DrexelMed MedStudentHandbook

Table of Contents
Section 1: Academic Policies and Academic Progress
Attendance Guidelines for Promotion: Year 3 to Year 4

General Deportment and Guidelines for Attire Guidelines for Promotion: Year 4 to Graduation
Electronic Communication and Web Presence Graduation Requirements
Clinical Rotation Policies
The Grading System
Clinical Site Policies and Guidelines
Individual Course or Clinical Rotation Grade Policies Student Advising
Appealing a Grade or Evaluation in a Course or Behavioral and Professionalism Standards for
Clerkship - All Years Drexel University College of Medicine Students
Student Requesting Accommodations Specific Academic Policies
Examination Policies and Procedures- All Years Student Promotions CommitteesAcademic, Ethical
Withdrawing from Coursework or Professional Concerns
Dismissal from the College of Medicine
Extended Curriculum
Dual Degree Programs
Guidelines for Promotion: Year 1 to Year 2 Enrollment Status
Guidelines for Promotion: Year 2 to Year 3 Tuition Refund and Credit Policy
Educational Development and Growth Experience
(EDGE)
Section 2: Facilities and Services
Overview Public Safety: Your Right to Know

Dragon Cards Security Officers
Bookstores Escort Services
Libraries Campus Shuttle
Student Lockers Identification Cards
Parking Crime Prevention
Recreational Facilities Dissemination of Criminal Information
Section 3: University Policies
Building Access
Weapons Policy Discrimination, Sexual Harassment and Assault
Alcohol and Drug Policy Student Mistreatment
Section 4: Health Policy, Disease Surveillance, and Clearances for Students
Health Insurance Student Reporting Requirements

Monitoring and Documentation of Health Policy Requirements Basic Life Support (BLS) Training
Disease Surveillance and Immunization Requirements Drug Testing Protocol
Required Immunizations Counseling, Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment
Follow-up for Student Immunization Disability Insurance
and Disease Surveillance Compliance Exposure to Infectious and Environmental Hazards
Student Health Care Blood and Body Fluids Exposure
Criminal Background Checks and Fingerprinting Requirements HIV Testing
Drexel University College of Medicine, Medical Student Handbook last updated 5/9/2017 1
Section 5: Honor System
Code of Ethics The Honor Court

The Honor System Appendix A Amendment Process
Section 1:
Academic Policies and
Academic Progress
Attendance [Table of Contents]
Missed Time in Preclinical Years

Attendance requirements for pre-clinical courses, laboratories and small group sessions are determined by and
may differ in each department and in each curriculum track (PIL and IFM). Departments may factor in student
attendance in assigning final grades. Students should attend all classes and laboratories except in the case of
illness or personal or family emergency.
1. Acute Illness or Emergency: In the event of acute illness or emergency, a student must contact the Dean
for Student Affairs to be excused from a mandatory session. Written documentation from a physician may
be requested for student absences due to illness or due to a planned physicians visit. If a student misses
more than two days, a physicians note is required.
2. Requests for Absence from Mandatory sessions due to Special Circumstances: Examples of special
circumstances where absences from mandatory sessions may be approved include family member
weddings or student presentation at a national meeting. Since dates for such special circumstances are
known in advance, requests to be excused must be made in writing to the Dean for Student Affairs at least
four (4) weeks prior to the event. It is recommended that requests be made as early as the special
circumstance date is known (the more advance notice given, the more likely it will be that the request can
be accommodated).
.
In the event of acute illness, family emergency or other special circumstances, the maximum time that a
student can be excused from the preclinical curriculum is two (2) weeks.
Missed time from Clinical Rotations
Time away from third year clinical clerkships is not allowed except in the event of illness or
emergency. Rarely, there may be a special circumstance that warrants an approved absence. Any
absence from clinical rotations must be documented and approval must be obtained prior to missing
clinical responsibilities. Absences without prior notification of the faculty will be considered as unexcused
absences, warranting a Letter of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior and potentially subject to action of the
Student Promotions Committee. Students must notify the Dean for Student Affairs if they miss more than 2
days of a clinical rotation.
1. Acute illness or Emergency: In the event of acute illness or emergency requiring missed day(s) from clinical
rotation, students must contact the Dean for Student Affairs and/or Clerkship/Course Director, the Site
Director and the patient care team in advance of the start of the missed workday. If the emergency is such
that multiple contacts would be difficult, the student should make the contact to the Student Affairs Dean
who will make appropriate notifications.
2. Requirements for Physician Documentation of clinical absence: The Department may request written
documentation from a physician for student absences due to illness or due to a planned physicians visit. If
a student misses more than two days during any clinical rotation, a physicians note is required.
3. Requests for Absence due to Special Circumstances: Examples of special circumstances where absences
may be approved include family member weddings or student presentation at a national meeting. Since
dates for such special circumstances are known in advance, requests to be excused must be made in
writing to the Dean for Student Affairs or the Clerkship/Course Director at least four (4) weeks prior to the
start of the rotation. It is recommended that requests be made as early as the special circumstance date is
known (the more advance notice given, the more likely it will be that the request can be accommodated).
4. Make-up Time for Absences: The Department determines how and when missed clinical time will be made
up. Make-up for missed time may include additional days, additional call and/or additional assignments. All
students missing more than two days from a clinical rotation will require clinical work in order to make it up.
If the missed time cannot be made up during the remainder of the rotation, the Department may elect to
submit a grade of Incomplete until such a time as the student satisfactorily makes up the missed clinical
experience. Students may not pursue make-up clinical activities for one course while engaged in another
rotation.
5. Absences for CSA exam, USMLE Step 2 CK or USMLE Step 2 CS: Absences due to these exams will
typically not require make-up work unless a mandatory activity is missed. If a student takes more than one
day off for these exams during an individual rotation or if a student has already missed a day(s) for other
reasons, required make-up time will be necessary.
6. Recurrent Missed Clinical Time due to Appointments: Students who need to be excused from clinical time
on a regular basis for recurring medical appointment should obtain accommodations through the Office of
Disability Resources.
Absences for Residency Interviews

Time away from fourth-year rotation assignments for the purpose of interviewing for residencies is
permitted under the following conditions: A maximum of three days absence in any four-week rotation is
permitted for residency interviewing. The student is responsible for notifying the course director by
email to obtain approval for such absences before they occur. Students should include their emailed
interview confirmation in their correspondence with the course director and course coordinator.
Absences without prior notification of the course director will be considered as unexcused absences,
and subject to action of the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee.
Time off for interviews is permitted between October 1 and February 15 for students participating in
NRMP match residencies and between November 1 and January 1 for students participating in Early
Match residencies.
Absences are not permitted during a two-week rotation. (Students should not schedule two-week
elective rotations during the time period that they will be going on residency interviews.)
A course director has the prerogative to assign make-up work/time for any absences taken from a
rotation.
General Deportment and Guidelines for Attire [Table of Contents]
The policy established and approved for students at Drexel University College of Medicine is as
follows:
While in this institution and specifically in patient care areas or health care delivery settings, a student should
be dressed professionally in appropriate attire. Appropriate attire is determined by societal convention and
societys expectation of the medical profession. A student who is engaged in patient contact must keep in
mind that members of the professional community are obligated to maintain an acceptable professional
standard. Good grooming and personal hygiene are essential for professionals in a health care setting.
Students are to adhere to the dress/appearance standards of their assigned clinical sites. Appearances that
may potentially offend or distract patients should be avoided. Examples of these appearances include but are
not limited to:
Easily visible body piercing (e.g., nose, lip, eyebrow, tongue)
Unusual hair coloring or style
Casual clothing (e.g., jeans, shoes that are not intact, revealing or ill-fitting clothing.)
Unwashed or unkempt appearance
Word slogans on clothing or accessories other than professional identification (e.g.,
cause/position buttons)
Deportment
As with clothing, it is easier to say what not to do. It is inappropriate to be rude or disrespectful to anyone, or
curt with any staff or patients. Everyone is different. Be sensitive to differences. Avoid being condescending
to anyone. Except for children, it is generally improper to call patients or their parents by their first names. It is
proper to confer respect by use of surname, not first name. Patients notice if doctors care enough to know their
names.
A manner of respect for all individuals, recognizing the rights of patients is fundamental to a physician's
professional conduct. Arrogance, superiority, rudeness and disdain for the idiosyncrasies that often appear
with illness are manifestations of unprofessional and unacceptable behavior. It is a professional obligation to
respect the privacy of patients and the confidentiality of their records. Discussion of patients' problems in a
public setting (for example, the elevator, the shuttle or the cafeteria) constitutes a serious breach of patient
rights.
Electronic Communication and Web Presence [Table of Contents]
Email is the official means of communication of the College of Medicine. Students are expected to
review their Drexel.edu email accounts regularly and respond promptly when contacted by faculty and staff.
When communicating by email to faculty and staff, students must send emails directly from their Drexel.edu
email accounts. Emails sent using another email server are not reliably delivered to faculty and staff due to
security safeguards utilized by the College of Medicine.
All students must recognize the importance and potential impact of their personal web presence in the
public domain.
1. Students may not blog or post to websites ANY information which may breach confidentiality or identify
patients.
2. Students are NOT permitted to post information which is defamatory in nature relating to patients, their
families, peers, classmates or faculty.
3. A students web presence on sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or other publicly accessed
sites may not contain information or references to patients which may identify patients, their diagnoses,
treatment plans, potential complications or outcomes.
4. Students may not post information which compromises the academic integrity of the College of
Medicine. Such information would be considered to include examination questions and answers to
examination questions which are not uniformly available to all students in the College of Medicine.
5. Violations of these policies will be considered a violation of the Student Honor Code and will be referred
to the Honor Court for adjudication. Violations of these policies may result in academic sanction
including dismissal from the College of Medicine.
The Grading System [Table of Contents]
In Years 1 and 2, course grades are limited to Satisfactory (S), Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) and
Unsatisfactory (U). In the clinical years (Years 3 and 4), possible course grades include Honors (H), Highly
Satisfactory (HS), Satisfactory (S), Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) and Unsatisfactory (U).
An Incomplete (I) grade is recorded in the formal academic record, only in instances where some exigency
prevented a student from completing course requirements. When a student requires a leave of absence and is
unable to complete the Incomplete course(s) within that academic year or within a time frame defined by the
department, the course director will submit a grade change from I to W (Withdraw). In the event that a student
requires a Leave of Absence necessitating withdrawal from the preclinical curriculum, a grade of Withdraw will
be assigned for any courses that are <50% complete at the time of the Leave of Absence. For courses that
are > 50% completed, a grade of Withdraw/Pass or Withdraw/Fail will be assigned depending on whether the
student is passing or not passing the course at the time of the Leave of Absence.
A grade change from Incomplete to Unsatisfactory will be made administratively if a grade of I is not converted
to a grade of S or other final grade within one academic year.
A grade of Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) is not a passing grade; it indicates a borderline failing grade. As such,
an MU will be considered by the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee when evaluating a student's
complete academic record.
There are three distinct outcomes of an MU grade: 1) successful remediation with grade change to
Satisfactory, 2) unsuccessful remediation with grade change to Unsatisfactory, or 3) remain an MU
permanently.
1) If the opportunity for remediation is granted by the year-appropriate Promotions Committee and the
remediation is successful the transcript grade is changed from Marginal Unsatisfactory to Satisfactory
but may be no higher than Satisfactory.
2) If the opportunity for remediation is granted by the year-appropriate Promotions Committee and the
remediation is not successful, the transcript grade is changed from Marginal Unsatisfactory to
Unsatisfactory, and the course (or a course equivalent determined by the department with the approval
of the year-appropriate Promotions Committee) must be repeated.
3) If the opportunity for remediation is a) not granted or b) not taken the students official transcript will
record a permanent grade of MU.
a) When a student is required by the Promotions Committee to repeat in a subsequent academic
year, a course in which he or she previously received a grade of MU, he/she will receive
whatever grade they earn in the repeated course, including Highly Satisfactory (HS) or Honors
(H). The student is not limited to Satisfactory (S) as the highest possible grade in the repeated
course. The students official transcript will record a permanent grade of MU and the new grade
achieved when the course was repeated. Grades will be recorded on the transcript based on
the semester/year evaluated.
b) If the student is not given or does not take the opportunity to remediate (e.g. dismissal, leave of
absence, missed deadline to take remediation exam), the students official transcript will record
a permanent grade of MU.
Grades of Unsatisfactory (U) are permanently entered into the official transcript of the student. Based on a
students overall academic performance, the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee determines
whether or not a student may remediate any grade of Unsatisfactory. Remediation of an Unsatisfactory grade
typically requires repeat of the course but in some courses, individual policy may dictate remediation by other
coursework and/or exam. The year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee will have the responsibility of
approving and determining the manner and timing of any remediation.
When a student repeats in a subsequent academic year, a course in which he or she previously received a U,
he/she will receive whatever grade they earn in the repeated course, including Highly Satisfactory (HS) or
Honors (H) if those grades are used in the course. The students official transcript will record both the U and
the grade achieved when the course was repeated. Grades will be recorded on the transcript based on the
semester/year evaluated.
All courses must be completed and passed for a student to continue to progress in the curriculum. Course
grades and faculty comments are used for determining preparedness of the student to progress, for letters of
recommendation and for the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE), a document prepared for
applications for residency and later postgraduate positions.
Individual Course or Clinical Rotation Grade Policies [Table of Contents]
Departments determine grades by objective and subjective measures including examination performance,
participation, and faculty assessment of the interpersonal and professional skills essential to the practice of
medicine. Each department establishes guidelines for determining grades. Student preparedness to
progress through the curriculum is determined by quality of coursework, appropriate deportment and
professional behavior.
Evaluation Policies
Students cannot be evaluated in any component of any College of Medicine course by an individual with a
potential conflict, including spouses, relatives, and healthcare providers.
Clinical Evaluations
During the clinical years, students are evaluated using standard evaluation forms approved by the Educational
Coordinating Committee of the College of Medicine. Students are evaluated based on rotation-specific
expectations in the competency areas defined by the Graduation Competencies of the College of Medicine.
Students must meet expectations in competency areas in order to Satisfactorily pass a course or clerkship.
During the required clerkships, students must demonstrate academic excellence (as indicated by a designated
score on the NBME subject examination for the specific clerkship) in addition to demonstrating excellence in
meeting all required clerkship competencies in order to achieve a grade of Honors or Highly Satisfactory. This
is not negotiable and NBME cut off exam scores cannot be appealed.
View the Clinical Evaluation Form | Competency Anchors
Appealing a Grade or Evaluation in a Course or Clerkship - All Years [Table of Contents]
Course grades are the jurisdiction of the individual department.

Any student feeling that a course grade is in error may appeal the final grade in a course. Students may also
submit an appeal if they believe that there is an error in the Summary Comments of their clinical evaluation. All
appeals must be made IN WRITING to the Course Director within ten (10) calendar days of the posting of
grades. Any appeal received after the ten (10) calendar day deadline, will not be considered. Students may not
contact any evaluators (other than the Course or Clerkship director) directly during the appeals process. When
appropriate, the course director, on behalf of the department, may submit a revised evaluation or addendum to
the Office of the Registrar. A revised evaluation or addendum will supersede and replace the original
evaluation.
If the initial appeal of a grade is not successful, a student has the option to appeal to the Chairman of the
Department in which the course is taken. It is the students responsibility to notify the Department Chair of the
intent to appeal the grade. The student has ten (10) calendar days following the notification of the denial of the
initial appeal in which to submit an appeal to the Department Chair. The appeal may be in the form of a letter,
or a personal meeting.
If the appeal to the Department Chair is not successful, the student has the option to appeal to the Vice Dean
for Educational Affairs or his/her designee. It is the students responsibility to notify the Vice Dean of the intent
to appeal the grade. The student has ten (10) calendar days from the date of the Department Chair denial
notification in which to submit an appeal to the Vice Dean. The appeal may be in the form of a letter or a
personal meeting. The decision of the Vice Dean or his or her designee is considered final, and no further
appeal can be made.
Students Requesting Accommodations [Table of Contents]
Students requesting accommodationsmust submit all necessary documentation and complete all interactive
steps with the Office of Disability Resources of Drexel University. Students requesting geographic
accommodations for clinical site placement during the clinical years must submit documentation of need to the
Office of Disability Resources at least one month in advance of the year-appropriate clinical lottery. The
documentation will be reviewed and notification of the recommended accommodations will be provided to the
student.
All Students who are approved for accommodations MUST present a valid Accommodations Verification Letter
to the Office of Student Affairs. Accommodations Verification Letters are valid for One Year ONLY and must be
renewed each year. The Office of Student Affairs will coordinate accommodation recommendations for
approved students. Students are also expected to present their Accommodations Verifications Letter to
individual Course/Clerkship Directors when specific course-related accommodations are required.
The Office of Disability Resources is located at 3201 Arch Street, Philadelphia (Phone:215-895-1401, website:
http://drexel.edu/oed/disabilityResources/students/)
Examination Policies and Procedures- All Years [Table of Contents]
Students are responsible for knowing the examination schedule and for noting any published changes in an
examination schedule. Students are expected to take all examinations during assigned times. In the event that
an emergency prevents a student from taking an examination at the assigned time, the student MUST contact
the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee (215-991-8221 during business hours, or 215-
991-8184 after hours and on weekends) prior to the scheduled examination time. Written documentation
from a physician is required from students who must miss an exam due to illness. Written documentation from
a physician is required when a student must miss an exam due to illness. If a student misses an examination
without being excused by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or his/her designee), the course director may
assign a grade of zero (0) for that examination.
Valid reasons for missing an examination include:
Emergencies: personal or family.
Unplanned emergency travel (usually related to the above).
Personal illness (requires a physician's note).
Special categories (includes, for example, childbirth or complications of pregnancy).
Major family events over which the student has no scheduling control.
Unacceptable reasons to miss a scheduled examination:

Not feeling prepared for the examination.
Non-emergency appointments at a time conflicting with a scheduled examination
Non-emergency travel reservations at a time conflicting with a scheduled examination
Business or other appointment at a time that would conflict with a scheduled examination.
Make-up Examinations
Years 1 and 2
ONE make-up date will be assigned for each scheduled examination. Students who are excused from the
initial examination will be required to take the make-up examination on the scheduled make-up exam date. In
the event that a student has been excused from the make-up examination by the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs, the examinations must be taken as follows:
Missed exams during the first semester must be taken during the scheduled make-up exam date during
the first week following return from Winter Break.
Missed exams during the second semester must be taken during the scheduled make-up exam date
following the last regularly scheduled Year 1 or 2 exam.
These end-of-semester make-up dates will be the final offering of the examination, and students who do not
take missing examinations within this time period will receive a zero (0) for the examination(s).
As many examinations are cumulative in nature, the student is held responsible for all material tested during
examinations, whether the student has taken the initial examination or whether the student will be taking the
make-up examination at a later date.
Years 3 and 4
Students who are excused from a Year 3 or 4 National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) subject
examination must take the exam during a scheduled make-up date at the start of the next semester. Students
who are excused from a NBME subject examination during Blocks 1-4 will be required to take the make-up
examination on the scheduled make-up date at theend of the Winter Break following the missed exam.
Students who are excused from a NBME subject examination during Blocks 5-8 will be required to take the
make-up examination during the break following Block 8.
Examination Guidelines
Years 1 and 2 Exam Rules

