Procedures for Reporting an Incident of Mistreatment, Bias, or Harassment

Infographic titled Policy and Procedures for Reporting Mistreatment, Georgetown University School of Medicine, text version below

Title of graphic: Policy and Procedures for Reporting Mistreatment, Georgetown University School of Medicine
First column text: We will create and sustain a learning environment that fosters: mutual respect, trust, honesty, collegiality, compassion, accountability. Full policy: Student Handbook Appendix C
Second column text: Behaviors that Undermine the Learning Experience
Abuse: Unprofessional criticism primarily intended to belittle, embarrass, or humiliate. Required to perform menial tasks with intent to humiliate or degrade. Asked to perform personal services.
Harassment: Behaviors that are offensive, hostile, or intimidating. Can be verbal or physical in nature.
Discrimination: Behaviors, decisions, actions, policies, and practices. Adversely affect students through disparate treatment on the basis of age, color, disability, family responsibilities, familial status, gender identity or expression, marital status, national origin, personal appearance, political affiliation, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, source of income or any other factor prohibited by law.
Third column text: Avenues to Report Mistreatment
Ombudsperson, Stacey Kaltman, PhD, sk279@georgetown.edu
Senior Associate Dean for Students, Princy Kumar, MD, kumarp@georgetown.edu
Medical Student Life Advisory Committee, https://som.georgetown.edu/studentservices/mslac
Title IX Coordinator, School of Medicine, Dean Susan Cheng, EdLD, Susan.Cheng@georgetown.edu
Office for Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Affirmative Action, 202-687-4798, http://ideaa.georgetown.edu/policies/
Retaliatory Conduct is Prohibited.

As laid out in detail in the Teacher-Learner Relationship Policy, there are five avenues for reporting behaviors that undermine the Culture of Respect in the Learning Environment. The School of Medicine is committed to creating and sustaining a Culture of Respect. As a result, we take reports of mistreatment very seriously and act swiftly to investigate and take actions appropriate to the scenario.

A medical student who feels that they have witnessed or experienced any type of bias, harassment, or mistreatment in the learning environment may contact the Medical Student Life Advisory Committee (MSLAC). Membership of the MSLAC is small but representative and consists of select members of the faculty, staff and students who are trained to assist students with any concerns of mistreatment or questions about how to proceed. Students can report to the Co-Chairs of the Committee or to any member with whom they feel comfortable. The members of MSLAC can be found in Biographies for Membership.

The MSLAC also offers an Anonymous Comment Box for medical students to submit reports. Students should be as specific as possible in the reports that they make through the comment box (location, service, date of occurrence, names/roles of individuals involved or present, etc.). Please note that anonymous reporting limits the ability of the administration to act due to lack of specificity and ability to follow up with the person making the report. Reports made to the anonymous comment box are nevertheless taken very seriously, and investigated thoroughly, by the School of Medicine. Submissions will be reviewed at each of the monthly MSLAC meetings and any identifiable patterns in a particular department will be addressed, in addition to case by case follow up as warranted. MSLAC prepares reports and recommendations to the Dean for Medical Education and the Senior Associate Dean of Students.

If a student experiences or witnesses any type of bias, harassment, or mistreatment while in a clinical clerkship setting, he or she is encouraged to report the matter to any member of the Clerkship Coordinator Reporting Team. To alleviate any medical student discomfort in reporting these issues, Clerkship Coordinators from several separate departments kindly volunteer to serve on the Reporting Team to provide students with an opportunity to bring their concerns to a Coordinator outside of the rotation in which mistreatment was experienced or witnessed.

Upon receipt of any reports of mistreatment directly from a student or from a member of the Clerkship Coordinator Reporting Team, a Subcommittee of the Medical Student Life Advisory Committee comprised of at least two faculty members and one student will convene to review and investigate the claims. If the report is found to have merit and involves two students, the case will be forwarded to the Senior Associate Dean of Students who may forward it to the Committee on Students. If the report is found to have merit and involves a student who has been mistreated by a faculty member, the MSLAC will forward the case to IDEAA. In the event that the faculty member is a MedStar employee or an employee of another affiliated institution, the Dean for Medical Education may contact the Chair of the Department or the appropriate person in the affiliate administration at his discretion.

Members of the Clerkship Coordinator Reporting Team:

Stop, Talk, Roll

Stop, Talk, Roll (STR) is a communication guidance tool that has been designed to provide suggested phrases and approaches for medical students and residents to addressing particular scenarios and diffuse tense communication exchanges with a wide range of stakeholders. STR training and guidance will be provided to medical students, residents and medical staff this coming fall.

STR also provides pathways for seeking out help and support to navigate the scenarios, which include seeking out support from your residency program leadership, including: chief residents, program directors and associate program directors.