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

Undesirable Behaviors in the Professional Setting - the following list is representative and 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

Undesirable Behaviors in the Professional Setting - the following list is representative and 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

Individual SOM programs handle students’ lapses in professionalism 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. In keeping with the philosophy of “Patient First,” professionalism breaches that detrimentally affect patient care may prompt academic sanction.

Members of our community are invited to report witnessed or experienced (e.g., reporting a lapse one has noticed in themselves) violations of the Code of Professional Conduct to a school official, via the various notification systems identified below. While anonymous reporting is feasible on some platforms, gathering the full story related to an anonymous report is challenging. Students may initially report to their advisors and may be directed to the official reporting options, though conversation with a faculty or staff member is sufficient to prompt action in some scenarios (e.g., through the Office of Institutional Equity by the faculty or staff member).

Healthcare providers are necessarily held to high standards of professional behavior. Honesty, integrity, and prioritizing patients’ needs are part of the responsibility of a clinical care provider. Not reporting witnessed violations of the Code of Professional Conduct may also be construed as a lapse in professionalism. Below please find some options for reporting concerns about professionalism.

System	Method	Location	Anonymity
Adverse Event Reporting System	Electronic	Considered in the Committee for the Appropriate Treatment of Learners  (CATL)	Anonymous or Identified (preferred)
End of Course Evaluations (preferred for content about course)	Electronic - per individual programs	Within Professional School	Variable per program procedures
https://ombuds.duke.edu/ Phone: 919-864-1032 Email: jessica.kuchta-miller@duke.edu or ombuds@duke.edu	Initiated by phone call, email or meeting	Office of the Ombuds	Ombuds will know your identity and will assist in identifying possible next steps
Duke Office for Institutional Equity All faculty and staff are responsible employees who are required to report to OIE in cases of possible violations of the discrimination and harassment policy	Initiated by phone call, email or meeting	Duke University	Not anonymous
Safety Reporting System (SRS)	Electronic Located on Clinical Work Stations (able to access via CITRIX connection off-campus)	Duke University Health System	Anonymous or Identified (preferred)