Policy Statement:
The Keck School of Medicine (KSOM) is committed to maintaining and promoting a respectful learning environment for all members of the Keck community. Mistreatment or disrespectful interactions are not tolerated by the KSOM or the University of Southern California. Retaliation against individuals who report unprofessional behavior/ mistreatment, harassment or discrimination is also prohibited by KSOM and the University.
For the purposes of this policy, mistreatment, as defined by the Association of American Medical Colleges, is behavior that shows disrespect for the dignity of others and unreasonably interferes with the learning process. Mistreatment can take the form of physical punishment, sexual harassment, psychological cruelty, and discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, sex, age or sexual orientation.[1]
Faculty, staff and students are held to the following codes, each of which include specific definitions of prohibited conduct that fall within the broader definition of mistreatment:
- USC Principles of Community
- Code of Ethics of the University of Southern California
- The Keck School of Medicine Code of Professional Conduct for Faculty
- The Code of Professional Behavior
- Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation
- USC Student Conduct Code and Policies
Procedures
We encourage all community members to promptly report discrimination, harassment, mistreatment, and disrespectful interactions so that we may take prompt action and investigate and respond effectively.
Reporting Mistreatment Unrelated to Protected Class Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation:
Within KSOM, students can report mistreatment through the following mechanisms:
- Online report anonymous[2] or identified
Concerns can be shared through KSOM’s online reporting system through MedOasis. You can access MedOasis through my.USC.edu and select the MedOasis Widget. The mistreatment report form is located in the announcement box at the top of your MedOais home page.
Reports made through this system are reviewed by the associate and/or assistant deans for student affairs who will oversee the reporting of the incident and forward the report to the appropriate personnel for assessment and intervention.
- Evaluations
At the conclusion of any course, clerkship, elective or selective, students are able to indicate any concerns with regard to mistreatment. If a student indicates a concern, the reports are forwarded to the associate and/or assistant dean for student affairs. These reports are made through Entrada and MedOasis.
- Associate and/or Assistant Dean for Student Affairs
A student considering making a report may also bring a concern related to the incident(s) to the associate and/or assistant dean for student affairs. The Deans-on-Call service may be utilized for after hour concerns: (323)442-2553.
Within the broader University framework for responding to misconduct, students, staff, and faculty can report concerns related to non-protected class bullying, intimidation, unfair treatment, and other ethical conduct or behavior concerns to the University’s Office of Professionalism and Ethics (OPE), and/or to the University’s Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX (EEO-TIX).
- Office of Professionalism and Ethics (OPE)
OPE is responsible for the centralized reporting of concerns across both the Health Sciences and University Park Campuses. OPE will review and refer all complaints to the appropriate office based on the type of mistreatment reported. Reports involving protected class discrimination and harassment are referred to EEO-TIX. Reports involving non-protected class concerns may be referred to Faculty Affairs, Human Resources, and Student Affairs. Contact OPE directly at ope@usc.edu or (213) 740-5755.
- Help & Hotline
Reports may be made through the University’s Help & Hotline, either online at report.usc.edu, or via 24/7 phone representatives at (800) 348-7454. The Help & Hotline allows for anonymous reports. Individuals who make an anonymous report can communicate with the University through the Help & Hotline to ask questions and seek information without disclosing their identity.
Reporting Mistreatment Related to Protected Class Discrimination, Harassment, or Retaliation:
Reports of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation related to protected class (e.g. race, ethnicity, religion, sex, age, shared ancestry and ethnic characteristics, medical condition pregnancy, disability, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under federal, state, or local law, regulation, or ordinance) should be made to the Office for Equity, Equal Opportunity, and Title IX (EEO-TIX):
- In person: USC Credit Union Building; 3720 South Flower Street, 2nd Floor
Los Angeles, CA 90089-0704; http://eeotix.usc.edu/ - By telephone (213) 740-5086
- By email: eeotix@usc.edu(for all inquiries, reports, or complaints regarding the Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation or other forms of Prohibited Conduct) vpeeotix@usc.edu to reach the VP of EEO-TIX
Reports made to KSOM or to designated University employees must be shared with EEO-TIX. Designated employees within KSOM include the associate and/or assistant dean for student affairs, and any faculty or staff member.