Students are not permitted to bring unauthorized personal items and/or devices into the testing room.
These items include, but are not limited to the following:
o Cell phones
o Watches with alarms, texting or messaging, computer or memory capability
o Calculators
o Recording/filming devices
o Reference materials (books, notes, papers)
o Backpacks, briefcases, purses or luggage
o Beverages or food of any type
o Coats, jackets, or hats with brims
Students will not be permitted into the exam room with any of the above unauthorized personal items
within 20 minutes of the exam start time.
Students are expected to arrive to the exam room without any of the above unauthorized personal
items no later than 10 minutes prior to the start of an examination. (Students are expected to leave
ample time in advance of exam start times to stow personal items securely, e.g. in student lockers.) If a
student arrives late for an examination, no additional time will be given for completion of the exam.
Students who arrive more than 10 minutes late for an examination will be required to report to the
Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
Students should not leave personal items in the back of the exam room or outside the exam room. All
personal items should be placed in students locker with a secure lock.
Students are expected to bring their iPads fully charged. Students are also expected to bring their iPad
chargers to each exam.
Failure to bring your iPad to an examination is considered unprofessional behavior and will trigger a
Report of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior. While a loaner iPad may be provided, there will be an
academic penalty as determined by the Promotions Committee.
Students may not ask questions pertaining to content during an exam. These questions can be
addressed to the Course Director following the exam or during a scheduled examination review
session.
Upon completion of an exam, students are expected to leave the exam room quietly to avoid distracting
students who are still taking the exam. Students are not permitted to remain in the hallway outside the
SAC or the Atrium for exams given in the Auditoriums. Talking in the atrium or hallway outside the SAC
is disruptive to students still taking the examination.
Years 3 and 4 Exam Rules

All students are expected to take their required National Board of Medical Examiners (NBME) Subject
Examinations at an assigned site and on the assigned date. Exceptions will be granted on rare occasions and
only when approved by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. All such requests must be made by the 2nd
week of the clerkship in a 6-week clerkship or by the 7th week of a 12 week clerkship.
NBME Testing Policies

Students are not permitted to bring unauthorized personal items and/or devices into the testing room. These
items include, but are not limited to the following:
Cell phones
iPods/iPads
Watches with alarms, computer or memory capability
Calculators
Paging devices
Recording/filming devices
Reference materials (book, notes, papers)
Backpacks, briefcases, purses or luggage
Beverages or food of any type
Coats, Outer jackets, or headwear
You will be provided with one laminated erasable note board and one dry erase marker. You are permitted to
make calculations or notes only on this note board once the exam begins. You can use both sides. If you need
additional space for making notes, a proctor will collect the filled laminated note board and replace it with a
new one. The laminated erasable note boards will be collected at the end of the examination session.
Withdrawing from Coursework [Table of Contents]
Students who require a Leave of Absence may need to withdraw from coursework. In the event that a student
requires a Leave of Absence necessitating withdrawal from the Preclinical Curriculum, a grade of Withdraw will
be assigned for any courses that are <50% complete at the time of the Leave of Absence. For courses that
are > 50% completed, a grade of Withdraw/Pass or Withdaw/Fail will be assigned depending on whether the
student is passing or not passing the course at the time of the Leave of Absence. Passing is defined as a
course mean of 70% or greater. Upon request for return, students with grades of Withdraw, Withdraw/Pass,
and Withdraw/Fail in preclinical coursework will be reviewed by the Promotions Committee to determine
curricular options moving forward. If approval for return is granted by the Preclinical Promotions Committee,
the student who has withdrawn from a course will repeat that course during the following year; the student will
not be able to satisfy that course requirement by taking a summer remediation course.
In the event that a student requires a Leave of Absence necessitating withdrawal from a Year 3 or 4 clinical
clerkship/course, a temporary grade of Incomplete will be assigned. If the student is unable to return to
complete the Incomplete course(s) within that academic year or within a time frame defined by the department,
the course director will submit a grade change from I (Incomplete) to W (Withdraw). Upon request for return,
students with grades of Withdraw in clinical coursework will be reviewed by the Promotions Committee to
determine curricular options moving forward. If approval for return is granted by the Clinical Promotions
Committee, the student who has withdrawn from a course will repeat that clerkship/course in its entirety.
Extended Curriculum [Table of Contents]
In some circumstances, students in the Year 2 IFM curriculum may be permitted to take an Extended
Curriculum where they carry a course load that is reduced to allow the completion of one academic year over a
period of two years. This Extended Curriculum may be requested by the student, or may be recommended by
the Administration. Extended curriculum is intended to support students who are experiencing personal
difficulties. Deadlines for request of an Extended Curriculum are released annually and are considered by the
Promotions Committee. Requests received after the deadline will not be considered by the Promotions
Committee. Students will receive notification from the Promotions Committee that a request is granted or
denied. Students who are granted the Extended Curriculum option must receive grades of Satisfactory or
above in all courses taken during the Extended Curriculum years. A grade of less than satisfactory (including
marginal unsatisfactory or unsatisfactory) in any course during a period of Extended Curriculum will be
considered grounds for dismissal from the medical school. While the student is on Extended Curriculum, the
student will be responsible for all fees, but tuition will be assessed proportionate to the course work carried.
Students who are on the Extended Curriculum, students are not permitted to hold leadership positions in
student organizations, and are cautioned concerning employment or other outside activities.
Guidelines for Promotion: From Year 1 to Year 2 [Table of Contents]
Interdisciplinary Foundations of Medicine (IFM) and Program for Integrated Learning (PIL)
Promotion Policies
Students must successfully complete, with passing grades, ALL academic and clinical coursework in
the first year of medical study in order to be promoted from Year 1 to Year 2. Receipt of one or more
grades less than Satisfactory (Marginal Unsatisfactory or Unsatisfactory) may be grounds for dismissal from
the College of Medicine.The Preclinical Promotions Committee will review the entire record of any student with
one or more grades of Marginal Unsatisfactory or Unsatisfactory in order to determine if that student is
demonstrating a level of academic performance sufficient to remain enrolled in medical school. .
In the absence of multiple failures, a grade of Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) is customarily remediated by
examination. A student who earns a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) in one course may be permitted by the
Promotions Committee to repeat the course in an AAMC-approved medical school summer remediation course
during the summer break. For courses where no remediation course is found acceptable, a remediation
examination may be given or the student may be required to repeat the course during the subsequent
academic year.
In IFM, a number of courses include a MUST PASS final exam. The requirement for passing those courses
include passing the final exam in addition to achieving an overall passing score in the course. Students who fail
one MUST PASS final exam but have an overall passing score in the course will receive a grade of Marginal
Unsatisfactory and upon approval by the Promotions Committee, will be permitted to remediate the final exam
by taking a second exam prepared by the department or an NBME Subject exam in that discipline. Failure to
successfully pass the remediation exam will result in a course failure necessitating full review by the
Promotions Committee. If the Promotions Committee grants approval, a student who has received a grade of
Unsatisfactory in one Year 1 Course may be granted permission to repeat the course through an AAMC-
approved summer remediation course or by repeating the course in the next academic year. Criteria for
successfully completing a summer remediation course will be established by the appropriate department at
Drexel University College of Medicine. While this generally entails achieving a passing grade at the school
giving the remediation course, additional criteria such as passing the discipline-specific NBME Shelf Exam may
also be required to successfully pass the Course.
Criteria for successfully completing a summer remediation course will be established by the appropriate
department at Drexel University College of Medicine. While this generally entails achieving a passing grade at
the school giving the remediation course, additional criteria such as passing an NBME Shelf Exam may need
to be met.
A student earning a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) or Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) for a repeated course or for
other required remedial activity may be dismissed from the College of Medicine. Dismissal decisions made by
the Preclinical Promotions Committee may be appealed to the Committee on Student Appeals (see below).
Decisions of the Preclinical Promotions Committee regarding course remediation, repeat course work,
academic probation, etc. may be appealed to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs (see below).
Change of Curricular Track

Students in the PIL curriculum for Year 1 are permitted to request transfer to the IFM curriculum for Year 2.
Students must make the request in writing to both the Senior Associate Dean for Curriculum and the Senior
Associate Dean for Student Affairs no later than June 30th following the completion of Year 1 coursework. If
approved, students will be required to complete requisite coursework to join the second year IFM curriculum.
Students must successfully complete ALL academic and clinical coursework in the second year of
medical study in order to be promoted to Year 3.
The Preclinical Promotions Committee will review the entire record of any student with one or more grades of
Marginal Unsatisfactory or Unsatisfactory in order to determine if that student is demonstrating a level of
academic performance sufficient to remain enrolled in medical school, and to review individual departmental
recommendations, especially when a student needs remediation in multiple courses. In the absence of multiple
failures, a grade of Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) is customarily remediated by examination. A student who
earns a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) in one course may be granted permission by the Promotions Committee to
repeat the course in an AAMC-approved medical school summer remediation course. If a student is granted
approval to remediate a course through an AAMC-approved summer remediation course, successful
remediation usually requires 1) a passing grade in the summer remediation course and 2) achieving a score on
the NBME Subject exam that is equal to or above the cutoff score as determined by the DUCOM Department.
For courses where no remediation course is available or acceptable, a remediation examination may be given
or the student may be required to repeat the course iduring the subsequent academic year.
In IFM, most courses include a MUST PASS final exam. The requirements for passing those courses include
passing the final exam in addition to achieving an overall passing score in the course. Students who fail one
MUST PASS final exam but have an overall passing score in the course will receive a grade of Marginal
Unsatisfactory and upon approval by the Promotions Committee, will be permitted to remediate the grade of
Marginal Unsatisfactory by taking a remediation exam prepared by the department or an NBME Subject exam
in that discipline. Failure to successfully pass the remediation exam will result in a course grade of
Unsatisfactory necessitating full review by the Promotions Committee. Possible outcomes would include
permission to remediate through an AAMC-approved summer remediation course, permission to remediate the
course in the next academic year, or dismissal from the College of Medicine. Criteria for successfully
completing an AAMC-approved summer remediation course will be established by the appropriate department
at Drexel University College of Medicine. While this generally entails achieving a passing grade at the school
giving the remediation course, additional criteria may be required to successfully pass the Course, such as
passing the discipline-specific NBME subject with a score that is equal to or above the cutoff score as
determined by the DUCOM Department.
In PIL, a Comprehensive Exam will be given approximately 2 weeks after the completion of Block VII.
Pathology, Pathophysiology, Pharmacology, Microbiology and Psychopathology will be the disciplines
represented on this exam. The passing rate for the first taking of this exam will be 70% or 1.5 standard
deviations below the mean, whichever is lowest and a minimum score of 65 in each discipline If the first
attempt of the Comprehensive exam is not passed, the student may be permitted to remediatethose subjects
that were not passed if approved by the Promotions Committee. The remediation will require successfully
passing the NBME Subject Exam in that discipline or by passing an exam prepared by the department. The
passing score for a remediation exam will be determined by the course director whether using a Departmental
exam or an NBME subject exam. Failure of the remediation exam will result in a grade of Unsatisfactory and
will require a full review by the Promotions Committee. Possible outcomes would include permission to
remediate through an AAMC-approved summer remediation course, permission to remediate in the next
academic year, or dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Criteria for successfully completing an AAMC-approved summer remediation course will be established by the
appropriate department at the Drexel University College of Medicine. While this generally entails achieving a
passing grade at the school giving the remediation course, additional criteria may be required to successfully
pass the Course, such as passing the discipline-specific NBME subject exam with a score that is equal to or
above the cutoff score as determined by the DUCOM Department.
A student earning a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) or Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) for a repeated course or for
other required remedial activity may be dismissed from the College of Medicine. Dismissal decisions made by
the Preclinical Promotions Committee may be appealed to the Committee on Student Appeals (see below).
Decisions of the Preclinical Promotions Committee regarding course remediation, repeat course work,
academic probation, etc. may be appealed to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs (see below).
Step 1 of the USMLE: Institutional Policies
Students who have successfully passed all year 2 coursework are eligible to sit for Step 1 of the
USMLE. All Students MUST take and earn a passing score on Step 1 of the USMLE in order to
progress to Year 3 of the curriculum.
Students are required to take Step 1 of the USMLE prior to the start of Transition to Clinician I: Transition to the
Clinical Years (i.e. the last day to take the exam is the Sunday prior to the 1st day of the on-line portion of
Transition to Clinician I) Students with extenuating circumstances that require an extension of the deadline
(and therefore a deferral of Block 1 of the 3rd year) must make a request for Step 1 deferral as outlined below.
Students may begin 3rd year clerkships ONLY after completing Step 1 of the USMLE.
Step 1 Deferral Policy

Any student wishing to defer Step 1 beyond the start of Transition to Clinician I MUST submit a formal request
in writing to the Year 1+2 Promotions Committee for approval at a special meeting of the Committee.
Deadlines for requests for a Step 1 deferral are released annually. Download the Request for Deferral
of Step 1 form. If a students request for deferral is granted, he/she will be required to submit a Step 1 study
plan outlining a detailed plan for their extended study period.
If a students request for deferral is denied by the Year 1+2 Promotions Committee (or if the student does not
submit a request), and the student still chooses to defer Step 1 (and thus Block 1), the student will be subject
to the following consequences:
The students current 3rd year rotation schedule will be dropped for the full academic year.
Once the student has taken the Step 1 exam, the Office of Clinical Education will reschedule 3rd
year rotations but this will be done based on availability, i.e. the student will have lost the ability
to choose their schedule (discipline order and/or site preference).
The student will lose the ability to use the two weeks between 3rd and 4th year to start a deferred
clerkship early.
The student may be issued a Letter of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior
The above will result in reduced vacation/interview time in the 4th year and may obviate a students
ability to graduate on time.
Time Limitations for Completion of Step 1

All students, even those granted permission for deferral, are required to take Step 1 of the USMLE no
later than the Friday before the beginning of Block 3 of the calendar year that the second year
coursework was successfully completed. Failure to sit for Step 1 within this time period will be
considered as grounds for dismissal from the College of Medicine.
All students who do not PASS Step 1 of the USMLE prior to the beginning of Block 5 will have their
Year 3 schedule dropped and will not be rescheduled for clerkships until a passing score is posted by
the NBME.
All students must successfully PASS Step 1 of the USMLE within 12 months of successful completion
of the Year 2 curriculum. Specifically, the final date that a student can sit for Step 1 is June 30th of the
calendar year following the completion of Year 2. Failure to successfully PASS Step 1 within this time
period will be considered as grounds for dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Any request for additional time to take or pass Step 1 must be submitted in writing for consideration by the
Promotions Committee.
Limitation of Number of attempts at Step 1

Students are permitted three (3) attempts to successfully PASS Step 1 of the USMLE. Failure to successfully
PASS within three attempts will result in dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Failure of the Step 1 Exam
Upon learning of a USMLE Step 1 failure:
1. Students on a 12 week clinical clerkship
Student will be given the option to complete the 3 or 4 week Sub-Block component of the clinical rotation in
which they are enrolled (Medicine or Surgery) but then will be pulled from clinical rotations to prepare for and
retake the USMLE Step 1 exam.
2. Students on a 6 week clinical clerkship
Student will be given the option to complete the 6 week clinical clerkship but then will be pulled from clinical
rotations to prepare for and retake the USMLE Step 1 exam.
Students are encouraged to meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Director of
Student Academic Support to discuss a strategy for successful re-examination. No student will be
allowed to resume clinical rotations until he/she has sat for USMLE Step 1 re-examination.
Students who have failed Step 1 a second time will NOT be permitted to resume clerkships until a passing
score on Step 1 has been received. Students must meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the
Director of Student Academic Support to discuss a strategy for success and to identify factors leading to poor
examination performance. The student should consider undertaking a comprehensive board review course.
Students are also encouraged to seek counseling to identify and deal with issues that might be interfering with
focus of study and/or to deal with the stress of facing their final attempt at the USMLE Step 1 exam. Students
are expected to notify the Associate Dean for Student Affairs, in writing, that they have taken the steps outlined
above. Students are also expected to submit a summary of their examination preparation plan and why it will
best facilitate their success.
Students needing time away from clinical rotations for USMLE Step 1 preparation will be placed on
Independent Study status. Students are expected to meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and
the Director of Student Academic Support at least once each month to discuss progress while on Independent
Study.
All students must successfully complete the required Transition to Clinician I: Transition to the Clinical Years
and all required third year clerkship rotations in order to be promoted from Year 3 to Year 4. The required third
year Clerkships include Family Medicine (6 weeks), Obstetrics and Gynecology (6 weeks), Pediatrics (6
weeks), Psychiatry (6 weeks), Medicine (12 weeks) and Surgery (12 weeks). Each Clerkship Department
establishes criteria which must be successfully completed in order to pass a given Departmental Clerkship.
Departments establish clinical competency requirements which must be successfully met in order to
successfully complete a Departmental Clerkship. Additional requirements such as clinical passports, patient
logs, oral examinations, departmental examinations and other requirements may be established by individual
departments. Students are responsible for noting such requirements and completing requirements by
established deadlines.
Each student must earn a passing score on the NBME subject examination in each clerkship in order to earn a
passing grade for the clerkship.
Each department will establish a required passing score on the NBME subject examination for their respective
clerkships. Departments may also establish a minimum score that must be achieved in order for a student to
earn a final grade of Highly Satisfactory or Honors in a given clerkship.
NBME Subject Examination Policies

Failure of the NBME subject examination in a clerkship will result in the grade of Marginal Unsatisfactory being
assigned. This indicates that a student is required to demonstrate mastery of subject material by achieving a
passing score on repeat of the NBME subject examination.
A second failure of the NBME subject examination in a given discipline will result in the assignment of
a final grade of Unsatisfactory in that Clerkship. Students earning a grade of Unsatisfactory will be
required to repeat the entire clerkship, including repeat of the NBME subject examination.
Students who have failed NBME subject examinations in two (2) clerkships, or have more than 2
outstanding NBME subject examinations to take due to excused absences, will be removed from
further clinical rotations for dedicated time to study and remediate the subject examinations. They will
not be permitted to return to clinical rotations until all NBME subject examinations have been
successfully completed.
Note: Students are required to take make-up NBME subject examinations during the break following
the unsuccessful attempt at the NBME subject examination. Students who are excused from or who
fail a NBME subject examination during Blocks 1-4 will be required to take the make-up examination on
a scheduled make-up date during Winter Break. Students who are excused from or who fail a NBME
subject examination during Blocks 5-8 will be required to take the make-up examination on a
scheduled make-up date following the completion of Block 8.
In the event that a make-up exam is required or that circumstances exist such that a student is granted an
extension, there is a maximum time limit for passing the exam; specifically, the NBME subject exam for a
given clerkship must be successfully PASSED within one year of completion of the clinical portion of
that clerkship. If the NBME subject exam for a given clerkship is not passed within one year of completion of
the clinical portion of the clerkship, the clerkship must be repeated in its entirety (if approved by the Promotions
Committee).
All students must successfully complete all academic coursework in Year 3 prior to advancing to Year 4
coursework. This includes taking and passing all make-up NBME subject examinations. There are NO
EXCEPTIONS to this requirement.
Students earning grades of Marginal Unsatisfactory and/or Unsatisfactory in one or more clerkships will have
their entire academic record reviewed by the Clinical Promotions Committee. The Clinical Promotions
Committee may consider repeated failure as grounds for dismissal from the College of Medicine. The Clinical
Promotions Committee may also recommend academic sanctions such as suspending clinical work pending
successful completion of academic requirements (e.g., NBME subject examinations), repeating clerkships,
repeating the entire academic year, or other sanctions deemed appropriate. The Clinical Promotions
Committee may also require that students complete subsequent rotations in the Philadelphia area to allow for
close oversight by the Clerkship Director.
Dismissal decisions made by the Clinical Promotions Committee may be appealed to the Committee on
Student Appeals (see below). Decisions of the Clinical Promotions Committee regarding course remediation,
repeat course work, academic probation, etc. may be appealed to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs (see
below).
Guidelines for Promotion: From Year 4 to Graduation [Table of Contents]
Step 2 of the USMLE: Institutional Policies
Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS)

