.

Response when a Mistreatment Incident Reporting Form (MIRF) is Submitted

When a report is submitted via the Mistreatment Incident Reporting Form (MIRF) the Committee on Learning Environment Oversight (CLEO) receives the report and initiates their review within 72 business hours. The CLEO Co-chairs will make an immediate determination regarding acuity, avenue of reporting, and subsequent triaging depending on the nature of the issue.

CLEO leadership are all mandatory reporters and as such are required to share the MIRF, including the reporter’s information, with the UCLA Title IX Office and/or Discrimination Prevention Office should the report include information related to these offices. Referrals to these offices are made within 72 business hours of receipt of the report. If the Vice Dean for Faculty and/or patient safety offices are referred a report, then they may request the reporter’s information. This information would only be provided with the consent of the reporter. All reports are reviewed at CLEO's regularly scheduled meetings to determine a triage level and an action plan to address the concerns.Learn more about CLEO's Mission, CLEO Leadership, and CLEO FAQs

Education & Prevention

Staff & Faculty

DGSOM invites faculty, instructors, residents, and staff, to review and attest to the integral features of our learning environment annually. 

Students

Students are educated annually about this policy and are required to attest annually to reading and understanding all relevant school policies and procedures.

Continuous Evaluation and Improvement

The learning environment is evaluated regularly through multiple data sources. Trends are monitored to identify strengths, areas for improvement, and needed interventions. Findings inform faculty development and programmatic improvement. Institutional leaders are accountable for oversight and continuous quality improvement of the learning environment.

Data Reporting

Aggregate and de-identified data on reports of mistreatment of trainees are shared annually with the Vice Dean of Medical Education and the Medical Education Committee.

Reports of mistreatment may also be shared with department leadership on an as needed basis. 
 

Responsibility and References

1. RESPONSIBILITY 
   Medical Education Community
   DGSOM Medical Students
2. REFERENCES

• DGSOM's Shared Learning Environment Expectations
• LCME Element 3.5 Learning Environment
• LCME Element 3.6 Student Mistreatment

3. OWNER 
   Committee on Learning Environment Oversight (CLEO)
4. APPROVED BY
   Medical Education Committee (MEC) - PENDING
5. REVIEWED BY 
   Curricular Affairs Office 
   Student Affairs Office 
   Quality, Compliance and Accreditation Office
   Vice Dean for Education
6. REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
   July 2026, 5-Year review cycle