Code of Professional Conduct

Relevant Policies

Faculty, staff, and students must  comply with all regulations regarding conduct established by Duke University, the School of Medicine, and the Health System.  In addition, sites at which student rotate may have additional expectations, as may the student’s own program. These include at a minimum:

• The Duke School of Medicine Bulletin
• Duke Health Social Media Policy
• Duke Health HIPAA Policy
• Duke Policy on Consensual Relationships
• Individual’s own academic program documents
• Regulations of Duke University, School of Medicine, and the Health System

Statement of the Code of Professional Conduct

The Code of Professional Conduct is intended to promote expected behaviors and clarify the behaviors that are considered unacceptable. This code does not anticipate every potential offense, and unprofessional behavior not specifically mentioned in this code can still be subject to academic sanctions.

Behaviors

Expected Professional behaviors - the following list provides representative examples and is not exhaustive

Intellectual integrity and honesty Kindness and Empathy Maintenance of patient confidentiality Respect for and Inclusion of people from all backgrounds Concern for the welfare of others and respect for the rights of others                                                                    Prompt, responsive, and respectful interpersonal and electronic communication Collaboration and Teamwork Respectful and timely completion of administrative tasks (i.e. flu shots, request for personal time off, completion of assignments, and evaluations) Adherence to program policies, including those related to attendance, professional dress and appearance, & social media   Respectful receipt, delivery and incorporation of feedback Reporting witnessed violations of the code of professional conduct

Unacceptable Professional Behaviors -the following list provides representative examples and is not exhaustive

Cheating Lying, Stealing, and Plagiarism Bullying and disrespectful behavior towards others Breaching patient confidentiality Misrepresenting one’s professional self Acting outside one’s scope of practice Fabricating or falsifying patient/research data Being dismissive of or defensive about feedback Acting without informed consent Discriminating on the basis of group characteristics Engaging in behaviors that would be considered sexual harassment Engaging in romantic, sexual or other nonprofessional relationship with patient, patient’s family member, supervisor, supervisee, or faculty Failing to adhere to principles of research integrity & ethics Bribing others for personal gain

Scope of the Code of Professional Conduct

Professional behavior in the classroom, laboratory, clinical settings, and community, including online presence, is considered an essential element of academic performance and is necessary for promotion and ultimately, graduation/successful program completion. Society has high standards for the conduct of health professionals, and behavior outside of the academic setting may come to the attention of the school and impact progression.

In the health professions, professionalism is integral to academic success and cannot be separated from “academic” issues.  Failure to adhere to behaviors consistent with these professional standards may jeopardize advancement and graduation.  Lapses in professionalism can compromise future  licensure and credentialing.  Egregious professionalism lapses or a pattern of more minor professionalism issues may require reporting to future educational entities, licensing boards, credentialing organizations, and future employers.

The Code of Professional Conduct applies to a student while enrolled and after graduation in matters pertaining to certifying credentials, issuing transcripts, and verifying degrees that have been granted by the School of Medicine.

Civil and Criminal Charges/Offenses

1. Civil Offense

• The matriculating or current student should report a civil action against them (final or not) as soon as possible but no later than 3 business days to:
  • the Vice Dean for Education for the MD program
  • the Program Director for the MBS, DPT, OT, PA programs
• If the program determines that the behavior reported in the civil action could be detrimental to the safety or well-being of our community or patients, the school reserves the right to immediately remove the student from the learning environment.Once the student reports the situation as outlined above a review will be conducted by the Program Director and Vice Dean for Education.
• The outcome of this review will be conveyed to the student by Program Director and/or the Vice Dean for Education.
• The student has 10 business days to appeal the decision to the Dean.

2. Criminal Offense

• The matriculating or current student is obligated to report everything immediately to
  • the Vice Dean for Education for the MD program
  • the Program Director for the MBS, DPT, OT, PA programs
• If the student is charged with a felony or a misdemeanor that implicates the safety or well-being of our community or patients, they will be removed immediately from the course of study until/unless cleared of a criminal charge.
• Once the student reports the situation as outlined above a review will be conducted by the Program Director and Vice Dean for Education.
• The outcome of this review will be conveyed to the student by Program Director and/or the Vice Dean for Education.
• The student has 10 business days to appeal the decision to the Dean.

School of Medicine Response to Lapses in Professionalism

Reports of lapses in professionalism will be managed by each individual program following their specific program policies and procedures located in handbook/bulletin. Specific incidents will be considered in the context in which they occur, their impact on others, the student’s response to feedback as well as the magnitude and pattern of lapses of professionalism.

Members of our community should report witnessed violations of the Code of Professional Conduct to a school official, via the various notification systems identified below. Students may initially report to their advisors and be directed to the official reporting options. Not reporting witnessed violations of the Code of Professional Conduct may also be construed as a lapse in professionalism. The following table compares reporting options.  

System	Method	Location	Anonymity
Professionalism Notification System (preferred for professionalism issues)	Electronic	Within professional school	Depends on Program Physician Assistant (PA) - No Physical Therapy (PT) - up to person reporting Occupational Therapy (OT) - up to person reporting Master of Biomedical Sciences (MBS) - up to person reporting Doctor of Medicine (MD) - up to person reporting
Adverse Event Reporting System	Electronic	Within Professional School	Anonymous
End of Course Evaluations (preferred for content about course)	Electronic- per individual programs	Within Professional School	Depends on Program PA- No MD- Up to person Reporting
SOM Ombudsperson Email: ombudsman@mc.duke.edu or call Dr. Spaulding’s office at (919) 668-3326	Initiated by phone call, email or meeting	SOM	Ombudsperson will know your identity, but will not share without your permission
Duke Office for Institutional Equity For Types of Harassment and Discrimination (*other types of reports may result in the school contacting OIE)	Initiated by phone call, email or meeting	Duke University	OIE will know your identity, case by case evaluation for severity and possible investigation which may compromise anonymity. *
Safety Reporting System (SRS)	Electronic on Pin Stations	Duke University Health System	Yes