All students must complete and earn a passing score on Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS in order to graduate from
the College of Medicine.
Time Limitations for Completion of Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS

All students who have completed Year 3 clerkships and plan to move directly into the Senior/final year
of the curriculum are required to take Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS of the USMLE NO LATER THAN
October 31st of the Senior year.
All students who have completed Year 3 clerkships and plan to move into a dual degree program year,
EDGE year, or other leave of absence that delays graduation are required to take Step 2 CK and Step
2 CS of the USMLE NO LATER THAN 60 days following completion of his/her final Year 3 clerkship.
Limitation of Number of attempts at Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS

Students are permitted three (3) attempts to successfully PASS Step 2 CK of the USMLE. Failure to
successfully PASS within three attempts will result in dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Students are permitted three (3) attempts to successfully PASS Step 2 CS of the USMLE. Failure to
successfully PASS within three attempts will result in dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Step 2 CK or CS Deferral Policy

Any student with extenuating circumstances who wishes to delay Step 2 CK or Step 2 CS of the
USMLE beyond October 31st of the Senior year MUST present a request and obtain approval from the
Clinical Promotions Committee.
All Step 2 deferral requests must be made in writing to the Clinical Promotions Committee no later than
August 31st of the Senior year for approval. Download the Request for Deferral of Step 2 CK or CS
form.
All students, even those granted permission for deferral, must have a PASSING Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS
score in order to be certified by the College of Medicine for participation in the National Residency Matching
Program (NRMP) match. The NRMP deadline for certification of students is in February of the graduating year.
If a students request for deferral is denied by the Year 3+4 Promotions Committee (or if the student does not
submit a request), and the student still chooses to defer Step 2, the student may be pulled from their clinical
rotations and not be permitted to do any further clinical work until the Step 2 CK or CS exam is taken. This
may obviate a students ability to graduate on time. The student may also be issued a Letter of Concern for
Unprofessional Behavior.
4th Year Pathways

Each student must select a Fourth-year discipline-based pathway. The Pathway System provides structure in
the fourth year curricula as well as an advisory system for students during the residency application process.
Students are permitted to change their selected pathway. The final deadline for changing pathways is
November 1st of the Senior year. All students must complete the requirements of a Pathway in order to qualify
for graduation from the College of Medicine. Students are referred to Pathway guidelines for specific details
regarding individual Pathway requirements. In addition, formal documentation of Pathway advising for each
individual student is required at three distinct time periods.
1. Pathway Advising Form #1: Pathway Lottery Approval Form.

In February of the third year, Pathway Directors, or their designee, will meet with 3rd year students who
have selected their pathway to guide them in appropriate initial course selection for the fourth year of
study. Students will not be given a 4th year schedule without appropriate signatures on this form.
Pathway Advising Form #1 Due: Before close of 4th year lottery.
2. Pathway Advising Form #2: 4th Year Schedule Review and Residency Application Process Advising.
During the months of May through August Pathway Directors, or their designee, must meet with
pathway students to review 4th year schedules post-lottery and to advise regarding the residency
application process (e.g. Letters of recommendation, personal statement, student competitiveness,
residency program selection)
Pathway Advising Form #2 Due: August 15th of the Senior year
3. Pathway Advising Form #3: 4th Year Schedule Review and Residency Interview Process Check-In. In
the Fall of the senior year, Pathway Directors, or their designee, check in with students to evaluate the
number of interviews he/she has received, assess need for additional program applications or alternate
plans if concerns exist. In addition, schedules should be reviewed at this time in the year to assure
graduation requirements will be met.
Pathway Advising Form #3 Due: November 20th of the Senior year
Note: Students in the MD/PhD, Research or Womens Health Pathways are also required to meet with and get
advising from the Pathway Director of the specialty they are interested in applying for residency.
4th Year Coursework

There are 44 calendar weeks available in the 4th year. All students must complete a minimum of thirty-six (36)
weeks of senior-credit rotations in order to graduate. Students are permitted to take a maximum of 46 weeks
of senior-credit rotations. (Note: Students receive two(2) weeks of elective credit for Transition to Clinician I
and two(2) weeks of elective credit for Transition to Clinician II. The total of 4 weeks of 4th year graduation
credits for successful completion of Transition to Clinician I and Transition to Clinician II is given following the
completion of the Year 4 Transition to Clinician II course.) During the fourth year, each student must
complete the following coursework:
Each student must select a pathway. Each senior Pathway provides a menu including the required
pathway-specific rotation(s), the required Medicine SubI and the required Neurology course as well as
recommended electives, some of which are strongly recommended. An overview of the fourth year,
including a list of individual Pathways, Pathway required courses and the recommended elective
rotations for individual Pathways can be found on the web at
http://webcampus.drexelmed.edu/clinicaleducation/Pathways/FourthYr.htm
Each student must complete the required Medicine Subinternship at a Home site
Each student must complete the required Neurology Course at a Home site
Each student must complete the required Pathway-specific rotation(s) as defined by each Pathway's
particular requirement(s).
Each student must complete the required Transition to Clinician II: Transition to Clinician course in
Philadelphia
Students may not receive graduation credit for the identical rotation for more than 4 weeks without the
approval of the Special Electives Committee. (i.e., if all 12 characters of the course codes are the same
it is the identical course)
No more than 12 weeks of coursework may be taken at "away" sites.
No more than 12 weeks of coursework may be taken in any one discipline or specialty, with two
exceptions: Medicine, in which a student may take 20 weeks of coursework, and Neurology, in which a
student may take 16 weeks of coursework. Research rotations do not count towards the total weeks in a
specific discipline. All Senior students must have their final course schedules completed by February 1st of
the Senior year. All schedules will be reviewed at this time to confirm completion of graduation
requirements.
Graduation Requirements [Table of Contents]
Each student must complete a minimum of thirty-six (36) weeks of senior-credit rotations and meet
their Pathway guidelines in order to meet graduation requirements.
Each student must complete 18-22 weeks (depending on pathway requirements) of elective
rotations in addition to the three or four required courses (depending on pathway requirements)
listed above plus the required Intersession II. Details of the elective requirements are below:
Electives are categorized as follows:
1. Direct Patient Care
Fourth Year students must take at least 16 weeks of Direct Patient Care
rotations during their fourth Year of medical school. (The required Medicine
sub-internship and Neurology Clerkship count towards 8 of these direct patient
care weeks.).
2. Patient Care Related (e.g., Radiology, Electrophysiology, Pathology)
Fourth Year students may take Patient Care Related courses as their schedule
permits.
3. Teaching, Non-patient care related (e.g., OMED, Mini-Med School, Anatomy,

Neuroscience)
Fourth Year students may take no more than 4 weeks of Teaching or Non-
Patient Care electives. For example, a student may take two weeks of Acad
Elect in Med Ed and two weeks of Mini-Med, but may not take Acad Elect in Med
Ed, Mini-Med and Anatomy combined (6 weeks).
4. Research (Basic Science or Clinical), Non-patient care related
Fourth Year students may take 4-weeks of Research (all Research must be
approved by the Special Elective Subcommittee). A request for more than 4
weeks must be approved by the Special Elective Subcommittee. Exception:
Research Pathway students and MD/PhD students will be permitted to perform
Research consistent with Pathway requirements following approval by the
Special Electives Committee.
5. Transition to Clinician II: Transition to Residency
Completion of Transition to Clinician II is mandatory for all Fourth Year

students. Students receive 2 weeks of elective credit for Transition to Clinician I
and 2 weeks of elective credit for Transition to Clinician II. The total of 4 weeks
elective credit for Transition to Clinician I and II is given following the completion
of Transition to Clinician II and counts as 4 weeks of 4th year graduation credits.
Transition to Clinician is not counted against any of the above categories but
does count as 4 weeks towards the total weeks required for graduation.
Students must complete a Minimum of 16 total weeks of Direct Patient Care rotations.
Students are limited to a Maximum of 8 weeks of Non-Patient Care related rotations. This
includes Electives that would be classified as: Teaching, Non-Patient Care Related electives or
Research Electives (#3 and #4 above). However, students may take no more than 4 weeks of Teaching
Electives and no more than 4 weeks of Research electives. Of note, Translational Research is not
counted against either the Teaching or Research elective categories but is counted as 2 weeks of Non-
Patient care rotations.
Additional Guidelines Regarding Graduation from the College of Medicine
Please note: Receipt of satisfactory grades in all courses does not assure promotion or graduation.
Inappropriate behavior and attitudes, insensitivity, intolerance, and/or other unprofessional attributes or
consistently marginal performance may result in an assessment by the Promotions Committee that the overall
performance of the student is insufficient to be granted the M.D. degree.
In order to receive a diploma, students must have
- Met all financial obligations to Drexel University College of Medicine.
- Completed an exit interview with the Office of University Student Financial Aid.
Drexel University and the College of Medicine may, at any time, change any provisions, curricular
requirements, bylaws, rules, regulations and policies and procedures as may be necessary in the interest of
the University, the College of Medicine and its students.
Students who have met all other degree requirements but who have not passed USMLE Step 2 CK or
CS in time for graduation will not graduate. They will be placed on Independent Study pending taking and
passing the examination. Diplomas will bear the date that a passing examination score is reported to the
school. Students who have not passed Step 2 CK or Step 2 CS of USMLE in time to graduate, but who have
obtained residency positions have the responsibility of contacting their residency program directors and
notifying them that they will not be graduating and will be unable to begin residency.
Participation in Commencement Ceremonies

Students are permitted to participate in commencement ceremonies only if they have met all graduation
requirements and have been approved for graduation by the Promotions Committee. Students who have
extenuating circumstances requiring the completion of clinical coursework beyond the date of commencement
will be permitted to participate in commencement ceremonies if they will complete all required coursework by
June 30th of the graduating year. However, the student will not receive a diploma until all coursework is
completed.
Clinical Rotation Policies [Table of Contents]

All-Year Site Placements
Drexel has multiple academic campuses that offer all-year placements for third year students. Students who
designate an all-year site preference at the time of matriculation are given priority for that site at the time of the
third year lottery. However, when requests exceed spots, all preferences cannot be honored. In addition,
academic performance and/or transition through the curriculum may preclude students from being eligible for
placement in an all-year site. Specifically, students are ineligible for placement in all-year sites in any of the
following circumstances:
Students who receive(d) a grade of Unsatisfactory (U) in any Year 1 or Year 2 Course (regardless of
whether the Unsatisfactory grade has been remediated)
Students required to repeat any Year 1 or Year 2 course
Students who take more than two consecutive years to complete the Year 1 and 2 curricula, including
students who have taken an Extended Curriculum for Year 1 or Year 2, leaves of absences of any type,
etc.
Students who have been required to participate in the Professionalism Monitoring and/or Remediation
program.
Interim Year 2 course grades will be reviewed for all students requesting all-year sites during the first
week of January of the 2nd year. At that time, students with a course average of < 70 in any Year 2
course will be ineligible for placement in an all-year site.
Students who have been placed in all-year sites during the initial third year lottery must continue to meet
academic and curricular criteria in order to maintain that placement. Specifically, students will be ineligible to
maintain their all-year site placement in any of the following circumstances:
Students who receive a grade of Marginal Unsatisfactory (MU) or Unsatisfactory (U) in any Year Two
course
Students who fail any Year Two final exam
Students who have been required to participate in the Professionalism Monitoring and/or Remediation
program.
Student performance on the NBME self-assessment exams will be reviewed. Students must achieve a
passing score on the first mandatory NBME self-assessment utilizing the DUCOM-provided voucher
(deadline for all students is May 15th following Year 2 finals). Students whose first NBME self-
assessment score is < passing are considered at risk and will be required to achieve a score of at
least 10 points above passing on the second NBME self-assessment taken no later than June 1st,
utilizing the DUCOM-provided voucher, in order to maintain their all-year site placement.
Clinical Workload/Duty Hours

Student work hours are limited to a maximum of 80 hours per week on clinical rotations. Students usually
follow their residents schedule during required clerkships and SubInternships.
Clinical Rotation Schedule Change Policies

All schedule change requests must be made through the DOCSS clinical scheduling system or through the
Division of Clinical Education at least 5 weeks in advance of the start of the rotation being added or dropped.
Add/Drop forms are located on the Clinical Education Website. Course Director signature is required on the
Add/Drop form to document approval if a special request is being made (e.g. request for a two week rotation
when only a 4-week elective is offered in the course catalogue). Pathway Director signature is required on the
Add/Drop Form if the schedule change request involves a Pathway-required course.
Emergency Schedule Change Requests made within 5 weeks of the start of a Block must be submitted
in writing to the Division of Clinical Education. All requests will be reviewed for approval by a Dean.
The final deadline for submission of an Emergency Schedule Change Request is five (5) working days
prior to the start of the rotation (i.e. 9:00am on Monday one week prior to the Monday rotation start
date). This final deadline is not negotiable.
Emergency Schedule Change Requests should be sent by email to the Division of Clinical Education
(Clinical.Education@drexelmed.edu) and must include the following:
Requested Course to be dropped
Requested Course to be added
Detailed reason for late Emergency Request
Add/Drop Forms for Emergency Schedule Change Requests must be sent to the Division of Clinical Education
within the aforementioned timeframe.
Maximum Weeks in Individual 4th Year Electives

Students may take a maximum of 4 weeks in any given elective rotation. Identical courses at different clinical
sites will be considered as the same course and therefore only 4 weeks total can be applied toward graduation
requirements.
Clinical Rotation Evaluation Expectations: Wheres My Evaluation?
Clerkship Directors and Elective Course Directors are expected to submit final student evaluations within four
weeks after the rotation ends. Grades are transmitted in a manual upload to the Registrar twice weekly.
The Registrar must then upload grades into Banner for posting to the transcript.
Automobile Requirement
All third and fourth year students on clinical rotations are required to have an automobile for transportation.
Students are frequently required to travel to more than one patient care site during a clinical clerkship or
course and must have access to their own automobile.
Clinical Site Policies and Guidelines [Table of Contents]
All students are expected to read and understand these policies prior to rotating at clinical sites.
Failure to abide by these policies may result in the student's removal from the clinical site, withholding
of the student's evaluation or final grade, and other academic or disciplinary sanctions.
Individual Clinical Site Policies

Students are expected to comply with all applicable rules, regulations, policies and procedures of the clinical
site. Failure to do so, may result in the student's removal from the clinical site or other academic or disciplinary
sanctions.
Acceptable Use of Network and Information Technology Resources

Students at each clinical site may be granted access to the hospital network at that site. Such access, both
within the hospital itself and in student housing and other areas, is subject to the same Acceptable Use
provisions that apply to use of the Drexel and DrexelMed networks
(http://www.drexel.edu/irt/org/policies/acceptableUse/). In addition, each clinical site may have additional
policies governing the use of their network and other information technology resources. Clinical site policies
may impose additional restrictions on the use of their network, including limitations on access to various
internal and external sites. Using or accessing the clinical sites network in violation of any clinical site's policy
or without proper authorization or attempting to access restricted sites is strictly prohibited and may result in
disciplinary action or loss of network privileges.
Issued/Borrowed Items
Students are responsible for all items that are issued to them or borrowed from the institution. The student is
responsible for the replacement value of any item not returned at the end of the rotation. This includes, but is
not limited to items such as beepers, keys, identification cards, and textbooks. The student's evaluation may
be withheld until all items are returned.
Educational Housing Policies

At some of the sites, as a courtesy, housing is offered on a space available basis by the clinical site while
rotating on a clinical clerkship, a required course or elective rotation. Authorized representatives of the clinical
site may enter the housing facility at any time and for any reason, with or without advance notice to the
occupants.
The physical layout of the housing will vary from site to site. You may have to share a room with another
student of the same gender and/or share common facilities such as a bathroom, living room or kitchen with
students of the opposite gender. Do not "redecorate" by rearranging furniture or putting furniture in the hallway.
Do not change rooms without specific permission. If the housing offered by the site does not meet your needs,
you will have to make alternative housing arrangements at your own expense.
Room Assignments/Roommates
Gender-specific roommate assignments will be made.
Guests/Visitors
No spouses, significant others, and/or visitors are permitted in the housing. No one other than the student(s)
assigned is permitted.
Pets
Pets are NOT permitted within any housing which is provided by clinical sites.
Telephone Utilization within Housing Provided by Clinical Institutions

Telephone availability and use policy varies from site to site. All charges related to the telephone usage are the
responsibility of the tenant(s). See Telephone section within each individual site for more information.
Responsibility for Damages
You are financially responsible for any damages you cause to the housing facility. You may also be held
responsible for damage caused by other occupants of housing if individual responsibility is not acknowledged.
Housing Deposit
A clinical site may request a deposit to cover potential damage to housing.
Lost or Damaged Personal Property

