Student and Faculty Conduct
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is dedicated to exemplifying professionalism in the student learning environment. Professionalism includes providing all students, residents, staff, and patients with an environment of dignity and respect. Students are expected to act at all times in accordance with the highest standards of integrity, whether in the classroom, hospital, clinic, laboratory, and even housing.
Please review the following Student Code of Conduct policies for information on the disciplinary action, faculty oath, honor code, incident report, misconduct, plagiarism policy, and student oath.
Faculty Code of Conduct Policy
Approved by:
Executive Oversight Committee (EOC)
Dates:
AY2022/2023
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
Professionalism encompasses a broad set of aptitudes, attitudes, and behaviors. Being a professional can mean many things, including internalizing a set of shared values, behaving according to standards of medical practice or scientific investigation, and being accountable for one’s actions. Students have a responsibility to act at all times in accordance with the highest standards of integrity. The same standards of behavior are expected in the classroom, laboratory, clinic, hospital, or elsewhere on campus, including housing, or whenever you are seen as representing the School. As a student, we expect you to adhere to the same professional codes of behavior as physicians and scientists.
The Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai (ISMMS) is dedicated to providing its students, residents, faculty, staff, and patients with an environment of respect, dignity, and support.
POLICY
Faculty Code of Conduct
The mission of the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai is to produce physicians and scientists who are prepared to enter society as informed advocates and activists who are able to advance clinical care and science and promote change.
We, the faculty, seek to embody this mission and so pledge the following to you, our students, in our effort to help you to become the best possible physicians and your best possible selves:
To serve as models for caring, competent, and unbiased care of our patients.
To engage you in the joy and privilege of practicing the art and science of medicine and the rewards of learning for life.
To uphold the highest standards in scientific and medical research.
To inspire you to respect the art and science of medicine, but also to question the status quo.
To recognize that our opportunity to teach is also our opportunity to learn.
To not just teach, but also nurture.
To share of both our craft and ourselves.
To demonstrate that self-examination means as much as examinations.
To be kind in evaluating you and ourselves.
To never lose sight of our wellness and the wellness of all of those around us.
To have the courage to stand up for the oppressed and vulnerable and against prejudice and racism in all that we do.
To be aware of our own biases and those around us and strive to eliminate them.
To meet you where you are and get you where you want to be.
And, finally, to never forget as physicians, scientists, and educators what we know as human beings.
PROCEDURE
Faculty read the faculty code of conduct at each year’s White Coat Ceremony to demonstrate their commitment to excellence in teaching and mentoring.
Medical Student Electronic Communication Policy
Approved by:
Executive Oversight Committee (EOC)
Approval Dates:
4/7/23
RELATED POLICIES
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
The purpose of this policy is to establish that electronic mail (email) is the official method of communication and is a professional resource to assist in the day-to-day educational, research, and services goals and activities of the medical school and institution.
POLICY
The ISMMS uses the student registered email (@icahn.mssm.edu) as the sole official form of communication upon matriculation through graduation and maintains appropriate listserv(s) for dissemination. All medical students are required to read, respond, and send email messages in an accurate, timely and professional manner.
PROCEDURE
Responsibility and Timeliness Students are responsible for knowing and complying with the content of official communication and for responding to messages appropriately. Best practices include responding to emails within 72 hours, setting a daily time of day to go through your emails, creating filters and identifying “VIP” senders that can help you prioritize messages.
Medical education requires coordination with various stakeholders throughout the Mount Sinai Health System and across the medical school. At times, students will be required to complete compliance paperwork, respond to document requests, and to meet other administrative tasks with firm deadlines. You are required to remain current in all tasks in order to continue your medical education.
It is important to recognize that the intended recipient of your message may not be available for an immediate response and response times will vary among the faculty and staff. If you have not received a response in 5 business days (this excludes weekends), a follow-up email (forwarding the first message) is suggested.
Presentation of self and representation of ISMMS The ISMMS student email address is an automatic connection of students to the institution, thereby an extension of the ISMMS reputation. Email communication is as close to an in-person conversation as one can have and requires civility and clarity. Students should be mindful that electronic communication does not provide the same benefits as face-to-face communication: body language, tone/inflection, and the other elements important to effective communication.
