LCME Accreditation: Achieving Excellence Together

What Counts as Mistreatment?

Examples include:

• Public humiliation
• Threats or acts of physical harm
• Requests for personal services
• Unwanted sexual advances or requests for sexual favors
• Sexist, racially or ethnically, discriminatory, or offensive remarks
• Denial of opportunities or unfair grading based on gender, race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, disability, or other personal characteristics
• Punitive or biased use of grading

This list is not exhaustive; students may report any serious concern. More detailed info available: https://education.uwmedicine.org/student-affairs/learning-environment/

How to Report Concerns:

Students (4 options)

• Real-time or immediate options:
  1. Director of the Learning Environment: Contact Melinda Frank via phone or appointment. Available to all students at all sites.
  2. aLERT Feedback Tool: Submit concerns anonymously or with your name; choose your preferred follow-up. Each student receives laminated badge card with QR code to report mistreatment.
  3. Any UWSOM Dean: Foundations, Clinical, and Student Affairs deans can all receive reports.
• End-of-Course Feedback: Report concerns via End-of-Block evaluations (Foundations) and Medical Student of Educator evaluations (Clinical Phases). These are reviewed after the course/rotation.

All community members:

• UW Civil Rights Compliance Office (CRC): UW Central reporting form https://www.washington.edu/civilrights/making-a-report/make-a-report/
• Resources: UW Office of the Ombud: all UWSOM members can discuss their concerns, explore options and next steps.

What Happens After a Report is Submitted?

• Reports go directly to the Director of the Learning Environment, who maintains confidentiality.
• Concerns are reviewed by deans and the Learning Environment team at Incident Response & Oversight Committee (IROC) weekly meetings.
• IROC triages concerns based on the concern, the committee may recommend feedback, remediation, monitoring, or removal from teaching. All actions are taken in collaboration with the student and handled confidentiality.
• Responsible leaders (typically clerkship directors and department chairs) receive anonymized reports after grades are finalized. The reports include respect scores, mistreatment data and confidential comments which can be discussed with clerkship faculty and residents/fellows.
• Incidents involving discrimination or sexual misconduct are reported when required to UW Civil Rights Compliance Office (CRC) or UW SafeCampus (student identity withheld unless the student requests otherwise).
• Students who report non-anonymously receive milestone status updates: 1) confirmation of receipt of report; 2) notification that IROC has reviewed their report and dates it will be released to a responsible party(ies) to take action in response; 3) notification that action has been taken in response to their report.

Confidentiality & Protection from Retaliation

• All individuals are protected from retaliation under UW EO No. 81 Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct .
• Reports are not shared with teaching faculty until after final grades (unless immediate safety concerns arise).
• Students are contacted before any action is taken in urgent safety situations.

Where to Find Policies

MD Program Policies webpage https://education.uwmedicine.org/md-program-policies-handbook/student-mistreatment-policy/

• UWSOM Student Mistreatment Policy:
  • Learning Environment webpage: https://education.uwmedicine.org/student-affairs/learning-environment/
• UW Executive Order (EO) No.81 Prohibiting Discrimination, Harassment, and Sexual Misconduct: Prohibits discrimination, harassment, sexual misconduct and retaliation in all University programs and activities. This policy guarantees that individuals who report concerns are protected from retaliation.
  • Husky Prevention & Response course is a required online course for all UW students and employees.
• How Policies & Procedures are Communicated: These policies are communicated to students via orientations, weekly newsletters, policy reminders, the transition to clerkship, and clerkship orientations/websites.