Approved by: UAMS COM Curriculum Committee
Version History: Revisions approved 6/27/22
Download a PDF of this policy.
The purpose of this policy is to avoid conflicts of interest in student evaluation, assessment, and promotion decisions.
Health Care Conflict of Interest
Medical students sometimes seek medical treatment, including psychiatric or psychological treatment, from faculty or housestaff physicians. Due to the number and diversity of our residents, faculty members, the size of the student body, and because a physician/patient relationship between the student and the faculty member or resident is typically not known to those making student schedules, students may be assigned to such faculty members or residents. If a student is assigned to a health care environment in which a supervising faculty member or resident will assess or evaluate that students’ performance and has previously provided health care services to the student, the faculty member or resident must advise the course/clerkship director of a need to re-assign that student (without disclosing why) to a different faculty member or resident irrespective of the wishes of the student.
Healthcare providers in the Student Wellness Center and in the Student Health Clinic do not evaluate medical students or serve on the Student Promotion Committee.
Faculty members on the Student Promotions Committee who have provided any health care services to any student being considered by the committee are required to recuse themselves from discussion and vote on any action regarding that student.
Course/clerkship directors who have provided any health care services to a student will not assign a final grade or assessment, but will ask another faculty member in that course/clerkship to do so.
Other Conflicts of Interest
Faculty members or residents who have other conflicts of interest with a student, such as serving as a student’s academic or career advisor, being a first degree relative or having a business or financial relationship outside UAMS, will also inform the course/clerkship for a student re-assignment; or if on the promotions committee, they will recuse.
Notification of Students, Faculty and Housestaff
Faculty and Housestaff will be notified/reminded of this policy as follows:
- Course/clerkship directors will remind faculty who evaluate students in their course/clerkship of this policy at least annually
- All faculty and housestaff who teach medical students will complete an annual medical education policy update in Workday that will include this policy
Students will be notified/reminded of this policy as follows:
- The policy is included in the COM Student Handbook; all students receive a paper copy as a freshman and it is posted on the Student section of the COM website
- Junior students will be reminded of the policy during orientation to the junior year
Compliance Steps
All student performance evaluations include a statement that the faculty member or resident must check indicating that they do not have a conflict of interest, including not having provided health care services to that student.
Promotions committee members sign an annual statement indicating that they have received a copy of this policy and they agree to abide by it.
Course/clerkship directors sign an annual statement indicating that they have received a copy of this policy and that they will not assign grades to any student with which they have a conflict of interest, but will ask another course/clerkship faculty member to assign the final grade for that student.