Students should exercise professional judgement when sending email communications within and outside the ISMMS community. It is imperative to remember that you are solely responsible for what you email and should exercise your best judgment and personal responsibility. Pause and reflect before you hit send. Additional practices include a professional introduction of yourself and to the recipient, using appropriate titles until invited to communicate differently. Like your future patients, the preferences will vary from first name to more formal (Dr. Z), and you should be mindful of assuming gender (Miss or Mr.) as a greeting.
Students are encouraged to create and keep updated an email signature line that includes your full name and if different from the email address, be certain to include your preferred name; in addition to pronouns, previously earned graduate degrees, MD academic program, current year and projected graduation date. A good example is:
Alexander “Alex” Sinai, MPH (he/they) M2, MD/PhD Program Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
Listserv Use Listservs provide senders with an ease to communicate with a large group without having to identify each individual recipient. Medical students are enrolled in four listservs, two of which are required and two that are optional, as follows:
Official School-use listservs The following two listservs are for official school-use only. Messages received that are not appropriate for either/both listserv will be redirected and feedback provided to the sender by the Office of Student Affairs. Students may not opt-out of the below-mentioned listservs.
Class-specific listserv (mssm20xx@lists.mssm.edu): students are subscribed to a class listserv at matriculation and adjusted as needed to account for any change to a student’s graduation year. Typical messages include but are not limited to announcements from the Department of Medical Education, Medical Education and other administrative units, mandatory class meetings/town halls, administrative tasks and deadlines, student council and class representative information, and general news.
Mount Sinai Health System listserv (students-all@lists.mssm.edu): all students across the Icahn School of Medicine are subscribed to this system-wide listserv. Typical messages include but are not limited to system-wide broadcast messages (e.g., faculty promotions, creation of new academic units), emergency management, and are messages intended for all registered students at the Icahn School of Medicine.
Student-use listservs The following two listservs are intended to encourage community building across and within the student body. Student may opt out of the below-mentioned listservs.
Student events listserv (students-events@lists.mssm.edu): all students are subscribed to this listserv at matriculation. The listserv is to announce events, activities, social gatherings, volunteer call-outs and clinical/research student positions (e.g. EHHOP, urgent organ procurement flight). You can denote the audience of the intended message in the subject line of the email, for example: MD-all (include topic); MS1-only (then list the event); All students (then list the event).
Student advertisements (Students-ads@lists.mssm.edu): all students are subscribed to this listserv at matriculation. The listserv is to share items for sale or giveaway, sublet and other residential offering/needs, in search of other services (e.g. formal ticket needed, babysitting, dog walking).
Access, disclosure and consequences Per the Mount Sinai Health System Email Use Institutional Policy, all messages are ISMMS records. The School reserves the right to access and disclose all messages sent over its electronic mail system. The Health System reserves the right to review any information, files, or communications sent, stored, or received on its computer systems.
Inappropriate use may result in loss of access privileges and disciplinary action up to and including dismissal. This includes, but is not limited to:
Unauthorized attempts to access another's email account.
Transmission of sensitive or proprietary information to unauthorized persons or organizations.
Transmission of obscene or harassing messages to any other individual.
Transmission of offensive material, solicitations, or proselytization for commercial ventures, religious or political causes, or other non-job related solicitations.
Any illegal or unethical activity or any activity which could adversely affect ISMMS.
Inappropriate use of email and listservs as outlined in this policy may be reported through several mechanisms, including but not limited to the Addressing Mistreatment and Other Unprofessional Behaviors Directed at Students and Trainees.
Students found in violation of this, and other policies will be subject to disciplinary action as outlined in the Due Process and Discipline Policy.
Academic Integrity Policy
Applicable for: All Medical Students in Legacy and ASCEND
Approved by: Executive Oversight Committee
Relevant LCME Standards:
Approval Dates: 7/26/24
RELATED POLICIES
Formative Feedback
Institutional Policies Related to the Use of ISMMS Systems to Access the Internet, Email, and All Other Computer and Network Resources: The Computing Services at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai maintains specific policies addressing the use of various computing technologies to best facilitate the usage of school-supported resources. These include Email Usage Policy, Network Usage Policy, Social Media Guidelines, and the Appropriate Use of Technology Guidelines. For specific guidelines regarding these institutional policies related to the use of ISMMS systems to access the internet, email, and all other computer and network resources, consult: https://icahn.mssm.edu/about/computer-services/policies
PREAMBLE
Academic integrity is a cornerstone of the educational and professional environment at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. As future physicians, our students must embody the highest standards of honesty, trust, fairness, respect, and responsibility. These principles are essential not only in academic pursuits but also in clinical practice, where the welfare of patients depends on the integrity and ethical behavior of healthcare professionals. Upholding academic integrity ensures the validity of our students' education, the credibility of their academic work, and the trust placed in them by patients and colleagues. Our commitment to these principles is aligned with the Academic Integrity policy of the Graduate School of Biomedical Sciences at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai found in the Graduate Student Handbook.
