Standard of Behavior in the Learning Environment

 Classroom Behavior Policy

Students are expected to demonstrate professional behavior in the classroom as demonstrated by punctuality, respect for others’ opinions, attentiveness, and courtesy.

Dress Code Policy

All students are expected to dress in appropriate professional attire during the entire course of their medical school education at the PLFSOM in the classroom, clinic or hospital. Professional dress would include (but not be limited to) clean clothing, no holes, no open toe shoes, no shorts, no sweats.

The student is expected to be compliant with the OSHA guidelines when seeing any type of patients - standardized or real patients - or during any lab experience.

Hats, caps, and other head gear are not permitted in the classroom. Only headgear worn for religious purposes and approved in advance by the Office of Student Services is permissible.

Electronic Devices in the Classroom

The use of electronic devices in the classroom setting (i.e., laptop computers, PDAs, etc.) is to be limited to that which is necessary for that particular class. Cell phones are to be turned off or placed in vibrate mode.

Unauthorized use of audio and video recording is prohibited.

Bluetooth headsets for phones should not be worn in the classroom setting.

Testing Policy

All formative and summative computer testing will be done at a designated location with secure access. The student will not be allowed to bring anything into the room during testing other than their testing computer (per the BYOD policy) so they should allow ample time to store their belongings. (Lockers are available in the colleges.) Scratch pads, calculators and other items needed for the test will be provided.

Any unauthorized reproduction of test items by any method is a serious breach of the Medical Student Code of Professional and Academic Conduct and will result in disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the School of Medicine.

Duty Hours Policy

Please see PLFSOM Common Clerkship Policies AY 2023-2024  

Evaluation Participation Policy

All students are expected to participate in the evaluation system at PLFSOM. The expectations are set out in the Faculty Evaluation & Reporting Policy and the Course Evaluation & Reporting Policy and the expectations laid out below are synopsized from these policies. (http://elpaso.ttuhsc.edu/som/ome/CEPC/policies.aspx)

Evaluations expected of students consist of course and teaching evaluations. Expectations depend on where a student is in their course of study. Students in the MS1 & MS2 years are expected to complete a minimum of:

For students in their clerkship years, the expectations are:

M1 & M2 students will be assigned faculty to evaluate. In the event that the student does not believe they saw the faculty member, s/he is expected to decline the evaluation and complete a voluntary evaluation on the faculty member of their choice (evaluation of Spanish faculty is encouraged). M3 & M4 students are expected to choose the individuals they evaluate.

Participation in evaluations is considered an indicator of both professional citizenship and general professionalism. Throughout their careers, physicians are required to submit paperwork under time limits and other pressures. In many ways, the evaluation system is a platform for students to begin to learn the skills for dealing with such demands.

Evaluations completed by students are used for curricular review/improvement and faculty accountability. Course results, reported in aggregate after grades are submitted, are provided to curriculum committees, course directors, faculty, deans and department chairpersons. Faculty/resident results are reported to the specific faculty/resident and their supervisors. Identified trends of concern are also reportable to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and the Associate Dean for Medical Education. In addition to curricular review/improvement and faculty accountability functions, accreditation and research drives the expectation of participation. Curriculum reviews at the end of each course, year, and every 3 years include the results of evaluations. Evaluation ratings for faculty are used both for performance reviews and promotion and tenure applications.

LCME requires that schools have a robust evaluation system with high levels of student involvement. Research indicates that professionalism at the undergraduate medical education level is predictive of later professionalism issues. On these bases, we have established consequences for non-compliance.

Consequences for non-compliance:

All students will receive professionalism assessments at the end of each required evaluation period. The assessments indicate if the student met the expectation, was late (evaluations close for participation the day after the deadline), or failed to submit one or more evaluations. Additionally, students may receive an assessment on their communication skills as appropriate.

The professional citizenship assessments contribute to the College Mentor annual summaries. For year one, this will be a formative report so that the student knows what areas need improvement. For year two, this will be a summative comment that will be included in the Medical School Performance Evaluation (MSPE or Dean’s letter) that is distributed to residency application sites. (See Professional Accountability policy ) Students may challenge comments in their portfolio. (See Challenging Student Records or Grades policy ).