Drexel University is not responsible for any damage or loss to your personal property that occurs at the clinical
site's housing.
The following procedure will be followed if a student is accused of violating the DUCOM Educational
Housing Guidelines or an institutions more specific housing policy:
The clinical site will notify the Vice Dean for Educational and Academic Affairs, Associate Dean(s) for Student
Affairs or Director of Clinical Education of the violation.
The Student will be notified by the Associate Dean of the accusation.
The student will be given opportunity to provide written response to the accusation within 48 hours to the
clinical site and the Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Director of Medical Education at the clinical site (or their
designees) will meet with the accused student, either in person or by telephone conference call, to discuss the
violation. This meeting will not take place until Student has submitted written response or 48 hours has passed,
whichever is earlier.
If the Associate Dean for Student Affairs determines that there is sufficient evidence that the student is
responsible for the violation, he or she will determine the sanction which will be imposed.
The Associate Dean for Student Affairs decision or sanctions may be appealed to the Vice Dean for
Educational and Academic Affairs or his/her designee. The decision of the Vice Dean is final and no further
appeal is possible within the College.
If the misconduct violates other College of Medicine policies or regulations, the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs may also refer the matter to the Honor Court or Promotions Committee for additional proceedings.
In instances where the Associate Dean for Student Affairs believes the students presence in housing may
pose a danger to self or others, the Associate Dean may impose a temporary ban or other restriction on the
student for up to 72 hours.
Students should be aware that if the sanction includes a prohibition on current or future use of clinical site
education housing then the student will be responsible for securing housing on their own and at their own
expense. A students rotation schedule will not be changed to accommodate housing needs.
Nothing in these guidelines shall limit a clinical sites authority to restrict a student from entering its property
pursuant to its own policies and regulations.
.
Weapons/Firearms
See Handbook Section 3, University Services: Weapons Policy. This policy also applies to clinical sites and
clinical housing.
Student Advising [Table of Contents]
There are multiple formal and informal sources of advising available to all students in the College of Medicine.
The Associate Deans in the Office of Student Affairs are available and oversee advising in all years.
Each first year student will be assigned to an advisory group for the preclinical years. Each Advisory Group is
led by a Faculty Advisor. Additionally, each Advisory Group will have a second year and a third or fourth year
Student Peer Mentor. Scheduled mandatory group meetings occur twice each year. Students are encouraged
to meet and/or communicate individually with their Faculty and Peer Advisors as needed. Pathway Advisors
serve as academic advisors for students in Year 3 and 4 of the curriculum (See description of Pathway
Advisory System). Rising 4th year students are also assigned a Student Affairs Advisor to provide additional
support through the residency selection process. In addition, career advising is provided to all students
through a variety of Student Affairs Career Advising programs and workshops, as well as through programs
delivered by the many specialty-specific student interest groups.
Behavioral and Professionalism Standards

for Drexel University College of Medicine Students [Table of Contents]
Students are expected to meet the following behavioral and professionalism standards:
1. Integrity
a. Act at all times in an ethical, responsible, and dependable manner
b. Conduct oneself in accordance with the Drexel University College of Medicine Honor Code
c. Maintain an honest approach to all activities so as to be deemed worthy of trust
2. Reliability and Responsibility

a. Complete all assigned tasks in a timely and responsible manner
b. Arrive on time for scheduled activities and notify appropriate individual for missed activities
c. Attend classes and meetings for their full duration and prepare appropriately for class activities
d. Respond promptly to faculty or administration when contacted personally or electronically
e. Admit errors and accept responsibility for ones own actions
f. Respond appropriately to witnessed unprofessional or unethical behaviors
g. Demonstrate self-motivation and accountability for ones own learning
3. Self-Awareness
a. Demonstrate ability to identify areas of deficiency in ones own performance
b. Accept constructive criticism and modify behavior based on feedback
c. Project a professional image in interpersonal relationships, manner, dress, and communication
(including electronic)
d. Maintain composure during difficult interactions
e. Monitor personal biases that may interfere with professional duties
f. Request help from appropriate support resources when needed
g. Attend to ones own well being
4. Team-Building and Communication

a. Facilitate communication among team members
b. Acknowledge the value of other members of the health care team in providing patient-centered care
c. Treat fellow students, co-workers, faculty, administrators and staff with respect and sensitivity
d. Provide supportive and constructive feedback; including counseling to peers when appropriate
e. Listen to others respectfully and attentively
f. Manage conflicts in a collegial manner
g. Demonstrate accountability when unable to fulfill responsibilities
5. Patient-Centered Care
a. Meet all clinical responsibilities
b. Demonstrate respect, integrity, compassion and responsibility toward patients, even under difficult
circumstances
c. Discuss / refer to patients in a respectful and non-judgmental manner
d. Maintain confidentiality of patient information
e. Acknowledge limits of knowledge within clinical setting
f. Take on extra work when appropriate for the benefit of the patient
g. Ensure that coverage for patients is provided for patients when unable to fulfill responsibilities
The process of medical education includes instruction in the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to
perform as competent physicians. While factual information and clinical skills are evaluated by examinations,
and observations in the clinical setting, evaluation of behaviors, attitudes and professional development are
less systematic and generally based on observed encounters, compliance with assignments, timeliness, and
other less structured methods of evaluation. The professional development of medical students is an essential
component of a complete medical school experience. Students and faculty have a responsibility to
acknowledge incidents of exceptional professionalism as well as lapses in professionalism. It is important to
recognize that in acknowledging such incidents that the actions and not the individual are being observed and
noted.
Feedback and Evaluation of Professionalism

Assessment of professionalism occurs in a number of ways during both the preclinical and clinical years of the
curriculum.
Peer Feedback and Evaluation: During the first two years of medical school, students participate in many
group learning activities and laboratory activities which require work to be conducted as a group. Students are
expected to actively participate in group and laboratory activities in a way that fairly shares member
responsibilities and contributes to the success of group learning. Students will be requested to evaluate
members of their group to identify participation, contribution to the learning of the group and acceptance of
responsibility within the group. These evaluations are reviewed together by course directors. Students who
receive evaluations indicating the need for education and reinforcement will be referred to the Associate Dean
for Student Affairs who in conjunction with the Professionalism Advisory Board will provide assistance and
opportunities for remediation as deemed necessary. Reports of exemplary professionalism based on peer
evaluations will be submitted to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for inclusion in their Medical Student
Performance Evaluation (Deans Letter).
Student Reports of Unprofessional or Unethical Behavior.

Students are encouraged to report any unprofessional or unethical behavior that they have experienced or
witnessed during the preclinical or clinical years to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students can also
submit an anonymous (or signed) report via the following online form:
http://webcampus.drexelmed.edu/professionalism/IncidentReport.asp
If you experience or witness mistreatment or unethical behavior and need to speak with someone
urgently and confidentially, call the Student Affairs Emergency Hotline at 215-991-8184.
Faculty Feedback and Evaluation:

Faculty evaluations of professional behaviors are provided by small group faculty leaders in the preclinical
years. During the clinical years, students receive evaluations of professional behavior and performance as
part of each clerkship and clinical course evaluation. In addition, at any time a faculty member may submit a
Commendation for Exemplary Professionalism or a Report of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior.
Exemplary Professionalism:
All students are expected to demonstrate appropriate professional behavior, but there are instances of
exemplary professionalism that should be singled out for recognition. A faculty member, staff member, or
fellow student who directly observes such instances is encouraged to fill out a Report of Exemplary
Professionalism. The faculty member, staff member or student is encouraged to discuss this form with the
student and then forward the completed form to the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students
receiving Reports for Exemplary Professionalism will have this noted in their Medical Student Performance
Evaluation.
Download the Report of Exemplary Professionalism form (.pdf)
Lapse or Deficiency in Professional Behavior
Students who require assistance in developing professionalism skills should be identified and provided with
opportunities to improve their skills and behaviors. Faculty, staff or students who identify students with
deficiencies and/or areas needing improvement, are encouraged to submit a Report of Concern for
Unprofessional Behavior.
Download the Report of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior form (.pdf)
Reports of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior are NOT intended to replace one-on-one feedback. Rather,
reports are intended for use in situations in which feedback has been unsuccessful and/or in instances in which
behavior is grossly deficient.
Levels of Concern: When submitting Reports of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior, the level of concern can
be rated as Moderate Level of Concern or High Level of Concern.
A Moderate Level of Concern rating may be considered in response to behaviors that demonstrate a lapse or
failure in professionalism that should be acknowledged, but one that does not jeopardize patient care, team
performance, or academic progress. Examples of instances in which a rating of Moderate Level of Concern
would be appropriate include, but are not limited to:
1. Student does not submit assigned work by deadline
2. Student is late or absent for group activities
3. Student appearance or dress is not appropriate for setting or environment
4. Student does not participate in group/team activities
A High Level of Concern rating should be considered in response to lapses in behavior that require
education, remediation and intervention due to significant lapses in:
1. Integrity
2. Reliability and Responsibility
3. Self-Awareness
4. Team-Building and Communication
5. Patient-Centered Care
Management of Reports of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior

Upon receipt of a Report of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will
contact the student named and arrange a meeting. The student will have an opportunity to present any
information which might explain actions or behaviors. The purpose of the initial meeting is often educational
and the Associate Dean will explore ways in which behaviors can be improved and meet the expected level of
professionalism. Any student receiving two or more Moderate Level Reports of Concern or a single High Level
Report of Concern will be reviewed with the Professionalism Advisory Board and the Promotions Committee to
assess the need for education, monitoring and/or administrative action.
Students who are placed in Professionalism Monitoring will be required to complete an educational reflection
paper, participate in ongoing mentoring meetings with their assigned faculty mentor, and complete additional
remedial educational activities as deemed necessary for the monitoring process. In addition, notification of
Professionalism monitoring to Course/Clerkship Directors may be deemed necessary. It may be recommended
that students delay progression to the next academic level and/or retake certain courses or experiences.
Students receiving two or more Moderate Level Reports of Concern or a single High Level Report of Concern
Report of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior may have a notation placed in the Professionalism Section of
the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (Deans Letter). The Promotions Committee has the authority to
determine that the severity of a single offense or a pattern of behavior is cause for dismissal from the College
of Medicine.
Students will be notified in writing regarding any sanctions imposed by the Committee and standard processes
of appeal will be in place to address sanctions or penalties imposed.
Specific Academic Policies [Table of Contents]
Multiple Failures during the Same or Subsequent Academic Year(s) Receipt of grades below Satisfactory
(Marginal Unsatisfactory or Unsatisfactory) in more than one course during the same academic year or in
subsequent academic years will result in a complete review of a students academic record by the year-
appropriate Student Promotions Committee. This may result in any of the following actions:
1. Dismissal from the College of Medicine
2. Requirement to sit for remediation examination(s)-, and/or
3. Requirement to repeat coursework in an AAMC-approved summer remediation course, and/or
4. Requirement to repeat coursework in a subsequent academic year.
Receipt of grades below Satisfactory (Marginal Unsatisfactory or Unsatisfactory) in any repeated/remediated

course will be considered as cause for dismissal from the College of Medicine.
Timeframe for Completion of the Curriculum

1. The maximum timeframe permitted for completion of both the preclinical and clinical curriculum of the
College of Medicine is six (6) years, exclusive of Leaves of Absences. Specifically:
No student is permitted more than three (3) academic years to complete the preclinical
curriculum and
No student is permitted more than three (3) academic years to complete the clinical curriculum.
2. All students must complete the medical school curriculum within seven (7) years of matriculation,
inclusive of Leaves of Absences (Individual exceptions for dual degree students are considered).
Leaves of Absence do not stop the clock.
Extended Curriculum does not stop the clock.
Failure to make satisfactory academic progress may be viewed as grounds for dismissal from
Student Promotions Committees

Academic, Ethical or Professional Concerns [Table of Contents]
There is a Year 1 and 2 Student Promotions Committee for students in the first two years of the curriculum and
a Year 3 and 4 Student Promotions Committee for students in the final two years of the curriculum. The
Student Promotions Committees are standing committees of the faculty. These committees are composed of
experienced faculty representing the respective preclinical and clinical departments.
The Student Promotions Committees act on problems referred by faculty members, departments, the Honor
Court, or College of Medicine or University administrators. These Committees address academic deficiencies
and breaches of behavioral and professional standards. The Committees formulate policy, review student
academic progress and make decisions regarding the manner by which a student may be permitted to
remediate a deficiency, for example by repeating all or part of a course, if that is recommended by a
Department, or by undergoing specific monitoring or supplemental remedial work. The Committees make
decisions that may modify a students overall progress through the medical school curriculum, up to and
including dismissal.
The Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or designee) informs students, in writing, about decisions of the
Student Promotions Committees. Repeat course work, remediation, re-examination or supplementary remedial
work may not be undertaken without the formal approval of the Committee. The outcome of recommended and
approved remedial work or monitoring (Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory) is reported to the Office of Student Affairs
and to the Department. The Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs or the Course Director reports the
outcome to the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee. The final grade is reported to the Registrar
when it is deemed that no further remedial work is needed.
Academic or Disciplinary Issues: Steps
1. The year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee reviews available information and makes
decisions regarding academic or disciplinary sanctions.
2. The Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs notifies the student that an academic or disciplinary
issue has been brought to the committee and notifies the student in writing regarding decisions of the
Committee.
3. If the Student Promotions Committee considers the most serious sanction, that of dismissal, then a
dismissal hearing is scheduled. The student is notified of the date/time of this hearing by the Senior
Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or designee).
4. The dismissal hearing should occur no more than 30 calendar days following notification of the student.
The hearings occur at previously scheduled promotions committee meetings and cannot be changed.
5. The Committee will advise the Associate Dean for Student Affairs as to whether the student will be
asked to immediately cease clinical and/or other academic activities pending the hearing.
6. A member of the Office of the Dean for Student Affairs is available to assist the student in preparing for
the Dismissal Hearing and to answer any questions the student may have regarding the process.
7. The student may submit a statement in writing if he/she wishes, to accompany his/her appearance at
the dismissal hearing.
8. The student may be accompanied in the hearing by a person of his/her choice who is a member of the
faculty or staff of the College. This advisor may provide support and counseling to the student during
the hearing, but may not speak during the proceedings and/or serve as an active participant in the
process.
9. The student will be notified of the outcome of the dismissal hearing by the Senior Associate Dean for
Student Affairs or designee.
Students may appeal the decision of the Promotions Committee. Refer to the section Dismissal from
In the event of sanctions short of dismissal, including repeating course work, re-examination and/or
academic probation, the student may appeal to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs as follows:
1. A member of the Office of the Dean for Student Affairs is available to assist the student in preparing for
this appeal and to answer any questions the student may have on the process.
2. The student will meet in person with the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs (or designee) within ten (10)
calendar days of his/her request to present his/her appeal.
3. The student may not be accompanied by anyone to this meeting.
4. The student will be notified of the decision of the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs (or designee) in
writing within seven (7) calendar days of the meeting.
5. The decision of the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs is final.
Dismissal from the College of Medicine [Table of Contents]
The Year specific Promotions Committee may make a decision, following a dismissal hearing, that a student
be dismissed from the College of Medicine for failure to meet academic, clinical or professional standards
established by the College of Medicine. In the event of such a decision, the student will be notified in writing by
the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs or designee. Students are permitted to continue academic work
pending the resolution of any appeal of the dismissal during the pre-clinical (Years 1 and 2) studies with the
exception of sitting for examinations and attending clinical skills sessions/coursework that takes place in the
clinical setting. Students dismissed during the clinical years (Years 3 and 4) of their medical studies are not
permitted to continue clinical rotations following notification of dismissal, pending the outcome of an appeal.
Appeal Guidelines for Dismissal from the College of Medicine
Following an initial notification of dismissal:
1. The student must notify the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or designee) of his/her intent to
appeal the dismissal within five (5) calendar days following notification of the dismissal.
2. The student will appeal the dismissal to the Committee on Student Appeals.
3. The meeting of the Committee on Student Appeals will occur as early as seven (7) but no more than
thirty (30) calendar days following notification of the dismissal. The student will be notified of the
appeal meeting date by the Office of the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs.
4. The Associate Dean(s) for Student Affairs will be available to assist the student in preparing for this
appeal hearing and to answer any questions the student may have on the process.
5. The student is permitted to submit a written appeal statement and may also submit supporting
documentation to the Committee on Student Appeals. The chair of the Committee on Student Appeals
(or designee) will set the submission deadline for this written appeal statement. The student may also
appear in person at the scheduled Committee on Student Appeals meeting in order to present his/her
appeal and answer questions or concerns raised by members of the Committee.
6. The student may be accompanied to the appeal hearing by a person of his/her choice who is a member
of the faculty or staff of the College. This advisor may provide support and counseling to the student
during the hearing, but may not speak during the proceedings and/or serve as an active participant in
the process.
In preparing for an appeal to the Committee on Student Appeals, students should:
1. Meet with the Associate Dean(s) for Student Affairs for guidance in preparing his/her appeal and to
review the format for the meeting with the Committee on Student Appeals. .
2. Prepare and submit a written statement to the Committee on Student Appeals discussing the details of
the appeal. The chair of the Committee on Student Appeals (or designee) will set the submission
deadline for this written appeal statement.
3. Optional: Prepare and submit a copy of his/her curriculum vitae.
4. Consider any additional information and materials that he/she feels would be relevant to the appeal.
In the event that the appeal to the Committee on Student Appeals is successful:
1. The student will be notified of the successful appeal, in writing, by the Chair of the Committee on
Student Appeals (or designee).
2. The appeal may be granted with specific Terms of Probation that supersede any provisions in the
Medical Student Handbook or any College of Medicine policy or regulation.
In the event that the appeal to the Committee on Student Appeals is unsuccessful:
1. The student will be notified of the unsuccessful appeal, in writing, by the Chair of the Committee on
Student Appeals (or designee).
2. The student has the option to appeal to the Dean of the College of Medicine or designee. The Dean (or
designee) will consider appeals only on the basis of violations of process, as outlined in the
Student Handbook
a. If the student decides to appeal the decision of the Committee on Student Appeals due to a
concern for violation of process, he/she must notify the Senior Associate Dean for Student
Affairs (or designee) in writing of his/her intention to appeal to the Dean of the College of
Medicine within five (5) calendar days following the notification that the appeal to the Committee
on Student Appeals was unsuccessful.
b. The Associate Dean(s) for Student Affairs are available to assist the student in preparing for
their appeal to the Dean (or designee) and to answer any questions the student may have on
the process.
c. The student must submit a written appeal to the Dean (or designee) outlining the specific
concerns regarding violations of process. The written appeal must be submitted within ten (10)
calendar days following the notification of the decision of the Committee on Appeals.
d. The Dean (or designee) will review the written appeal and may or may not choose to meet with
the student regarding the appeal. The student should be prepared to meet with the Dean of the
College of Medicine (or designee) within thirty (30) calendar days following the students
notification of the intent to appeal.
e. The student may be accompanied to the appeal meeting with the Dean (or designee) by a
person of his/her choice who is a member of the faculty or staff of the College. This advisor may
provide support to the student during the hearing, but may not speak during the proceedings
and/or serve as an active participant in the process.
In preparing for an appeal to the Dean of the College of Medicine (or designee) on the basis of
violations of the dismissal and appeals process, students should:
1. Meet with the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for guidance in preparing his/her appeal..
2. Prepare a written statement to the Dean (or designee) discussing the details of the appeal, specifically
addressing his/her concerns for violations of process.
3. Optional: Prepare and submit a copy of his/her curriculum vitae.
4. Consider any additional information and materials that he/she feels would be relevant regarding his/her
specific concerns for violation of process.
In the event that the appeal to the Dean of the College (or designee) is successful:
1. The student will be notified of the successful appeal, in writing, by the Dean. or designee.
2. The appeal may be granted with specific conditional terms of Probation that supersede any provisions
in the Medical Student Handbook or any College of Medicine policy or regulation.
In the event that the appeal to the Dean of the College of Medicine (or designee) is unsuccessful:
1. The student will be notified in writing of the unsuccessful appeal by the Dean (or designee).
2. The decision of the Dean of the College of Medicine (or designee) is final. There is no further appeal of
the dismissal from the College of Medicine.
3. The registrar will be notified of your change in status.
Dual Degree Programs: MD/PhD, MD/MPH, MD/MBA, MD/BA [Table of Contents]
There are several dual degree programs available to medical students in the College of Medicine. Each of the
dual degree programs have different requirements, applications, application deadlines and options for timing of
the program with reference to the medical school curriculum. All students participating in a dual degree
program must successfully complete Years 1 and 2 of the medical school curriculum and must PASS Step 1 of
the USMLE in order to transition into any of the joint degree programs. Failure to meet these requirements will
result in removal from the dual degree program. Students transitioning into a dual degree program after the
completion of the Year 3 clerkships must sit for the USMLE Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS exam NO LATER than
60 days following the completion of his/her final Year 3 clerkship.
Enrollment Status [Table of Contents]
LEAVES OF ABSENCE
Requests for a leave of absence are made to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. The maximum time that
a student may be away from curricular work on a Leave of Absence is one year.
Leaves of absence may be initiated for one of several reasons:

Academic - This leave of absence is usually initiated by the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee
and is intended for students who are experiencing academic difficulty. Students use the leave of absence to
undertake activities which may help to remedy their academic difficulty. The year-appropriate Student
Promotions Committee may recommend the remedial activities.
Medical - This leave of absence is usually initiated by the student and is intended for those students who have
a medical or psychosocial problem that needs to be addressed and remedied during time away from school.
Students who are granted a medical leave of absence are required to present appropriate medical
documentation regarding the need for the medical leave. Upon return from a medical leave of absence and
prior to resuming coursework, students must submit appropriate medical documentation confirming their fitness
to return as a full time medical student. An independent evaluation to determine fitness for duty may also be
required.
Personal - This leave of absence is initiated by the student, and may be granted for a student to meet family or
other obligations or for other reasons agreed to by the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and/or the year-
appropriate Promotions Committee.
Administrative - This leave of absence is initiated by the College of Medicine or University administration and
is intended for those students who are granted a leave of absence for an administrative reason(s). Examples of
reasons for Administrative Leave of Absence include but are not limited to delinquent tuition, incomplete
registration, or failure to comply with immunization or other health policy requirements. The student remains
on a leave of absence until the administrative issue(s) is resolved. Under extraordinary circumstances, a
student may be placed on Administrative Leave of Absence for disciplinary cause and/or to assure the safety
and well-being of patients.
If a student requests a leave of absence, he/she must submit a written request including the reasons for, the
starting date of the leave of absence and probable time of re-entry. The student must also complete the
necessary leave forms.
Upon return from an academic, medical, or personal leave, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs will present
the student to the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee. The Promotions Committee will review the
entire student record and decide on any specific requirements upon return.
The student may be required to appear personally before the year-appropriate Student Promotions Committee
before returning from a leave of absence. The student will be notified if he/she is required to appear
personally.
If an LOA was mandated for administrative reasons, the student must submit applicable written documentation
to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs or his/her designee, documenting that the reason(s) for the mandated
administrative LOA is/are resolved. The student may be asked to meet with the Associate Dean(s) before
returning from an administrative leave of absence. The student will be notified if he/she must do so. Tuition,
Financial Aid, Academic Standing during Leave of Absence, Independent Study, non-standard
progress. Tuition, Financial Aid, and loan repayment may be affected by leave of absence or
Independent Study. It is important that students understand the implications of these options.
Please refer to the following table for details
Eligible for
Eligible for
Student Status Tuition Fees Health
Financial Assistance
Insurance
Independent Study None Yes Yes Yes
Administrative
None No No No
Leave
Medical Leave None No Yes No
Extended
50% tuition Yes Yes Yes
Curriculum
No Medical No Medical
MBA/MPH Yes Yes
School tuition School Fees
PhD component of No Medical No Medical

Yes Yes
MD-PhD School tuition School Fees
EDGE Year
Research No Yes Yes No
Service Learning
Fulbright, etc.
Tuition Pro-
Repeated Courses, rated based
Yes Yes Yes
Clerkships on repeated
courses
Independent Study
Students may request a period of independent study to prepare intensively for USMLE examinations. Students
wishing to request independent study time must submit a formal request that defines the period of independent
study and provides both the starting date and the anticipated date for resumption of medical school
coursework. The formal request must be submitted to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Students who
are placed on Independent Study must submit an initial study plan for approval to the Director of Academic
Support and/or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. In addition, students must submit progress reports on a
regular basis to the Director of Academic Support and/or the Associate Dean for Student Affairs during the
Independent Study period.
Tuition Refund and Credit Policy [Table of Contents]
Withdrawal or Leave of Absence

While courses in the College of Medicine are variable in length and are not semester-based, tuition is
assessed on a semester basis. The amount of tuition and fee refunds following withdrawal or leave of absence
is based on when the withdrawal or leave occurs relative to the start of classes in each semester.
If the effective date of the Withdrawal or Leave of Absence falls:
a. Before the start of classes, all charges will be removed and no tuition or fees will be due.
b. During the first week of the semester, all charges will be removed and no tuition or fees will
be due.
c. During the 2nd week of the semester, students will be refunded 75% of tuition and fees. d.
During the 3rd week of the semester, students will be refunded 50% of tuition and fees.
e.During the 4th week of the semester, students will be refunded 25% of tuition and fees.
f. During or after the 5th calendar week, there is no reduction in tuition and fees.
Extended Curriculum
When a student is granted Extended Curriculum by the Promotions Committee:
a. Tuition will be reduced according to the course content actually carried, e.g., 50% course load will carry a
50% tuition charge.
b. Tuition paid in excess of the reduced tuition charge will be applied to the following semester. No refunds will
be processed for payments made in excess of the reduced charges.
c. Full administrative fee will be assessed for each year of the Extended Curriculum.
Repeat Coursework
When a student is required to repeat academic coursework he/she will be responsible for tuition proportionate
to the repeat coursework requirements as specified by the Promotions Committee. . Students are assessed
each year during active enrollment in the College of Medicine.
Educational Development and Growth Experience EDGE [Table of Contents]
Students in the College of Medicine are permitted to take an extended period of research, clinical or service
related activity for academic and personal growth. Some examples of EDGE activities include but are not
limited to:
1. Fulbright Fellowship year

2. Center for Disease Control Research Year
3. National Institutes of Health Research Fellowship
4. Service Learning- international or community based
5. Independent Research
6. Other activities as approved
Students may request an Educational Development and Growth Experience after successfully completing the
second year medical school curriculum and the USMLE Step 1 exam. Students requesting an EDGE must
complete an application detailing the purpose and activities included during the time period for the educational
experience. A faculty advisor or mentor must be identified in the application and that individual is required to
indicate that he/she approves of the project and will provide oversight and supervision.
Applications must be submitted in writing to the Office of Student Affairs at least three months prior to the
beginning of the EDGE start date. Failure to submit an application will result in denial. No requests will be
considered if submitted retroactively.
During an Educational Development and Growth Experience, a student remains:
1. Enrolled in the College of Medicine

2. Eligible to participate in the Student Health Insurance Program
3. Eligible to utilize all Drexel University Resources (library, email, etc.)
4. Responsible for full student fees
5. Responsible for Disability Insurance fees
During an Educational Development and Growth Experience (EDGE), a student is not eligible to receive
Financial Aid and is not covered by the College of Medicine malpractice or liability insurance policies.
Students will not be billed for tuition during the EDGE period. In addition, students approved for EDGE
experiences will NOT receive academic credit towards graduation for any work performed during the
EDGE period.
A faculty committee will consider all requests for the EDGE program. Students will be notified of the decision
regarding approval of their EDGE experience; the decision will be final and not subject to appeal.
DOWNLOAD THE "Application for Educational Development and Growth Experience" FORM (.pdf)
6.
Students who have been approved for EDGE experiences are required to provide quarterly written progress
reports to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs. In addition, students are required to submit a final summative
written progress report to an Associate Dean for Student Affairs at the conclusion of their EDGE experience.
Section 2:
Facilities and Services
Overview [Table of Contents]

A valid student ID is required to access all buildings on all campuses. Students must comply with all rules and
regulations governing the use of University facilities. Automated card readers are "keyed" to ID cards prepared
and distributed at the Queen Lane or the Center City sites. Students wishing to access facilities for which their
ID cards are not "keyed" must use main building entrances and present their ID cards to the security officers
on duty there. Some internal facilities require keyed ID cards for entry, e.g., the Fitness Center at the Center
City Campus, the PIL Resource rooms. The Security officers at the Queen Lane Campus and Center City
Hahnemann Campus know that all students in the University may use its facilities. Should a student encounter
any difficulty, they should contact the Office of Student Affairs to apprise us of the difficulty. Enjoy the
facilities. Respect and maintain them. Use them safely and wisely.
Dragon Cards [Table of Contents]

Entering students receive an ID badge from the Security Office that must be carried at all times. ID badges are
required of actively enrolled students for access to all facilities of the University and to all of its educational
resources. Badges of students no longer enrolled at the University are inactivated. ID badges must be
provided for inspection upon request from University Staff.
Bookstores [Table of Contents]

Bookstores for purchase of required textbooks and other academic resources are located at the Center City
and Queen Lane Campuses. Their Hours and locations are accessible through the following link:
http://drexel.bncollege.com
Libraries [Table of Contents]

http://www.library.drexel.edu/healthsciences
Student Lockers [Table of Contents]

First and second year students may request lockers at the College of Medicine campus for which they must
provide their own locks. Space to secure personal belongings will be provided at clinical training affiliates for
students on clinical clerkships and rotations.
Parking [Table of Contents]

Parking is available through the Dragon Card Office on the Queen Lane Campus.
http://www.drexel.edu/dbs/parkingServices/queenLane/
Recreational Facilities [Table of Contents]
Fitness Centers
Queen Lane Campus
The Fitness Center is located adjacent to the student lounge. Students must present valid active ID cards for
access. The Fitness Center is open 24 hours daily. The facility is only available to University students. Rules
for the fitness center are posted in the center.
Students wishing to use the Queen Lane Fitness Center must complete the Release and Assumption of Risk
Agreement which can be obtained in Room 114-E in the Office of Student Affairs, Queen Lane Campus.
Drexel University College of Medicine: Your Right to Know [Table of Contents]
Queen Lane Medical Campus

Drexel University, in compliance with the College and University Security Act of 1988 (PA) and the federal
Student Right-to-Know and Campus Security Act of 1990 (Clery Act), revised in 1999, provides the following
information and statistics on the frequency of crime, known and reported, on and off campus, as well as crime
prevention policies, procedures and educational programs that the University has in place to ensure the safety
and security of its community.
The department's management team consists of an Executive Director of Public Safety and Department Head,
a Director of Public Safety, an Assistant Director of Public Safety, an Assistant Director of Investigative
Services, a Security Liaison Officer, and a Manager of Contracted Services.
The Executive Director, Director and Security Liaison Officer are responsible for managing all campus-related
security issues, and safety programs. The Department of Public Safety is responsible for investigations,
complaints and incidents that occur on campus property, reviewing incident reports and contacting students,
faculty and staff regarding incidents that may need additional follow up.
When appropriate, the Department of Public Safety also works with city, state and federal law enforcement
agencies, such as the State Police, FBI or Drug Enforcement Agency. Members of the Department of Public
Safety are not commissioned law enforcement officers and do not possess authority to arrest individuals.
Security Officers [Table of Contents]

The uniformed arm of the Department of Public Safety services the medical community 24 hours a day, seven
days a week. Security Officers follow and enforce the policies and procedures set by the University, as well as
appropriate local, state and federal laws.
Background investigations are conducted on all officers and include pre-employment and criminal history
checks, Department of Motor Vehicle operator license validation, pre-employment drug screening, education
level verification and previous employment history checks.
All officers receive an orientation to buildings and campus grounds, as well as specific on the job training for
the first 30 days. All security officers receive ongoing in-service training to update and enhance their
professional skills.
Drexel University recognizes the importance of maintaining a safe and secure environment for study and work.
Security personnel work to maintain a safe environment for visitors, students and employees, and to plan and
implement actions necessary to prevent loss or damage to personal belongings, campus facilities and
properties. Mobile and foot patrols, closed-circuit television, electronic alarms and other surveillance measures
are used to monitor security conditions. Any identified deviation or deficiency is corrected promptly. When a
serious criminal incident occurs or when security personnel detain a person, the Philadelphia Police
Department is notified. Security personnel are not permitted to carry any weapons in the performance of their
duties. The possession or use of firearms, other weapons, or explosives by employees, students, or visitors on
campus is prohibited.
Escort Services [Table of Contents]

The Security Department is available to provide walking escorts to Drexel University students, faculty and staff,
24 hours a day, every day, to any location on campus, upon request. Mobile escorts, subject to availability, are
limited to a defined area. That area is maintained at the Security Desk in the main lobby. These escorts are
provided for the purpose of safety and security.
Campus Shuttle [Table of Contents]

This shuttle service provides the University community another dimension of safety and security while traveling
between campuses. Members of the Drexel University community are permitted unlimited usage at no charge.
Upon boarding the shuttle, individuals are required to present a valid Drexel University card to the driver.
Schedules for the shuttle are available at the Security Desk and other locations around campus.
Identification Cards [Table of Contents]

All current Drexel University students, faculty and staff are issued identification cards for entering campus
buildings and events, as well as access to many University services. All University faculty, staff and students
are required to produce a proper Drexel University ID upon request from security or a University official when
on any University-owned property.
The control of access to campus property is facilitated by the issuance of identification badges to faculty, staff,
employees, students and volunteers by the Security Liaison Office and the Dragon Card Office. These
identification badges are encoded to allow access through designated entrances, which are equipped with
electronic locking devices. Visitors and others enter the buildings through designated visitor entrances.
Crime Prevention [Table of Contents]

A series of crime prevention seminars and orientations are conducted at the start of each semester and
periodically throughout the year for all students and employees. Crime prevention publications are available
from the Drexel University Department of Public Safety, and are distributed to the campus community
periodically throughout the year.
Dissemination of Criminal Information [Table of Contents]
Security Alerts
The Security Alert was developed as a communications resource to better communicate important information
to the campus community and its neighbors. On occasion, a security or safety issue, on or off campus, may be
of such importance that the Drexel University Department of Public Safety will issue a Security Alert, advising
the community of an incident. The Alert also provides safety tips, suggestions on how to handle situations and
action steps to take if you witness a similar situation.
Web Site (http://www.drexel.edu/PublicSafety/homepage.html)

The Department of Public Safety web site provides current security and safety-related information to the Drexel
University community. The web site allows for instant access to policies and procedures, security tips, Security
Alerts, security e-mail, and information related to the Student Right to Know and Campus Security Act.
Daily Crime Log

Drexel University Department of Public Safety (Queen Lane Campus) maintains an incident journal in the
Security Liaison Office. This is a chronological listing of all incidents, known and reported to the department for
the campus area. It also includes the names of persons arrested, if known, and charged in criminal situations,
and is open for review by any member of our community during normal business hours.
Section 3:
University Policies
To provide for the safety and security of those using Drexel University facilities, certain policies have been put
into place. Of particular importance are the following:
Building Access [Table of Contents]

All University buildings and residences are the private property of Drexel University. The University reserves
the right to restrict access to University students, faculty, employees, and other persons authorized to enter
University building or property.
Entrance to all buildings requires valid University issued student or employee photo identification badges to
enter at all times. Security Officers are posted near entrances of all buildings to check identification badges
and direct visitors. Security reserves the right to request identification of all persons entering the property.
The University reserves the right to change the hours of operation and building access with notification to
students and staff. Questions concerning building access should be directed to the Security Liaison office, at
Queen Lane, 215-991-8132.
Weapons Policy [Table of Contents]

No student, staff, faculty member or visitor shall keep, use, possess, display or transport any rifles, shotguns,
handguns, pellet or BB guns, dangerous knives, billy clubs, makeshift weapons, martial arts weapons, or any
other lethal or dangerous devices capable of casting a projectile by air, gas, explosion or mechanical means on
any property or in any building owned or operated by the University or in any vehicle on campus. Realistic
facsimiles of weapons are also specifically not allowed.
Alcohol and Drug Policy [Table of Contents]
The possession and/or use of narcotics or drugs, other than those medically prescribed, properly used, and in
the original container is prohibited.
Providing a space for the consumption of narcotics or drugs is prohibited. The distribution and/or sale of
narcotics or drugs is prohibited. Off-campus possession, use, distribution, or sale of narcotics or drugs is
inconsistent with the University's policies and goals, and is therefore prohibited.
Drexel University's policy regarding alcohol is consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.
The consumption, distribution, or service of alcoholic beverages must be in compliance with the Pennsylvania
liquor and crime codes, which define the lawful consumption and service of alcohol and prescribe sanctions for
violations. The consumption, distribution, or service of alcoholic beverages must also comply with University
regulations and policies.
Violations of the University alcohol policy include, but are not limited to:
Possession, use, or distribution of alcohol by underage persons.

Disruptive conduct due all or in part to being under the influence of alcohol.
Providing alcohol to underage persons or providing a space for the consumption of alcohol by underage
persons.
Possession of an open alcohol container in a public area regardless of the individual's age.
Possession or use of bulk containers on campus including, but not limited to, kegs, beer balls, or any
other object that would promote binge drinking.
The Drexel University policy regarding alcohol is consistent with the laws of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania. The consumption, distribution or service of alcoholic beverages must be in compliance with the
Pennsylvania Liquor and Crimes Code, which defines the lawful consumption and service of alcohol and
prescribes sanctions for violations.
The College of Medicine expects that all of its students, whether on or off campus, will abide by the University's
regulations concerning alcohol and other drug use. When a student engages in conduct related to alcohol and/or
drug use that violates the University's regulations and/or the College of Medicines Honor Code concerning
alcohol and drug use, the College of Medicines Honor Court process shall apply and such matters will be
processed accordingly.
Discrimination, Harassment and Sexual Assault [Table of Contents]

Drexel University College of Medicine is committed to providing an environment for all employees, faculty and
students that is free from discrimination and harassment on the basis of race; color; sex (except where sex is a
bona fide occupational qualification); sexual orientation; gender identity; religion; creed; national or ethnic
origin; citizenship status; age; disability (or association with an individual with a disability); and status as a
special disabled, Vietnam era or other eligible veteran. This prohibition applies equally to all faculty, staff and
students, to all other persons on the premises subject to College control and to those engaged to further the
interests of the College.
Discrimination is defined as unfavorable or unfair treatment of a person or class of persons as compared to
others not in the protected class because of a factor, such as, race, color, sex (except where sex is a bona fide
occupational qualification), sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin,
citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status or reprisal for opposition or complaints about discriminatory
practices or participation in an investigation.
Harassment is defined as verbal or physical conduct that denigrates or shows hostility or aversion toward an
individual on the basis of race, color, sex (except where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification), sexual
orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, or
veteran status and that has the purpose or effect of creating an intimidating, hostile or offensive employment or
educational environment; or has the purpose or effect of unreasonably interfering with an individual's
employment or academic performance.
Sexual Harassment is a form of sex discrimination recognized under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964,
which prohibits sex discrimination in the terms and conditions of employment and Title IX of the Education
Amendments, which prohibits sex discrimination in educational programs and activities. Sexual harassment
involves unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors or verbal or physical conduct of a sexual
nature. It is often imposed upon a person in an unequal power relationship through the abuse of authority.
Central to this concept is the use of implied reward or threat of deprivation that interferes with the academic or
work effectiveness of the victim.
Sex Discrimination and Sexual Harassment
Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (Title IX) prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in any
federally funded education program or activity. Sexual harassment, which includes sexual violence, is a form of
sex discrimination.
Drexel University is committed to providing an environment free from discrimination based upon sex. The
University provides supports and resources to students, faculty, and professional staff to address concerns
related to sex discrimination and has appointed Michele Rovinsky-Mayer, Associate Vice President, Office of
Equality and Diversity, as its Title IX Coordinator. Michelle can be reached at 215-895-1403 or
mrovinsky@drexel.edu
Any student who believes that he or she has been discriminated against on the basis of sex, in violation of Title
IX, may also file a complaint with the Deputy Title IX Coordinator for DUCOM students, Amy Fuchs, M.D.,
Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Dr. Fuchs can be reached at 215-991-8221 or
Amy.Fuchs@DrexelMed.edu
Sexual Assault
Drexel University seeks to foster a safe and healthy environment built on mutual respect and trust. At the very
basis of the University's mission is the recognition of the essential dignity and worth of each member of our
community. Sexual assault is a very serious violation of these principles and will not be tolerated in any form.
The University encourages all members of its community to be aware of the trauma caused by sexual assault
and challenges its members to work together to prevent its occurrence.
Drexel University provides support for victims and urges victims to seek assistance using any appropriate
resources. The University handles complaints of sexual assault with due regard to the parties' concern of
confidentiality. If occurrences of sexual assault pose a general threat to the University community, Drexel
University will take affirmative steps to notify students, faculty and staff of the potential danger.
Reporting Sexual Assault