Additional Resources:
Resources and support are available through KSOM, OPE and EEO-TIX.
The KSOM ombuds is an additional resource for students, faculty and staff in discussing mistreatment concerns, reporting, and finding resolution. The Health Science Campus Ombuds can be reached at hscombuds@usc.edu.
Resolution/Action for Mistreatment Reported within KSOM:
The associate and/or assistant deans for student affairs shall assess the circumstances of the reported mistreatment, develop a plan, and collate and forward all complaints to the appropriate supervisor for review and action. Discipline will be consistent with University and KSOM policies on disciplinary actions as set forth in the USC Faculty Handbook, the USC Staff Employee Handbook, the Keck School of Medicine Student Handbook, or affiliated hospital policies, as applicable.
For Residents:
If an action is assessed by medical education leadership to be egregious, the report is handled immediately with the resident’s program director and/or the department chair, the senior associate dean for graduate medical education or, if appropriate, the dean. When the issue does not fall into either of these categories, a resident report is sent to the resident’s program director (after the student’s grade is submitted), who employs a tiered response based on the event and/or the number of previous concerns in accordance with the policies and procedures of the institution.
For Faculty:
If an action is assessed by medical education leadership to be egregious the report is handled immediately with the Office of Faculty Affairs and/or the department chair, or if appropriate, the dean. When the issue does not fall into either of these categories, a faculty report is sent to the clerkship director or handled directly by the associate dean for curriculum after the student’s grade is submitted.
For Staff:
The report is handled through that individual’s Human Resources Department.
For Students:
If an action is assessed by medical education leadership to be egregious the report is handled by the associate dean for student affairs with presentation to the Student Performance Committee as appropriate for further consideration of professionalism at risk status, professionalism probation and/or possible dismissal. The vice dean and/or the dean may be notified. When the issue does not fall into these categories, a student report is evaluated by the associate dean for student affairs in consultation with the vice dean and appropriate counseling is provided.
Resolution and Tracking by KSOM:
All complaints of mistreatment are tracked by the Office of Student Affairs and reported to the vice dean for medical education. The Office of Student Affairs generates annual aggregate reports of all complaints as a report to the Medical Education Curriculum Committee, the Medical Education Executive Council, the Clinical Chairs Committee, the Graduate Medical Education Committee and the dean for review.
Retaliation:
Retaliation against individuals who report mistreatment is unacceptable. KSOM policy and the USC Student Conduct Code both prohibit threatened, attempted, or actual retaliation against anyone who, in good faith, brings a complaint of mistreatment. Retaliation may include, but is not limited to: adverse employment or academic action, lowering a grade, giving a poor academic recommendation, exclusion from employment or educational opportunities, limited scholarly activities, and/or spreading negative information about individual involved in complaint.
Retaliation may be reported using the reporting mechanisms identified above.
The University’s Policy on Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Retaliation specifically prohibits retaliation against any individual because they made a report, participated in a University investigation or process, or protested the alleged discrimination, harassment, or retaliation. Anyone who believes they have experienced such retaliation is strongly encouraged to contact EEO-TIX.
Reviewed and Approved: June 9, 2021
Medical Education Executive Council
[1] Adopted from the Association of American Medical Colleges. This definition includes an abbreviated list of protected classes under federal, state, and local law and ordinances. The University’s notice of non-discrimination is available here: https://eeotix.usc.edu/notice-of-non-discrimination/.
[2] Depending on the nature of the information shared, anonymous reporting of concerns may limit KSOM or the University’s ability to investigate or respond to the report or provide follow up information to the reporting party.