Information about assignments, any changes, or other information about evaluation requirements will be communicated via email. Students are expected to read emails in their entirety and request clarifications before the deadline. Students will not receive warnings prior to receiving professionalism assessments. Students may view assessments in their e-portfolios in the evaluations tab.

Medical Education Program “BYOD” Protocol

The Information Technology Department is introducing a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) initiative for the testing centers.

All students, residents and staff using the testing centers in the Medical Education Building (MEB) and Gayle Greve Hunt School of Nursing (GGHSON) will be required to provide their own personal computing devices. Therefore, all students must possess and maintain a laptop computer that meets the technical specifications of TTUHSC El Paso and their school or program.

If you have questions, please contact the IT Help Desk at 915-215-4111 or ELP.HelpDesk@ttuhsc.edu.

Program Statement: For full participation in the M.D. degree program, students in the Paul L. Foster School of Medicine (PLFSOM) are responsible for providing and maintaining electronic devices in accordance with current recommended technical specifications. For all other inquiries related to Information Technology support and policy information, please refer to the Student Orientation Packet “IT Welcome” provided by the Office of Student Affairs.

Reason for Statement: This statement is intended to ensure that all medical students have appropriate access, via compatible personal equipment, to the information required for their participation and successful experience in the program.

Who Should Read This Policy: All PLFSOM students, course/clerkship directors, educational program administrators, and PLFSOM academic technology support staff.

Supporting Resources: This protocol is supported by the Office of Medical Education.

• Technical Expectations:
  1. All students are expected to use their own laptops to access assessments, course materials, and educational information (tablets, mobile devices, and smartphones are not recommended for these purposes).
  2. Students are responsible for the maintenance and security of their laptops, devices, and peripherals (e.g. mouse, power supply, network cables). Laptops must meet the minimum technical specifications as determined by the curricular platforms used (see item v).
  3. Neither TTUHSC El Paso nor the PLFSOM is responsible for the consequences of a student choosing to use a device that does not meet these recommended minimum technical requirements. Furthermore students are solely responsible for vendor updates and changes in the technical specifications for applications and services required by the program.
  4. Students are expected to respect administration, faculty, and tutor directions by shutting-off devices during certain educational activities. This includes complying with a faculty member’s decision not to be recorded.
  5. The minimal technical specifications for related learning and assessment platforms may be obtained from the organization’s website (requirements are subject to change):
• Technical Reference List
  1. ExamSoft:
     https://examsoft.force.com/etcommunity/s/article/Examplify-Minimum-System-Requirements
  2. NBME Web Testing:
     http://files.constantcontact.com/71cb3668301/649e2415-f4a2-4e2f-ac30- 84c0cca887ee.pdf
  3. Aquifer: https://aquifer.org/resources-tools/securing-your-exam/
  4. CANVAS learning management system: https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-10721
  5. Media Space (Kaltura):
     https://vpaas.kaltura.com/documentation/Web-Video-Player/Supported_Devices.html
• Recommended general specifications include the following:
  1. Use only internet browsers that are supported by TTUHSC El Paso (do not use beta versions).
  2. Exam certification must be performed on all personal laptops and/or institution-owned systems that will be used for testing at least 10 minutes prior to exam.
  3. Mobile devices, iPads, tablets, and laptops with integrated touchscreens are not recommended or allowed for testing. Virtual machines (including applications) are unreliable when running some required exam platforms and thus are not allowed. Examples: Microsoft Surface Pro 4 and Windows 10 Pro with Hyper V.
  4. Laptops should be able to connect to both wired and wireless networks (newer systems may require an additional Ethernet network adaptor or device).
  5. Fast broadband internet connection is recommended.
  6. In special cases where faculty or course directors promote certain educational applications, please consult application website for technical specifications.
• Student non-compliance with technical protocols, specifically including the use of non-conforming personal devices for testing, may result in any of the following school designated actions:
  1. Administration of the test on a device provided by the institution device (subject to availability)
  2. A change in the modality of the affected student’s test (for example, administration of a paper version)
  3. Changes in the setting and/or location of the test
• In addition, student non-compliance maybe reported as a professionalism concern to the Office of Student Affairs, and potentially result in a referral to the Grading and Promotions Committee.