Drexel University offers support for victims of sexual assault through the Victim Support and Intervention
Services program.
http://www.drexel.edu/studentlife/support_health_services/support_health_services_victim_support_interventio
n_services/
It was established to provide victims of crime, physical trauma, or injury access to high quality, community
appropriate, victim-centered services. It also provides services to students, faculty and staff members in
accordance with the Campus Sexual Assault Victims Bill of Rights as part of the Higher Education
Amendments of 1992 (Public Law: 102- 325, section 486(c)).
What to Do If You Have Been Sexually Assaulted

Immediately contact the Department of Public Safety at (215) 895-2222 and Victim Support &
Intervention Services at (215) 895-0353 for assistance. You may also dial 911. The DUCOM Student
Deputy Title IX Coordinator is also available to assist you.
Do NOT bathe, shower, or clean up the crime scene. While this may be difficult, it is important to
preserve any potential evidence if you decide to press charges.
Seek medical attention immediately. A representative from Victim Support and Intervention Services
will accompany you to the Rape Trauma Unit at Jefferson University Hospital. Free medical treatment is
also provided to victims/survivors at Episcopal Hospital. Transportation is available through Drexel
Public Safety. Once you are at Jefferson you will be advised of your options, including the involvement
of the Philadelphia Police Sex Crimes Unit. The individual is apprised of all options for filing a
complaint, both on campus and off, including the right to report fully to the Philadelphia Police, to file an
anonymous report with Philadelphia Police, or to file no report with the Philadelphia Police. The choice
is solely up to the individual.
Remember that you are not alone!
Support Services for Victims
- Drexel University Counseling Center: 215-895-1415
- Thomas Jefferson Hospital Crisis Center 215-955-6541
- Women Organized Against Rape 215-985-3333
The University will pursue criminal and/or disciplinary action in cases of sexual assault, taking into account the
wishes of the victim. Upon request, the University will change a sexual assault victim's academic and housing
assignments if the changes requested are reasonably available.
Student Mistreatment [Table of Contents]
It is the policy of the Drexel University College of Medicine that student mistreatment, harassment or abuse will
not be tolerated. Student abuse may be verbal, psychological or physical. It includes, but is not limited to,
sexual harassment, discrimination due to age, racial and ethnic background, religion, national origin, or
disability. It is understood that all personnel will treat students in a collegial and professional manner.
Student abuse and sexual harassment are best defined functionally. Student abuse includes but is not limited
to treating students in a harmful, injurious or offensive way; attacking in words; speaking insultingly, harshly or
unjustly to or about a student1; reviling or demeaning a student; undermining the self-esteem or confidence of
a student. Abuse and harassment create a hostile environment in which to work. It is understood that incidents
of abuse or harassment may cover a spectrum from flagrant to ambiguous and subjective. The abuser may be
a member of the faculty, a resident, a nurse, another student, a member of administration, a hospital
employee, or even a patient.
The mechanism of reporting and investigating incidents of student abuse is described below. An algorithm
outlining the steps is included. The system and the plan for its implementation are designed to protect students
from retaliation and to protect those charged with abuse from unfair accusations. The names of the student,
the reporting individual and the alleged abuser will be held in strict confidence on a need-to-know basis.
There are many avenues for student reporting and assistance for instances of gender discrimination, sexual
harassment and sexual assault as outlined in the respective sections above. The College of Medicine provides
additional mechanisms for reporting of other types of student mistreatment. An incident of abuse may be
reported by the student or by an individual who witnessed the incident of abuse. An incident can be reported
directly to the College of Medicines Early Response Group, led by the Vice Dean for Academic and
Educational Affairs. The Early Response Group will investigate reports of student mistreatment.
An incident can be reported to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs for discussion and referral to the Early
Response Group. Reports made to a trusted faculty member, a class officer, a member of academic
administration, or a close friend may be reported to the schools Early Response Group or to the Associate
Dean for Student Affairs who will refer the case to the schools Early Response Group.
The College of Medicines Early Response Group will gather information on the incident from the student, from
any known witnesses to the incident and from the accused offender. The communication and interaction
involved in this process may lead to resolution of the incident. If the incident is resolved, no further action need
be taken. The Early Response Group will follow up on the incident six to eight weeks after the report to assure
that there has been no retribution.
An algorithm outlining the mechanisms of reporting and investigation of reported incidents of student abuse is
described below. The system and the plan for its implementation are designed to protect students from
retaliation and to protect those charged with abuse from unfair accusations. The names of the student, the
reporting individual and the alleged abuser will be held in strict confidence on a need-to-know basis.
Guidelines for the Reporting and Handling of Incidents of Medical Student Mistreatment:
Reporting
Student mistreatment may be reported by the student or by an individual or group who witnessed the incident
of abuse. Incidents can be reported to one of the following:
The Early Response Group
Associate Dean for Student Affairs (Students who need to speak with the Associate Dean for Student
Affairs urgently can call the Student Affairs Emergency Hotline at 215-991-8184)
Vice Dean for Educational and Academic Affairs
College of Medicine On-Line Anonymous Reporting System for Unethical/Unprofessional Behavior:
http://webcampus.drexelmed.edu/professionalism/IncidentReport.asp
A Trusted Faculty Member (Reports incident to the Vice Dean, the Associate Dean for Student Affairs,
or The Early Response Group)
A Friend (Reports incident to a faculty member, an Associate Dean or the Vice Dean.)
If you experience or witness mistreatment or unethical behavior and need to speak with someone
urgently and confidentially, call the Student Affairs Emergency Hotline at 215-991-8184.
Investigation of Reports
Reports of Student Mistreatment are investigated by the Early Response Group.
The Early Response Group:
Gathers information from student, others, the accused.
Notifies Legal Counsel, as it judges the need.
Facilitates resolution, whenever possible.
Requests a remediation plan in instances where student mistreatment is confirmed. This may include
individual faculty education, remediation and/or counseling.
Conducts follow-up assessment 6-8 weeks after the process to determine if there has been any
retribution to the student.
In the strictest confidence, all reported incidents of abuse will be documented by the Early Response
Group, including information regarding verification and resolution.
If there is no resolution
The Early Response Group:
Confers with Legal Counsel

Gathers additional information, as needed
Reports essentials of the case to the Dean for appropriate intervention
1. Silver, H.K., M.D.; Glicken, A.D., M.S.W: Medical Student Abuse, JAMA 263: 527-532, 1990.
Section 4:Health Policy, Disease
Surveillance, and Clearances
for Students
All Drexel University College of Medicine students who are enrolled full-time must carry comprehensive health
protection meeting minimum specific, benefit standards.
Documentation of immunizations and infection surveillance are required for all students enrolled in the College
of Medicine.
Students who are non-compliant with maintaining adequate health insurance or appropriate immunization and
disease surveillance requirements may be barred from classes and/or clinical activities by being placed on an
Administrative Leave of Absence until the deficiency is resolved. Non-compliance with College of Medicine
Health Policy may also warrant an Unprofessionalism Citation.
The Student Immunization and Surveillance office is responsible for maintaining the health and immunization
records for students in the College of Medicine. The Office is located on the Queen Lane Campus, Room 102
(phone 215-991-8560, fax 215-843-0214). E-mail contact: imm_surv@drexelmed.edu If you need assistance
finding a Primary Care Physician, you may find a physician in the Department of Family, Community and
Preventive Medicine or the Department of Medicine by utilizing the Drexel University College of Medicine
website http://www.drexelmed.edu/home/findadoctor.aspx.
Students cannot receive healthcare from anyone who will evaluate them during medical school.
Health Insurance [Table of Contents]

All Drexel University College of Medicine students who are enrolled full-time must carry comprehensive health
protection meeting minimum specific, benefit standards.
To satisfy the health insurance requirement, students may obtain coverage through the University-sponsored
group plans or maintain equivalent health insurance through a plan administered elsewhere. For information,
contact the Office of Student Financial Services at (215) 991-8268.
Students are responsible for any co-payments or the cost of uninsured services.
Monitoring and Documentation of Health Policy Requirements [Table of Contents]

The university follows the recommendations of the CDC and the American College Health Association
concerning required immunizations. Students are required to document immune status with appropriate titers
which are obtained through the students health care provider. Students with deficits in either immunizations or
immune status, may receive appropriate immunizations and boosters through the Drexel University Student
Health Center (3201 Arch St) or through their primary care provider. Students may also receive immunization
services at the Occupational Health Services located at Hahnemann University Hospital, Bobst Bldg, Rm 131.
Documentation and Monitoring of compliance with health policy requirements is conducted by the Student
Immunization Surveillance Office. All student health and immunization records are maintained by the
Coordinator of Student Health Records, who communicates directly with students.
Students requesting a copy of their transcript of immunization/titer documentation should submit a written
request to the Student Immunization Surveillance Office. Immunization transcripts are mailed directly to the
student and not to programs or institutions.
Health and immunization documentation is maintained for current medical students. Health and
immunization documentation is destroyed following graduation. Students are advised to maintain a
copy of their own health/immunization documentation.
Disease Surveillance and Immunization Requirements [Table of Contents]
Tuberculosis Surveillance Testing

Prior to matriculation (entering first year of medical school), all Students must complete Tuberculosis
surveillance testing. For most students this will consist of Two-Step Tuberculin Skin Test (TST) testing
(PPD). The first step must be completed within 12 months of the second step. The second step must be
completed within two months of matriculation to medical school. If you have received BCG Vaccine, you are
still required to have tuberculosis surveillance testing. You may have a Two-Step Tuberculin Skin Test, or
alternatively, you may provide documentation (copy of test result/titer) of negative Interferon Gamma Release
Assay (IGRA) blood test completed within two months of matriculation (The BCG vaccine may result in a false
positive tuberculin skin test while the IGRA does not. Thus, in the setting of BCG vaccination, the IGRA blood
test has a higher specificity for exposure to or latent tuberculosis.)
If you have documentation of a positive PPD or a positive IGRA blood test, you must provide documentation
of 9 months INH treatment and negative Chest X-ray (taken within one year of matriculation to Drexel
University College of Medicine). Thereafter, while at DUCOM you will be required to have annual chest x-rays.
In addition to the matriculation requirements, the College of Medicine also requires annual tuberculosis
surveillance testing for actively enrolled students. This is usually accomplished by annual tuberculin skin
testing. However, if you have had a prior positive TST but negative IGRA, you would be required to submit
documentation of annual IGRA testing.
If a student converts from a Negative TST or IGRA to a Positive TST or IGRA they will require evaluation by
their healthcare provider. The healthcare provider will need to submit documentation with an assessment of
whether or not the student has active tuberculosis disease. If no active disease, documentation of the
commencement of and completion of appropriate Tuberculin Preventative Treatment as well as a negative
chest x-ray is required. Thereafter, while at DUCOM you will be required to have annual chest x-rays. Failure
to complete these requirements within 30 days of the TST or IGRA conversion will result in the suspension of
any clinical activities (i.e. rotations) and may result in a Citation for Unprofessional Behavior.
If you develop active disease, proof of appropriate Tuberculosis treatment is required. Students will also need
documentation by their healthcare provider that disease is no longer active and the student is no longer
considered a health risk to others before returning to any classes or clinical rotations. Thereafter, while at
DUCOM, you will be required to have annual chest x-rays.
Micro-Particulate Respirators
Because of the increasing prevalence of tuberculosis and the appearance of multiple drug resistant strains, all
students will be fitted for a micro particulate respirator prior to the beginning of the third year of medical school.
Required Immunizations [Table of Contents]
Influenza Vaccination
All medical students are required to be vaccinated yearly with the seasonal influenza vaccine. Documentation
of vaccination must be submitted to the Office of Immunization and Surveillance by October 15th each year
(Some clinical sites may have an earlier deadline). Failure to complete this requirement will result in the
suspension of any clinical activities (i.e. Year 1/2 clinical skills hospital sessions or Year 3/4 clinical rotations)
and may result in a Citation for Unprofessional Behavior.
If there is a medical contraindication to influenza vaccination, documentation including the specific

contraindication to vaccination is required from the students health care provider.
Hepatitis B
All medical students are required to have been immunized against Hepatitis B. Hepatitis B immunization
consists of a series of three injections that should be completed and documented prior to matriculation. A
positive Hepatitis B Surface Antibody Quantitative titer is also required. If a student has inadequate or negative
titers, a second Hepatitis B series must be completed along with a Hepatitis B Surface Antibody Quantitative
titer (once the repeat series is completed). If the second titer is also negative, Hepatitis B Surface Antigen and
Hepatitis B Core Antibody titers must be submitted.
Measles/Mumps/Rubella
All students are required to have two Measles/Mumps/Rubella (MMR) immunizations. Students without
documentation of two specific dates of their MMR immunizations must submit written proof of positive Antibody
Titers for Measles, Mumps and Rubella.
Polio, Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis

Students are required to have documentation of their primary series against Polio. Students are required to
have documentation of their primary series in Diptheria/Pertussis and Tetanus. Students must have received a
Tdap booster within the past ten years. In addition, students must have a Td boosterevery 10 years. .
Varicella
Students with a history of varicella should have documentation. Appropriate documentation includes
documentation of positive antibody titer. Students without a history of varicella, or vaccination, must submit
written documentation of two doses of varicella vaccine or documentation of positive Antibody titer. Non-
immune students will not be permitted on clinical services.
Recommended Immunizations
Meningococcal
Meningococcal vaccine is recommended prior to matriculating to medical school.
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis A vaccine is recommended prior to matriculating to medical school.
Follow-up for Student Immunization
and Disease Surveillance Compliance [Table of Contents]
Annually, the Coordinator of Student Health Records will notify students who are non-compliant with
immunization requirements. The Coordinator of Student Health Records will provide the Associate Dean for
Student Affairs with a list of students deficient in one or more areas of required infection surveillance or
immunization. Students who are non-compliant with maintaining adequate health insurance or appropriate
immunization and disease surveillance requirements will be barred from classes and/or clinical activities by
being placed on an Administrative Leave of Absence until the deficiency is resolved. Non-compliance with
College of Medicine Health Policy may also warrant an Letter of Concern for Unprofessional Behavior.
Student Health Care [Table of Contents]

If you need assistance finding a Primary Care Physician, you may find a physician in the Department of Family,
Community and Preventive Medicine or the Department of Medicine by utilizing the Drexel University College
of Medicine website http://www.drexelmed.edu/home/findadoctor.aspx.
Student Health Services are also provided at the Drexel Student Health Center located at 3201 Arch Street,
Philadelphia on main Drexel Campus.
Students cannot receive healthcare from anyone who will evaluate them during medical school.
Criminal Background Checks and Fingerprinting Requirements [Table of Contents]

Students are required to complete a criminal background check and child abuse clearance upon matriculation
and every two years thereafter while actively enrolled in the College of Medicine. Students are required to
complete FBI fingerprinting through the Pennsylvania Department of Education upon matriculation and every
three years thereafter while actively enrolled in the College of Medicine.
Students whose required checks reveal new information of concern or convictions not previously
reported/reviewed (including judgments, found guilty by a judge or jury, pleaded guilty or no contest, received
probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial, or Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)) will be
asked to submit a response to the adverse conviction and/or report. The College of Medicine Criminal
Background Review Committee (CBRC) will review all relevant information. If the CRBC Review determines
that there are concerns related to the conviction and/or a students adherence to required reporting
requirements, a report of concern will be submitted to the Year-appropriate Promotions Committee. The
Promotions Committee will determine necessary sanctions up to and including dismissal from the College of
Medicine.
Student Reporting Requirements [Table of Contents]

All matriculated students must report any newly reported convictions (including judgments, found guilty by a
judge or jury, pleaded guilty or no contest, received probation without verdict, disposition in lieu of trial, or
Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD)) to the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs within 24 hours
of conviction for review. The student will be asked to submit a response to the adverse conviction and/or
report. The Criminal Background Review Committee (CBRC) will then review all relevant information. If the
CRBC Review determines that there are concerns related to the conviction and/or a students adherence to
required reporting requirements, a report of concern will be submitted to the Year-appropriate Promotions
Committee. The Promotions Committee will determine necessary sanctions up to and including dismissal from
Basic Life Support (BLS) Training [Table of Contents]

