Zero Tolerance

The University of Oklahoma College of Medicine has Zero Tolerance for medical student mistreatment of any kind.    Effective learning is best fostered in a positive learning environment of mutual respect between teachers and learners. Each member of the university community should do their part to maintain a positive learning environment.

Students, Faculty, Staff and Residents all have a role in maintiaining a positive learning environment.  All parties should know the policies as they relate to them.  The full policies related to mistreatment can be reviewed on this page.  

Faculty and Staff: Know your role and your responsibilities.  You must work to maintain the ideal teacher learner relationship and help ensure that breaches are reported appropriately. 

Residents: Know the policies as they relate to you.  You have a responsibility to help maintain a positive learning environment. 

Students: You have a right to a positive learning environment.  If you are the victim of any kind of mistreatment, witness mistreatment of another student, or feel that the ideal teacher-learner relationship has been breached, you have a right to report and are encouraged to do so.  You have options. 

DIRECTLY TO INVOLVED PARTIES 

As “adult learners” medical students are encouraged to address perceived breaches of the principles of the ideal teacher-learner relationship directly to involved parties. Utilization of this option does not require that any documentation be maintained or other steps taken if satisfactory resolution is achieved.

THE COURSE DIRECTOR

Course Directors shall provide the student an impartial hearing, and gather information from others as necessary, while maintaining the confidentiality of the involved parties consistent with information gathering. Appropriate protection of the accused must be preserved. If the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the student, the respondent, and the Course Director, the issue will be considered closed. (further info on this option is available in policy 417). 

A list of all Course Directors is available here:

Course Director List 

ASSOCIATE DEAN OF ACADEMIC SERVICES/CAMPUS SERVICES

The Associate Dean on each campus serves as an advocate for students.  Parties may contact the appropriate campus Associate Dean directly with any concerns about student mistreatment.

Associate Dean for Academic Services (Tulsa Campus)

Jeanne Hayes, MD, MPH

Associate Dean for Student Services (OKC Campus)

Mark Fergeson, MD

Information will be gathered initially from the affected student, and others will be consulted as necessary. Records of all such contacts will be maintained in the Dean’s office and used to determine the need for additional preventive educational efforts. Information will be fed back to the Chairman of the involved Department as well as to Course Directors or Residency Directors of the involved parties as necessary. Incidents that cannot satisfactorily be resolved will be referred to the Medical Student Mistreatment Committee.

THE DEPARTMENT CHAIR

The Department Chair shall provide the student an impartial hearing, and gather information from others as necessary, while maintaining the confidentiality of the involved parties consistent with information gathering. Appropriate protection of the accused must be preserved. If the issue is resolved to the satisfaction of the student, the respondent, and the Department Chair, the issue will be considered closed.

The Department Chair shall submit a report to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (Associate Dean for Academic Services in Tulsa) summarizing the essence of the complaint, its evaluation, and the nature of its resolution. Identity of the principals may remain anonymous.  (Further info on this option can be found in policy 417)

A list of all department Chairs is available here:

OKC Department Chairs

Tulsa Department Chairs 

STUDENT OMBUDSPERSON

The Ombudsperson will hear the concern(s) of the student and consult with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs on your campus for advice as deemed desirable. Initially, the identity of the reporting student will remain anonymous, and suggestions for evaluation or resolution will be returned via the Ombudsperson.  (Further info on this option can be found in policy 417). 

A list of Student Ombudspersons for each campus can be found here:

James Elias, Tulsa Ombudsperson 

COM-STU-OMBUDS@OUHSC.edu, OKC Ombudsperson

Issues related to Sexual Harassment/Assault (Appendix H), Consensual Sexual Relations (Appendix I), or related to Racial or Ethnic Harassment (Appendix J) are specifically addressed in the Health Sciences Center Faculty Handbook and are to be reported to the University Office of Equal Opportunity, Room 113 of the Service Center Building, 405-271-2110. They are not explicitly incorporated into the OUCOM policies.