POLICY
Registering Attendance in Mandatory Sessions
Failure to adhere to ISMMS’s standards of academic integrity as outlined here, will be treated as a serious offense, inconsistent with the goals and activities of the academic environment. Suspected breaches of academic integrity will be investigated and may be subject to disciplinary action.
Categories of unacceptable behaviors are listed below. For each category, example behaviors are included as a guide:
Cheating: The use of unauthorized materials, information, or assistance in any academic or clinical work. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Using unauthorized materials such as notes, textbooks, smartphones, tablets, or other electronic devices during any assessment.
Copying from another student's work or allowing another student to copy from one's own work during any assessment.
Receiving unapproved assistance from a colleague or using unauthorized resources during clinical skill assessments, patient care simulations or Objective Structured Clinical Examinations (OSCEs).
Plagiarism: The representation of another person's words, ideas, or work as one's own without proper attribution. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Submitting scholarly work, such as research papers, essays, or reports, with sections copied from published articles without proper citations.
Including text from another student's work or a professional publication in one's own assignments or presentations without proper attribution.
Copying patient or clinical notes from colleagues, including other students, residents, or attending physicians, and presenting them as one's own work as part of a formative or summative assessment.
Fabrication: The falsification or invention of any information, data, or citation in academic or clinical work. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Making up patient data or clinical findings in medical records or reports.
Creating or altering data or results in any academic activity, clinical and/or research activity.
Falsifying any aspect of a patient’s medical records, including history, physical examination, diagnostic results, treatment plans, or progress notes.
Obtaining an Unfair Advantage: Actions that give an unfair academic or clinical advantage over others. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Gaining unauthorized access to materials or information before any assessment.
Utilizing prohibited materials or resources during any assessment to gain an advantage.
Securing preferential opportunities, placements, or assignments.
Manipulating schedules to avoid certain duties or responsibilities.
Aiding and Abetting Academic Dishonesty: Assisting or encouraging another student to engage in academic dishonesty. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Providing unauthorized assistance or sharing information related to assessments.
Assisting another student in falsifying records or documentation.
Permitting others to copy one's work or providing unauthorized assistance.
Sharing unauthorized materials or resources for any assessments or assignments
Falsification of Records and Official Documents: Altering or fabricating any official academic or clinical records or documents. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Forging signatures on any official documents such as grade reports or letters of recommendation.
Altering academic or administrative records.
Modifying or falsifying any official records or evaluations.
Changing or inventing information in any documentation or records.
False Identity: Misrepresenting oneself or others in any academic or clinical setting. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Providing false information during identity verification processes, including actions such as scanning an ID for attendance and subsequently leaving.
Using another person's credentials to gain unauthorized access to restricted areas or information, including signing in for another individual on an attendance sheet.
Impersonating another individual or permitting someone else to impersonate oneself in any academic or clinical activity.
Sharing of Assessment Information: Unauthorized distribution of assessment-related information. Examples include but are not limited to:
Sharing assessment questions and answers with peers through electronic means or in person.
Disseminating details of clinical skill assessments, patient case scenarios, or standardized patient assessments.
Posting information about any assessment on social media or other platforms before, during, or after the assessment. For specific guidelines regarding the use of social media and the implications of posting information about assessments, consult the Social Media Guidelines.
Using group messaging apps to share answers or information during or after an assessment.
Clinical Misconduct: Engaging in unethical or improper behavior in clinical settings. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Falsifying any records or data related to patient care.
Providing care or performing procedures beyond one's authorized scope of practice.
Deliberately circumventing the Clinical Supervision policy or misrepresenting one’s level of competence.