Students are required to complete BLS training prior to the start of third year clerkships and every two years
thereafter while actively enrolled in the College of Medicine.
Drug Testing Protocol [Table of Contents]
Aside from impacting upon the personal and psychological integrity of the abusers, substance abuse may
significantly impact the ability of medical students to administer safe, competent patient care. This policy impacts
upon and augments the students ability to maintain personal and professional integrity, and facilitates the
students success both clinically and didactically. It promotes a healthy learning environment for the student and
also enhances patient safety in the clinical setting.
Policy
This policy applies to all students and all applicants who have confirmed acceptance in the Undergraduate M.D.
Program (the Program).
Any unlawful possession, use, manufacture or distribution of controlled or illegal substances or alcohol by any
student in the Program while on campus or at a clinical site shall be considered substance abuse or chemical
dependency and may constitute cause for termination from the program. Reporting to class or clinical
assignments under the influence of such substances or alcohol is also prohibited. Students must also comply
with all local, state or federal laws and regulations controlling the possession, manufacture, use or distribution of
controlled or illegal substances and alcohol. All students must also comply with Drexel University policies on
alcohol and illicit drug use.
In addition, there are circumstances in which students may need to take over the counter or prescribed
medications that may impair their ability to function safely in the clinical environment and thereby endanger
patients and self. As such, all students are responsible for being aware of the effect these medications may
have on their ability to function safely in the clinical environment and are required to notify the Senior Associate
Dean for Student Affairs (or his/her designee) upon entering a clinical educational experience if they have any
concerns. Students cannot participate in clinical training if they are taking mood altering medications that
impair their ability to function safely in the clinical environment. Failure to adhere to these policies will result in
disciplinary action. In such circumstances, the student is encouraged to request medical leave from their
studies.
Drug Testing
While enrolled in the Program, a student may be required to undergo drug or alcohol testing when:
1. They are placed in a clinical education training site whose policies requires that rotating students undergo
specific drug/alcohol testing prior to placement or during clinical rotations at the site. Students will be
notified by the Office of Immunization and Surveillance of the need for drug testing and will provide
information on the specifics of scheduling and details of sites where surveillance (drug testing) can be
completed. It is the students responsibility to complete screening in a timely fashion. Students will not be
permitted to begin clerkships until screening has been completed. Clinical sites will be notified when
screening has been completed. Final results will be submitted to the Office of Immunization and
Surveillance. Individuals who have final determinations of a positive test will be referred to Senior
Associate Dean for Student Affairs.
2. The Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs (or his/her designee) determines, through direct
observation or reports from faculty, clinical supervisors, or other reporters, that there is reasonable
suspicion that the student is impaired due to illegal drug or alcohol use, the use or misuse of prescribed
or over the counter medications based upon, but not limited to:
A. Unusual or aberrant behavior
B. Physical symptoms
C. Patterns of abnormal or erratic behavior
D. Conviction for drug-related offenses
E. Being identified as the subject of a drug-related criminal investigation
F. Reliable information from independent sources
G. Evidence of drug tampering or misappropriation
H. Consistently discrepant daily drug counts
I. Accidents or illnesses caused by substance abuse
J. Impairment or intoxication in the clinical and/or didactic setting
K. Patterns of absenteeism and/or lateness
L. Alterations in student clinical and/or didactic performance that may not be attributed to other
causes
M. Following a work-related injury or illness
N. Observation of poor judgment or careless acts which caused or had the potential to cause patient
injury, jeopardize the safety of self or others or resulted in damage to equipment
3. A faculty member who suspects possible substance abuse by a student reports the suspicious behavior
immediately to the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs. Once the Senior Associate Dean is notified
that a student has been suspected of violating the substance abuse policy, the student will be referred for
mandatory evaluation through a designated/approved program and/or mandatory testing through a
designated testing laboratory in accordance with College of Medicine policies.The Senior Associate Dean
has the authority to temporarily suspend the student from clinical education experiences pending the final
results of any mandated evaluations or laboratory tests.
4. A student convicted of violating any federal, state or local law or regulation pertaining to the manufacture,
possession, sale, use or distribution of a drug or alcohol or misuse of prescribed or over the counter
medications must report this conviction to the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs within five days
of the conviction. Failure or refusal to comply with any aspect of the substance abuse policy is grounds
for disciplinary sanction, including dismissal from the College of Medicine. Examples of noncompliance
include, but are not limited to, refusal to submit to immediate drug and alcohol testing, tampering or
alteration of specimens, attempts to submit the samples of another person as the students own, and
failure to appropriately complete associated program or testing laboratory documents.
Testing Procedure
Drug and alcohol testing required by the Program will be conducted utilizing the following measures:
1. The student must be tested at a laboratory designated by the Program.
2. The student will sign the chain of custody forms and any other documents provided by the testing
laboratory.
3. The test shall screen for the use of common controlled substances and any other controlled substances
that are suspected of being abused or used by the student.
4. Urine, serum, hair and saliva analysis or a combination of these testing methods may be utilized.
5. The student will disclose any prescribed or over-the-counter medications as well as any dietary habits
that could modify testing results as requested. The student must fully comply with the testing laboratorys
methods and procedures for collecting samples.
6. If the accuracy of a positive test is disputed by the student, the student may request a retesting of
samples by the laboratory.
7. Substance abuse is verified if either: (i) the positive test result is not disputed or (ii)the student-requested
retest is positive.
8. The testing laboratory will make a final report of the test results (positive, negative or inconclusive) to
the Senior Associate Dean.
Confidentiality
The requirement that a student be tested as well as the test results will remain confidential and disclosed only to
those individuals within Drexel University or an affiliated clinical site with a need to know or as required by law or
regulation.
Sanctions
If there is suspicion of impairment in an enrolled student due to directly observed behaviors, reported behaviors,
and/or positive drug testing, the Senior Associate Dean for Student Affairs will refer the student for necessary
laboratory testing and evaluation(s) by the Pennsylvania (PA) Physicians Health Program. When a student is
required to complete an evaluation by the PA Physicians Health Program, the College of Medicine will require
compliance with the recommended evaluation and/or treatment plan as defined by the PA Physicians Health
Program The Senior Associate Dean has the authority to temporarily suspend the student from clinical education
involving patient care pending the conclusion of any required evaluation and/or student judicial process.
Failure or refusal to comply with any aspect of the substance abuse policy will be reported to the Honor Court
and/or Promotions Committee for possible disciplinary action in accordance with the Student Handbook.
Voluntary Self-Disclosure
Students can also self-report to the PA Physicians Health Program. Students can also seek out additional
counseling and treatment resources that are available by consulting with the Senior Associate Dean for Student
Affairs.
Students who voluntarily self-disclose a substance or alcohol abuse problem to the Senior Associate Dean prior
to a positive drug/alcohol test result and who are willing to enter in to and complete an appropriate program of
treatment will not be reported by the Senior Associate Dean to the Promotions Committee for disciplinary action
or sanction. Such a student, after consultation with their health care provider, may request a medical leave of
absence from the Program in order to participate in a treatment program. At the end of the leave of absence, if
the student wishes to re-enter the program the case will be reviewed by the Senior Associate Dean and the
Promotions Committee to determine if the student will be permitted to reenter the program. If approved, the
student and must sign a reentry contract as described in Section VIII of this policy.
Reentry into the Academic and Clinical Environment

A student who has been dismissed, suspended, withdrawn or who has taken an approved leave of absence from
the Program due to substance abuse may be eligible to reenter the Program if any necessary medical
clearances have been received and if their return has been approved by the PA Physicians Health Program.
Before reentry into the MD program, a contract will be established between the Program and the recovering
student; the contract will include any requirements and/or stipulations upon return and/or any specific monitoring
requirements. A student in recovery who is permitted to reenter the MD Program will comply with the conditions
of readmission delineated in a signed contract of program reentry.
Counseling, Psychiatric Evaluation and Treatment [Table of Contents]
There are several resources for mental health care in the College of Medicine and the University. In the
College of Medicine, Diane Gottlieb, M.D., Director of Student Mental Health and Jill Adaman, Ph.D., Clinical
Psychologist, work together as a team to provide evaluation and treatment including individual and group
counseling therapeutic care, and stress management. All services provided to students are confidential and
free of charge. Drs. Gottlieb and Adaman can be reached Monday through Friday:
Dr. Gottlieb : 215-991-8532 or diane.gottlieb@drexelmed.edu
Dr. Adaman: 215-991-8214 or jill.adaman@drexelmed.edu
Disability Insurance [Table of Contents]

Students in the College of Medicine are covered by a disability insurance policy provided by funding from
student fees. The policy provides disability income insurance, which pays a monthly benefit in the event that a
student becomes disabled. The plan is portable after graduation. While in medical school, students are
insured under a group insurance policy issued by The Guardian Life Insurance Company of America.
Exposure to Infectious and Environmental Hazards [Table of Contents]

(see below for additional information)
Mandatory educational sessions on universal precautions for blood-borne pathogens are provided at the
orientations for entering students and for students as they enter the core clinical clerkship year of studies.
Information about safety and response to exposure to infectious agents or hazardous substances is presented
during the orientation programming for entering students and at entry into the second and third years of the
curriculum. Each student is required to complete a review of the laboratory safety presentation and manual on
line and complete the on-line survey for documentation. Information is also provided during course orientations
for those specific courses in which students may be exposed to infectious agents and/or toxic substances, and
in the student manuals for those courses.
Blood and Body Fluids Exposure [Table of Contents]
Definition of Occupational Exposure
Exposure to blood, tissues, visibly bloody body fluids or other body fluids to which universal precautions
apply (i.e. semen, vaginal secretions, cerebrospinal fluid, synovial fluid, pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid,
pericardial fluid, and amniotic fluid)
Modes of exposure:
o Percutaneous injury: Penetration of skin by needle or other sharp object that was in contact with
blood, tissue, visibly bloody fluids or other body fluids as listed above.
o Mucous membrane exposure: Contact of mucous membranes (eyes, nose, or mouth) with
blood, tissue, visibly bloody fluids or other body fluids as listed above.
o Non-intact skin exposure: Contact of non-intact skin (e.g. chapped, abraded, dermatitis, open
wounds) with blood, tissue, visibly bloody fluids or other body fluids as listed above.
o Bite: A human bite sustained by a healthcare worker from a patient, co-worker or visitor.
If you believe you have had an Occupational Exposure:

1. WASH.
Skin exposures (intact or non-intact): Immediately wash the area with antibacterial soap and water.
Small wounds and punctures: Cleanse thoroughly with alcohol-based skin disinfectant.
Mucous membrane exposure: Flush the area with copious amounts of water.
2. REPORT IMMEDIATELY. Report the incident to all of the following:
Your immediate supervisor (resident and/or attending)

Director of Medical Education at affiliate site
Office of Student Affairs (Student Affairs Emergency Hotline: 215-991-8184)
Fill out the Appropriate Incident Report
NOTE: Reporting should not prevent you from seeking immediate medical care.
3. SEEK IMMEDIATE MEDICAL EVALUATION. DO NOT WAIT:
Third and Fourth year students: Go immediately to the Employee Health Department or the Emergency
Department of the hospital where you are working. During regular working hours [usually 8 am-5pm
Mon-Fri] you will usually be evaluated in the Employee Health Department or its equivalent. During
other hours evaluation will usually be in the Emergency Department. However, students should consult
the exposure policy of the specific affiliate hospital for specific instructions.
First and Second Year students: Go immediately to the Hahnemann University Hospital Emergency
Department.
Identify yourself as a medical student with an exposure.
Have the name and medical record number of the patient involved in the exposure, if available.
Baseline testing and immediate treatment may be necessary for exposure to fluids or tissue from
patients with known or suspected HIV or Hepatitis infection. If it is determined that HIV post-exposure
prophylaxis is indicated, antiretroviral medications should be started as early as possible after an
exposure (ideally within one to two hours). DO NOT WAIT to seek medical evaluation.
Provide your insurance information and do not allow yourself to be submitted to Workman's
Compensation.
Obtain appropriate referrals as required by your insurance company (it will be too late if you wait for
Workman's Comp to turn you down). You are responsible for knowing your insurance company's
policies regarding provider notification.
Retain your Explanation of Benefits (EOB) when you receive it from your insurance company. Always
keep copies for your records.
If you carry the Drexel University College of Medicine sponsored health insurance, there should be
limited personal liability for payment related to exposures if you have submitted billing invoices and
statements as requested.
4. FOLLOW-UP.
Get copies of all testing, assessments, and recommendations (This should include results of the source
patients testing).
Follow-up care (including follow-up testing, monitoring of medications, etc.) can be coordinated through
DUCOM student health, your own physician, or through the hospital where the exposure occurred.
Regardless of where you elect to have care rendered, your medical insurance will be billed and you will
be responsible for co-payments or services that are not covered.
5. All HIV testing and information processing in Pennsylvania hospitals will adhere to PA Act 148 as well as
applicable federal laws.
The DUCOM Deans for Student Affairs are available to assist you in a confidential manner. Student Affairs
Emergency Hotline: 215-991-8184
HIV Testing [Table of Contents]
HIV testing is not required. When HIV testing is necessary due to a blood or body fluid exposure, all HIV
testing and information processing in Pennsylvania hospitals will adhere to PA Act 148 as well as applicable
federal laws.
Section 5:
Honor System
Code of Ethics [Table of Contents]
Introduction
Medical students have entered the community of medical professionals and therefore have the responsibility to
uphold the core ethical principles of physicians at all levels of practice and training. There are two basic tenets
to the Code of Ethics:
First, students must be trustworthy and act with integrity in all spheres of professional life: academics, patient
care, research and professional relationships. Students must be honest and worthy of the trust of teachers,
patients, peers and the community. This culture of trust requires individuals to act with respect and empathy
toward one another. Students are expected to behave publically and to utilize social media in ways that uphold
the respect and trust given by society to the medical profession.
Second, students must together safeguard the culture of integrity and trustworthiness by encouraging each
other to act ethically and by responding appropriately to violations of the Code of Ethics. A student who
witnesses an apparent violation of the Code ought to clarify and discuss the incident with the involved party
whenever possible. Successful peer-to-peer resolution may require the person who violated the Code of Ethics
to self-disclose that behavior to the Class Honor Court Representative, the President of the Honor Court or the
Dean of Students. If the witnessing student chooses not to approach the involved party, or if the issue cannot
be fully resolved on a peer-to-peer basis, then the witnessing student must report the apparent violation to one
of the following: the appropriate faculty member or course director, the class Honor Court Representative, the
President of the Honor Court or the Dean of Students. Should the faculty member or Dean determine that a
violation had likely occurred, the issue must subsequently be reported to the President of the Honor Court.
Witnessing and responding appropriately to the unprofessional or unethical behavior of a colleague is a core
responsibility of physicians at all levels of training and practice. Self-disclosure of error is also a core
responsibility and creates possibility for rectification. Failure of a witness to respond and report is itself a
violation of the Code.
Academic Standards of Conduct
Students are expected to demonstrate trustworthiness and integrity in all academic work. Academic dishonesty
is a serious offense because it is a violation of trust, diminishes the quality of scholarship, makes accurate
evaluation of a student impossible and defrauds those in society who must depend on the honesty and integrity
of the Profession. Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to, lying, cheating, stealing or dishonesty in
relation to any academic exercise. Students must follow instructions during examinations and neither give nor
receive any aid when taking examinations unless this is explicitly allowed by the course director. Students must
respect all protected instructional and testing materials distributed by instructors; they must never copy or
disseminate these materials, either in hard copy or digitally, without the explicit permission of the instructor.
Copyright laws are to be followed. Students are expected to produce their own work without plagiarism,
defined as presenting anothers work as ones own. Violations of these standards undermine the trust placed in
the student by peers and faculty, disrupts the learning environment, compromises medical training, and injures
the integrity of the community. Complicity in academic dishonesty includes, but is not limited to, attempting to
help another student violate the Code or failing to take appropriate action when witnessing a violation.
Patient Care Standards of Conduct
The guiding ethical principles of patient care include respect for patients as persons, protection of patient
autonomy and elevation of patient welfare above all other concerns. These require treating all patients with
compassion and dignity, assuring informed consent and shared decision-making, protecting confidentiality in
speech, writing and electronic communication and navigating social and cultural differences in order to deliver
the best care possible. Social justice is another guiding ethical principle that is expressed in the commitment to
advocate for patients who are socially vulnerable and also to steward limited healthcare resources. Trust is the
foundation of the physician-patient relationship.
Honesty in communication and documentation of the clinical record is essential to that trust. Medical records
are legal documents and under no circumstances should false information be recorded, items entered of which
the student has no direct knowledge or records altered.
Promoting patient welfare requires physicians to promote a culture of safety, improve quality of care and work
as an effective member of the interdisciplinary medical team, bringing respect and empathy to all professional
and inter-professional interactions. It also requires physicians to maintain appropriate boundaries in
professional relationships and manage conflicts of interest. Patient welfare necessitates honesty and
transparency when medical error occurs, and also demands appropriate response to witnessing unethical or
unprofessional behavior of a faculty member, physician, other healthcare provider, or medical student.
Research Standards of Conduct
Respect for persons, protection of human subjects, social justice, scientific integrity and managing conflicts of
interest are cardinal principles of medical research and these require adherence to research standards and
regulations set by Drexel University.
Personal Standards of Conduct
Students are expected to behave in a manner befitting of members of the community of medical professionals
endowed with the trust and respect of society. The public conduct of a medical student, including the use of
social media, reflects upon that individual and also upon our academic community and the medical profession
as a whole. Personal misconduct includes, but is not limited to, any violation of federal, state, local, or Drexel
University rules and regulations, as well as complicity in violating those rules and regulations.
The Honor System [Table of Contents]
By enrolling, all students of the Drexel University College of Medicine are subject to the provisions of the Code
of Ethics and acknowledge that they may be sanctioned by the College for failing to comply with this Code.
Each student has the responsibility to participate in the enforcement of the Code when necessary. Any student
whose integrity or personal conduct has been questioned can be referred to the Honor Court.
The Honor Court [Table of Contents]
Members of the Honor Court are elected by the student body. As representatives, they are expected to act
both in a manner befitting the trust accorded to them by their peers and in conformity with the provisions and
spirit of the Code of Ethics. Honor Court members have a duty to act fairly, impartially, with strict confidentiality,
and only upon evidence formally presented during the course of appropriate correspondence or meetings.
Duties of the Honor Court include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Communicate and foster compliance with the Code of Ethics. This includes informing present and
prospective students, faculty, and administration of the philosophy and mechanics of the Code.
2. Provide guidance to members of the student body on issues of professional conduct and ethics as they
learn to monitor the professional conduct of themselves and their peers.
3. Secure appropriately the confidentiality of Honor Court communications and proceedings.
4. Enforce the spirit and procedures of the Code of Ethics; in this respect it shall act as the body which
protects the rights of the students at Drexel University College of Medicine to an educational environment
guided by the principles in the Code of Ethics and is available to counsel students individually and collectively.
5. Serve as the peer review body to hear and evaluate claims of student violations of the Code of Ethics.
a. Receive complaints from students regarding alleged student violations of the Code of Ethics.
b. Provide notice, conduct proceedings and maintain records of all action taken by the Honor Court in
response to complaints to assure that students accused of Code violations receive due process in accordance
with Honor Court Procedures.
c. Conduct fact-finding investigations, as necessary and appropriate, to determine whether a violation of

the Code of Ethics has occurred for which some sanction would be appropriate.
d. Make a final determination on each student within the period of time defined in the Honor Court
procedures that either:
I. No violation of the Code of Ethics had occurred, in which case all

records of the person(s) involved and proceedings will be destroyed, or
II. A student has acted in violation of the Code of Ethics,

