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The WLHSDM is a learning community whose goal is to enable each student to achieve their full potential, while providing quality patient care. A cornerstone of the educational community is the expectation that learners will be treated appropriately and with dignity. The guiding principle of professional behavior is the absolute requirement of “respect for other persons.” In our diverse learning community, respect is to be demonstrated toward all individuals, regardless of race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, or religion. This learning environment includes corrective feedback to students that is honest and constructive. This feedback should be provided in a helpful, specific, and accurate manner, and should be focused on behaviors. When the feedback is corrective, it should be offered privately and respect-fully.
Faculty providing feedback should do so with the goal of helping the learner to improve. Those receiving feedback should do so graciously, with the assumption that it is given generously and in good faith. When inappropriate feedback is perceived to have occurred, learners must be able to communicate their concerns without the fear of retaliation. Academic growth often occurs best when the learner is challenged; therefore, heated discourse and conflict may occur during these times. However, these discussions should always be conducted in a civil and respectful way.
Definition of Mistreatment:
Mistreatment is behavior that adversely affects the learning environment and negatively impacts the learner/teacher relationship. Inappropriate and unacceptable behaviors promote an atmosphere in which abuse is accepted and perpetuated in the learning environment. In general, actions taken in good faith by faculty to correct unacceptable performance is not considered mistreatment. Any faculty feedback to a student during rounds, conferences, or in other clinical settings that denotes a substandard performance by the student is not considered mistreatment unless it is done in an inappropriate manner.
Examples of appropriate behavior include, but are not limited to:
- Conducting all interactions in a manner free of any bias or prejudice;
- Providing a clear description of expectations by all participants at the beginning of all educational endeavors, rotations and assignments;
- Encouraging an atmosphere of openness in which students will feel welcome to offer questions, ask for help, make suggestions, and disagree;
- Providing timely and specific feedback in a constructive manner, appropriate to the level of experience/training, and in an appropriate setting, with the intent of guiding students toward a higher level of knowledge and skill;
- Focusing feedback on observed behaviors and desired outcomes, with suggestions for improvement;
- Focusing constructive criticism on performance rather than personal characteristics of the student;
- Basing rewards and evaluations on merit, not favoritism.
Examples of inappropriate behavior include, but are not limited to:
- Questioning or otherwise publicly addressing students in a manner that would generally be considered humiliating, dismissive, ridiculing, berating, embarrassing, or disrespectful by others (including persons outside the dental profession);
- Asking students or residents to perform personal chores (e.g., buying lunch, bringing coffee, running errands, etc.);
- Telling inappropriate stories or jokes (e.g., ethnic, sexist, racist, crude);
- Behaving in an aggressive manner (e.g., yelling, throwing objects, cursing, threatening physical harm) that creates a hostile environment;
- Assigning tasks or denying educational opportunities with the intent of punishment;
- Making disparaging comments about students, faculty, patients, patients’ families, other health care professionals, or staff;
- Touching students or residents in a sexual manner;
- Taking credit for another faculty’s efforts;
- Intentional neglect or habitual disregard for student/resident learning.
Under no circumstances is it considered acceptable practice for any participant in the educational programs to demonstrate bias, prejudice, exclusion, or other unprofessional behavior. Such unacceptable behavior also includes the creation of a concern for “retaliation” against the student. Any perceived or witnessed action of mistreatment shall warrant the filing of a complaint or grievance as desired by the aggrieved party according to the procedures for filing a complaint or grievance.
Students who experience mistreatment are urged to proceed with the formal process of reporting that mistreatment as described in the dispute resolution policies.
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