Posting Protected Health Information (PHI) on social media or other online platforms. For specific guidelines regarding the use of social media and the implications of posting information about clinical experiences, consult the Social Media Guidelines.
Writing, Revision, and Editing Assistance: Students must take full responsibility for their work’s accuracy and originality. Using unauthorized assistance in writing, revising, or editing academic or clinical documents without proper disclosure, attribution or approval is not allowed. Examples include, but are not limited to:
Having another person or AI tool write or substantially edit any assignment, essay, clinical documentation, personal statement or application.
Using unapproved assistance, including AI tools or other external services, in revising or completing any academic or clinical work, including papers, notes, or reports.
PROCESS
Reporting: Any individual affiliated with the medical school, including instructors and students, may register a complaint if they reasonably suspect that academic misconduct has occurred. All complaints should be communicated directly to the respective instructor and will be handled with confidentiality.
Initial Review: The Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Senior Associate Dean for Curricular Affairs will conduct an initial review of the reported incident. If the issue is deemed to potentially constitute a breach of academic integrity, the matter will be escalated to the Dean for Medical Education and the Promotions Committee.
Student Code of Conduct
GENERAL RULES OF CONDUCT FOR ISMMS STUDENTS
PURPOSE AND SCOPE
To provide the expectations of the general rules of conduct for all ISMMS students.
POLICY
The general rules of conduct are as follows:
All ISMMS students are expected to comply with these General Rules of Conduct. Violations of these General Rules of Conduct shall be referred to the Office of Student Affairs for disposition, which could include the imposition of disciplinary action up to and including dismissal.
All ISMMS students must obey all federal, state, and local laws.
All ISMMS students are expected to behave in a professional manner and are prohibited from conduct that impedes, obstructs, or interferes with the orderly and continuous administration and operation of ISMMS in carrying out its mission as an educational, research, and clinical institution or in the use of its facilities, or that in any way interferes with its rights as a campus proprietor. Such conduct shall include, but is not limited to, the following:
Unreasonable interference with the rights of others.
Intentional theft, damage to or misuse of ISMMS property.
Unauthorized occupancy of classrooms, laboratories, libraries, faculty and administrative offices, patient care facilities, auditoriums, public halls and stairways, recreational areas and any other facilities used by ISMMS (unauthorized occupancy being defined as failure to vacate any such facility when duly requested by the Dean, an Associate Dean, Assistant Dean, or School or Hospital Administrator).
Malicious use of or intentional damage to personal property, including records, papers, and writings of any member of the Mount Sinai Health System community.
Any action or situation that endangers the mental or physical health of others.
Inappropriate use of psychoactive substances.
Any form of hate speech or harassment.
All ISMMS students are required to comply with all applicable Mount Sinai policies.
ISMMS students should conduct themselves appropriately everywhere on Mount Sinai campuses and at affiliated institutions. Appropriate behavior is particularly critical when participating in patient care or attending any functions at which patients may be present. In small group seminars, as well as during clinical activities, ISMMS students will be evaluated for, among other things, their responsibility, dependability, reliability, maturity, motivation, attitude, honesty, integrity, and ability to relate and interact effectively with others.
All ISMMS students are expected to use good judgement, be courteous, respectful, and thoughtful about how others may perceive or be affected by what they do or say. ISMMS students are expected to be cognizant of the fact that incomplete, inaccurate, threatening, harassing, illegally discriminatory, or carelessly worded statements may be harmful to others. Such conduct may damage relationships, undermine Mount Sinai’s brand or reputation, discourage teamwork, and negatively impact ISMMS’s commitment to research, education, patient care, and community service.
Equally important is the realization that responsibilities of members of ISMMS students do not end with the member’s own behavior but also include not tolerating inappropriate behavior among others. While formal mechanisms, outlined in other sections and policies, govern any specific allegations of inappropriate behavior, general issues should be able to be discussed freely among peers, faculty, and administration. If you have any concerns, you may discuss them with the appropriate Dean, faculty advisor, Title IX Officer, or the School’s Ombuds Program or you may report the concern through an appropriate reporting portal. (e.g., mistreatment portal, SafetyNet, or Corporate Compliance.)
Violation of these rules of conduct may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including dismissal from ISMMS
Approved by the Dean, 1/30/2024
Last updated