demonstrating disregard for the Drexel University College of Medicine community, in which case the Court will
preserve all records of the student(s) and proceedings for communication to the Student Promotions
Committee. (College of Medicine)
e. Report to the Student Promotions Committee the proceedings of the Honor Court that results in a finding
that a student has acted in violation of the Code of Ethics. The Student Promotions Committee will review the
findings of the Honor Court. A dean in the Office of Student Affairs, or the Chair of the Student Promotions
Committee will communicate the results of this review to the Honor Court including, at a minimum, that specific
disciplinary action was or was not taken.
Composition of the Honor Court
The Honor Court shall consist of the Honor Court President and the following representation from each class:
1. Two (2) representatives from each of the first- and second-year classes (one from each curricular track).
2. Three (3) representatives from the third-year class.
3. Three (3) representatives from the fourth-year class.
Functions of the President of the Honor Court
The duties of the President of the Honor Court include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Meet with the newly elected Court and faculty advisor following elections to discuss in detail the function
of the Court and the duties of its members.
2. Present the honor code system to incoming students of Drexel University College of Medicine describing
the purpose and process of the Honor Court. As requested by the Office of Student Affairs, the Honor Court
president will provide a summary of the years incidents that came before the Honor Court.
3. Arrange training for the members of the Honor Court to ensure their understanding of the procedures of
the Court.
4. Inform any student against whom a report has been filed of the specific allegations, the Honor Court role
and responsibilities, the specific Honor Court process that will be followed, and the student's rights. This
should be done as soon as possible, after a report has been made, when the student in question has been
contacted regarding this report.
5. Arrange and conduct hearings including giving notice of the time and place of meetings to other
members of the Court, the faculty advisor, and any other people whose attendance is requested. The
President will request the presence of the student who has filed a report, the student against whom the report
was filed, and any witnesses at appropriate meetings.
6. Preside over all meetings of the Honor Court, including those concerning possible Code of Ethics
Violations by a student of Drexel University College of Medicine. The President will maintain an impartial voice
in proceedings, not rendering a vote in the final determination except in the case of a split decision. If unable to
remain impartial, the President shall remove him/herself from the case and an Acting President shall be
selected. (See Voting, 3.c.)
7. Inform the College of Medicine's Student Promotions Committee of the report, review process, hearing
dates, results of investigation, findings, and recommendations of the Court for each case in which the Court
determines that a student has acted in violation of the Code of Ethics.
8. Provide written notices of reports, proceedings, and recommendations as required by the Honor Court
procedures.
9. Oversee and assist with all SGA elections, in coordination with Honor Court representatives, as described
in the SGA Constitution.
10. The President of the Honor Court will have one vote on the SGA Council, as described in the SGA
Constitution.
11. Oversee the maintenance and destruction of Honor Court records as appropriate.
Functions of the Class Representatives
Duties of each of the representatives on the Honor Court include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Attend all meetings of the Honor Court.
2. Participate in the review and resolution of all matters that come before the Court except those with which
the representative has a conflict of interest.
3. Abstain from participating in Court deliberations or investigations related to any matter with which the
representative has a conflict of interest.
4. Coordinate and run elections for their classmates, as outlined in the SGA Constitution.
Functions of the Faculty Advisor
Duties of the faculty advisor include, but are not limited to, the following:
1. Act in an advisory capacity to the Honor Court with respect to due process and impartiality.
2. Participate in investigations and hearings. (The advisor will not be involved with weighing the evidence of
a case or in voting.)
3. Assist with the year-to-year transition of the Court.
Elections
Candidate Eligibility
1. No student who has been found by the Honor Court to have committed a Code of Ethics violation may
serve on the Honor Court.
2. Only currently enrolled medical students are eligible to serve on the Honor Court and to vote in Honor
Court elections.
3. All members elected to the Honor Court will be elected to serve one-year terms.
Nominations
1. The process for nominating students to serve on the Honor Court is as follows:
a. Any student may place the name of a student on the ballot through usual nominating channels
according to SGA Bylaws.
2. The process for nominating individuals to serve as Faculty Advisor is as follows;
a. The Honor Court members will select five (5) eligible faculty members. Eligibility will be determined
by the Senior Associate Dean of Student Affairs, since no member of a Student Promotions Committee or the
Student Appeals Committee may serve as Faculty Advisor to the Honor Court.
b. After obtaining permission of the eligible candidates, each Honor Court member will submit one
vote. A new Faculty Advisor will be appointed based on the majority vote by the Honor Court.
Voting
1. For all positions, the candidate(s) who meet(s) eligibility criteria receiving the highest number of votes will be
declared the winner.
a. For first and second year students, one honor court representative will be elected for each class
year and each curricular track, and the student receiving the highest numbers of votes will be declared the
Honor Court Class Representative.
b. For classes with three representatives (third and fourth years), the three individuals receiving the
highest numbers of votes will be the class representatives.
c. The candidate for Honor Court President who receives the highest number of votes will serve as
President. In the event an alternate Honor Court President is needed, the Honor Court will convene and will
elect, by majority vote, one of the class representatives to serve as acting Honor Court President.
2. Faculty Advisor
a. The faculty advisor will be selected by the newly elected Honor Court from the list of eligible
nominees (See Nominations 2.a. and b.). The faculty advisor will serve for a term of three years.
Timing of elections
Election of the Honor Court President will take place concurrently with the SGA elections.
1. Elections for all Honor Court Representatives (except those for the new incoming class) will take place
concurrently with class elections in the Spring of each year.
2. If at any time a vacancy in one of the positions arises, there will be an election as soon as possible to fill
the position. Until such an election occurs, one of the class presidents will temporarily fill the vacancy.
Summary of Honor Court Procedure
The procedures for reporting an incident to the Honor Court have been established to insure confidentiality and
due process to all persons involved. As outlined in the Honor Court process, when an infraction of the Code of
Ethics is perceived, the observer(s) will contact a member of the student Honor Court as soon as possible. The
Honor Court representative, together with the President of the Honor Court, will arrange a joint meeting of the
observer(s) and other members of the Honor Court. The observer(s) will be prepared to describe, in detail, the
events witnessed. After the full review process, if the Honor Court determines that a violation has occurred,
they will notify the Student Promotions Committee (a standing committee of the medical school faculty) of their
findings. A final decision regarding an appropriate course of action will be rendered by the Student Promotions
Committee. All Honor Court proceedings are held in absolute confidentiality. Involved individuals must not
discuss these proceedings outside of official committee meetings. If no action is taken against an accused
student, all records and information brought forth during the proceedings will be destroyed. The final sanctions
rendered by the Student Promotions Committee as a result of an Honor Code violation are subject to appeal
Reporting of a Suspected Violation of the Code of Ethics
Any person believing that a violation of the Code of Ethics has been committed by a Drexel University College
of Medicine student is encouraged to first seek clarification of the acts or behavior from the individual
suspected of committing a violation of the Code. If, after seeking clarification from the suspected individual, the
witnessing person believes that there has been no violation of the Code, the matter will be forgotten. If the
witnessing person had already contacted the Honor Court, the Honor Court should be contacted again, so that
the case will not proceed further.
1If the witnessing person still believes that there has been a violation of the Code, or if the person was not able
to approach the suspected individual for the purpose of seeking clarification, then a formal report must be
made to the Honor Court. This may be done by writing an email to the honor court president or one of the
representatives in which the reporting person fully describes the incident to the best of his/her ability. If an
Honor Court Representative receives this report, he/she must provide this report to the Honor Court President
immediately.
It is the duty of each member of the Drexel University College of Medicine community to report suspected
violations promptly. Therefore, any Code of Ethics violation alleged to have been committed more than 90 days
before the Honor Court is informed will be dismissed unless at least two-thirds of the members of the Court
1. believe that good cause for delay has been shown; and
2. it is still feasible to hold a fair, impartial investigation.
Preliminary Investigation
Upon receiving a formal complaint, the Honor Court President will contact the other members of the Honor
Court, to let them know that there is an incident which has been presented to the Honor Court. At this time,
members of the Honor Court will promptly review all the available reports, including those from the student who
is the subject of the report and anyone else who has submitted a report regarding this incident. If members
deem necessary, they may further investigate the alleged violation. Such investigation will include review of
any written or oral investigative evidence, which will be used for review by the Court before rendering any
decisions. The purpose of this preliminary investigation is for each honor court representative to determine
whether or not a hearing should take place regarding the incident. A representatives vote for or against an
Honor Court hearing should be rendered to the Honor Court President as soon as possible.
Formal Charges
If the by a majority vote of Honor Court representatives, the Honor Court decides further investigation is
warranted, the President of the Honor Court will call a meeting of the Honor Court and contact each student
involved with the incident to let them know that there will be a hearing. In this contact, the honor court
president will also try to schedule a time that each person involved can appear for the hearing, and then inform
each person of the time, date, and location of the future meeting. The president will also include a summary of
the report, including all relevant details, the honor court procedure, and refer each person to the full copy of the
Honor Code for more information.
The Hearing Panel
A hearing panel will consist of no fewer than five (5) members in addition to the President, and at least two
representatives will be from both the preclinical and clinical years. The maximum number will be all of the
elected members.
If any honor court member feels as though s/he cannot remain impartial during a hearing, this person should
voluntarily remove her/himself from the hearing.
Likewise, any student participating in the honor court process has the right to request that an honor court
member be removed from the panel if s/he has concerns for this persons unbiased participation in the case.
Scheduling
The Honor Court will convene at the mutually agreed upon time. The student suspected of violating the Code
of Ethics and Honor Court President must contact one another within this time frame. The student may request
an extension of time, if the dates proposed by the Honor Court president are not amenable to the student. The
President will consider such a request and may reschedule the meeting if deemed appropriate. If the student
has been contacted and has not responded, if the President has made several attempts to contact the student
and has received no response, or if the student fails to attend, the meeting will be held as scheduled. If, in the
latter case, the Honor Court finds that a violation of the Code of Ethics has occurred, a notation of the student's
failure to appear will accompany the findings and recommendations forwarded to the Student Promotions
Committee of the Faculty.
Confidentiality
All members of the Honor Court and all persons involved as witnesses or in any other capacity in connection
with an alleged violation, investigation or meeting concerning the Honor Court must not discuss information
learned during such service or participation. Such persons must not discuss or disclose any information
concerning the merit(s) of the charge(s) either with the faculty, students, officials of Drexel University College
of Medicine, or persons not associated with Drexel University College of Medicine before or after a meeting. All
information must be kept confidential except as expressly required to be discussed or revealed in connection
with further investigation. The Honor Court may notify a course instructor that the Court is meeting, if
approached by the course instructor; however, the specifics of the meetings are not to be discussed. Any
violation of the requirement for confidentiality will be deemed to be a violation of the Code of Ethics.
Procedure
1. The Honor Court President will open the meeting by stating the following to each person who comes
before the Honor Court: "The Code of Ethics and the Honor Court have been established by the Drexel
University College of Medicine Student Body to serve the Student Body. The Honor Court will respectfully
listen to all participants in its proceedings and will conduct its proceedings in accordance with standards of
confidentiality required by the Honor Court. All matters concerning possible violations of the Code of Ethics are
to be taken seriously by the members of the Honor Court. Each of you realizes how difficult the proceedings
are for the Honor Court members, and recognizes this is true for all people who participate in the proceedings
in any capacity. The members of the Honor Court have a duty to uphold the Code of Ethics and the Honor
Court process, and to protect the rights of any person who makes a complaint to the honor court, the student
who is the subject of that reports, witnesses or other members of the Drexel University College of Medicine
community who attend any Honor Court meetings. The Honor Court recognizes the right of students suspected
of violating the Code or charged with other misconduct to know what is said about them during proceedings;
however, the Honor Court also recognizes that in order to protect everyone involved, there may be times when
the identity of witnesses must not be revealed. The members of the Honor Court should remove themselves
from a hearing, or be asked to leave by anyone participating in a hearing if it is believed that they may have
prejudices or inappropriate biases that may influence their investigations or decisions in any matter that comes
before the Court." The Honor Court will meet separately with all persons involved in a hearing.
2. The Honor Court President will review the complaint and allow clarification by the reporting person. At
this time the reporting person may tell the Honor Court of anyone who might have witnessed the alleged
violation(s).
In the case that persons involved choose to have legal counsel: No legal or other representative of a reporting
person or student who is a subject of the report may come before the Honor Court at proceedings when the
represented individual is not present. Legal counsel has the right to speak only with individual(s) he/she is
representing unless the Faculty Advisor or President of the Honor Court deems otherwise. This is to protect the
integrity of the proceedings.
3. The Honor Court President will then review the complaint with the student who is the subject of the
report, including any clarification by the reporting person.
In the case that persons involved choose to have legal counsel: The reporting person and his/her counsel will
not be present during this clarification. At this time the Student will declare that he/she did or did not perform
the suspected violation.
a. If the Student admits to performing the suspected violation, the Hearing will be concluded after
the Student has completed any remarks that he/she wishes to address to the Court. The Honor Court
will prepare and deliver a summary of the violation and the Honor Court's recommendations to the
Student Promotions Committee of the Faculty.
b. If the Student maintains innocence, s/he may clarify the complaint. At this time the Student may
tell the Honor Court of any person(s) who may provide evidence that there was no violation.
4. During the course of the hearing, Honor Court members may prepare written documentation of evidence
presented at the hearing. Access to such documentation will be available only to the Honor Court Members
attending the hearing. At any time, any member of the Honor Court has the right to question any person in
order to clarify what has been said. All documentation will be kept confidential, available to Honor Court
representatives during a hearing, and kept by the Honor Court President after hearings, in a private file.
5. After completion of clarification by the all persons involved in a hearing, the Honor Court members will
be sequestered for private deliberation. All documentation, written and audio taped, will be available to
members of the Honor Court at this time.
6. One of the following decisions must be reached:
a. A violation has occurred. A written summary and Honor Court recommendation will be sent to the
Student Promotions Committee. Honor Court documentation will be kept in a confidential file for a
period of five years after the students graduation date.
b. A violation has not occurred. If such a decision is reached, all documentation will be destroyed,
the all persons involved in a hearing will be notified, and no summary will be sent to the Student
Promotions Committee of the Faculty.
c. Further clarification or deliberation is needed. If such a decision is reached, the Honor Court may
hold subsequent meetings, and may invite people thought to have witnessed the suspected violation.
The Honor Court has the right to ask any person to attend future meetings if clarification from them is
necessary. To insure confidentiality, no persons who came before the Honor Court at the original
hearing will be present.
Rendering Decisions
1. All of the elected members of the Honor Court may sit for a hearing.
2. A minimum of five (5) members plus the President must be present to constitute a panel.
3. There must be no fewer than two (2) preclinical members and no fewer than two (2) clinical members
present at all sessions to comprise a minimum hearing panel. If this representation is not present, the hearing
will be rescheduled.
4. All members of the Honor Court who were present at all sessions of the hearing and who
heard/participated in all discussions and deliberations must vote.
5. Members not present for all sessions may not vote.
6. The President of the Honor Court and the Faculty Advisor will not vote. The Honor Court President may
vote in the instance that there is a split decision.
7. If less than a majority of Honor Court members votes that a violation of the Code of Ethics has occurred,
the case will be dropped.
8. If there is a majority or unanimous vote of Honor Court members that a violation of the Code of Ethics
has occurred, then all documentation regarding the case will be forwarded to the Student Promotions
Committee. When applicable, it will be noted that the vote supporting the fact that there was a violation of the
Code was unanimous.
Student Notification of the Results of the Hearing
Once a vote is complete, the Honor Court President will review the results of the hearing with all participants;
this may be done through email. The court will reserve no final disciplinary power for itself. Any statements
which need to be sent to the Student Promotions Committee will be written by the members of the Honor Court
and may include opinions supporting and dissenting from the recommendation of the Honor Court.
The Honor Court and the Student Promotions Committee
If the Student Promotions Committee requires clarification from the Honor Court, such a request will be made
in writing. Communications between the Student Promotions Committee and the Honor Court can either occur
in writing or by personal communication with the President. The student found to be in violation of the Code of
Ethics has the right to appeal any finding or penalties to the Student Promotions Committee, with final appeal
to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs of the College of Medicine or his/her designee..
Maintaining Documentation
All documentation will be kept in a confidential file to insure the protection of all of those involved. The
President of the Honor Court or his/her designee will have access to that file. Honor Court documentation will
be kept for a period of five years after the students graduation date.
Student Rights [Table of Contents]
1. Students have a right to expect that the Drexel University College of Medicine community is committed to
the Code of Ethics, and that this commitment will be reflected in the behavior of the members of the
community.
2. Students have a right to expect their reputations to be protected by the Honor Court during the process
of handling any accusation. Any student making a report, as well as any student accused of a violation, has a
right to expect complete and absolute confidentiality during the entire process of investigation and the
proceedings of the Honor Court. Honor Court members and others involved in the processes will not disclose
any information about the case to anyone outside the process. All documentation, including the formal
complaint, will be kept in a confidential file during the entire period of investigation. If there is a finding that
there was no violation, all records will be destroyed, there will be no permanent record of the investigation, and
confidentiality will be maintained.
3. Students have the right to know the nature of the charges against him/her. This should be made clear
when the Honor Court President first contacts the student regarding the report that was filed. If there is any
question of the nature of the Honor Code violation, the student may clarify this by contacting the Honor Court
President; or, if the case goes to a hearing, the allegation(s) may be clarified during a hearing.
4. Students accused have a right to a hearing before the student Honor Court. Students' complaints are heard
before their elected peers, who act as representatives of the Drexel University College of Medicine
community. Honor Court Representatives are elected from the student body. The Honor Court President is
elected by the entire student body in the SGA elections.
5. Students have a right to a fair hearing. Honor Court members hearing a case should hear evidence and
make a decision that is fair, impartial and unbiased. Honor Court members may excuse themselves if they feel
that they cannot hear a case and judge without bias, or if they have a conflict of interest. If the student
believes that any member of the Honor Court could not impartially hear and judge his/her case, the student
may petition that the Honor Court member step down.
6. Students have a right to present their own side. Students will be able to present witnesses and evidence,
give information, make clarifications and explanations, and know the full extent of the charge and evidence
against them. The student will be able to make statements to the Honor Court, and may choose to have legal
counsel. The student will be able to answer the charges before the Honor Court, and to refute the accuser.
7. Students have a right to a speedy resolution. The first step in the process after a formal complaint is
made is a preliminary decision of whether or not the Honor Court will have a hearing. The student accused will
be promptly be notified if the majority of Honor Court Representatives do not believe that there was a violation,
the case will be closed and go no further. Honor Court hearings will be scheduled so as to avoid excessive
delay. If the student accused cannot be present at the scheduled time, a delay of up to ten days may be
made. If the student chooses not to appear, the hearing will be held without the student, and a decision will be
reached.
8. Students have the right to know the consequences of an Honor Court decision. 9. Students have the
right to appeal. The student has a right to appeal any finding or penalty to the Student Promotions Committee
of the Faculty, with final appeal to the Vice Dean for Educational Affairs of the College of Medicine or his/her
designee.
Appendix A Amendment Process [Table of Contents]
Any amendments to the Code of Ethics must be rendered in accordance with SGA policy and follow the
amendment procedure as outlined in the SGA constitution. Recommendations for revisions to the Code of
Ethics must be initiated and executed by the Honor Court and its members, and presented to the SGA for
approval.

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Table of Contents

Section 1: Academic Policies and Academic Progress

Attendance Guidelines for Promotion: Year 3 to Year 4

Section 2: Facilities and Services

Overview Public Safety: Your Right to Know

Section 3: University Policies

Section 4: Health Policy, Disease Surveillance, and Clearances for Students

Health Insurance Student Reporting Requirements

Code of Ethics The Honor Court

Attendance [Table of Contents]

Missed Time in Preclinical Years

Missed time from Clinical Rotations

Absences for Residency Interviews

Electronic Communication and Web Presence [Table of Contents]

The Grading System [Table of Contents]

Individual Course or Clinical Rotation Grade Policies [Table of Contents]

Appealing a Grade or Evaluation in a Course or Clerkship - All Years [Table of Contents]

Course grades are the jurisdiction of the individual department.

Students Requesting Accommodations [Table of Contents]

Examination Policies and Procedures- All Years [Table of Contents]

Unacceptable reasons to miss a scheduled examination:

Years 1 and 2 Exam Rules

Years 3 and 4 Exam Rules

NBME Testing Policies

Withdrawing from Coursework [Table of Contents]

Extended Curriculum [Table of Contents]

Change of Curricular Track

Step 1 of the USMLE: Institutional Policies

Step 1 Deferral Policy

Time Limitations for Completion of Step 1

Limitation of Number of attempts at Step 1

Guidelines for Promotion: From Year 3 to Year 4 [Table of Contents]

NBME Subject Examination Policies

Guidelines for Promotion: From Year 4 to Graduation [Table of Contents]

Step 2 of the USMLE: Institutional Policies

Step 2 Clinical Knowledge (CK) and Step 2 Clinical Skills (CS)

Time Limitations for Completion of Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS

Limitation of Number of attempts at Step 2 CK and Step 2 CS

Step 2 CK or CS Deferral Policy

4th Year Pathways

1. Pathway Advising Form #1: Pathway Lottery Approval Form.

4th Year Coursework

Graduation Requirements [Table of Contents]

3. Teaching, Non-patient care related (e.g., OMED, Mini-Med School, Anatomy,

4. Research (Basic Science or Clinical), Non-patient care related

5. Transition to Clinician II: Transition to Residency

Completion of Transition to Clinician II is mandatory for all Fourth Year

Additional Guidelines Regarding Graduation from the College of Medicine

Participation in Commencement Ceremonies

Clinical Rotation Policies [Table of Contents]

Clinical Workload/Duty Hours

Clinical Rotation Schedule Change Policies

Maximum Weeks in Individual 4th Year Electives

Individual Clinical Site Policies

Acceptable Use of Network and Information Technology Resources

Educational Housing Policies

Telephone Utilization within Housing Provided by Clinical Institutions

Lost or Damaged Personal Property

Student Advising [Table of Contents]

Behavioral and Professionalism Standards

2. Reliability and Responsibility

4. Team-Building and Communication

Feedback and Evaluation of Professionalism