Carver College of Medicine Student Handbook: Miscellaneous Other Policies

Back to the Student Handbook Table of Contents

  1. Collegiate policy on medical student duty hours
  2. Student complaints regarding faculty actions
  3. Medical student abuse
  4. Diversity
  5. Parking
  6. Smoking
  7. General policy regarding on-call room keys
  8. Scheduling a club or organization event
  9. Study space guidelines
  10. Cash handling policy
  11. Visiting medical students

Collegiate Policy on Medical Student Duty Hours

  • [Adapted from the ACGME Program Requirements] Providing medical students with a sound academic and clinical education must be carefully planned and balanced with concerns for patient safety and student well-being. Each program must ensure that the learning objectives of the medical curriculum are not compromised by excessive reliance on medical students to fulfill service obligations. Didactic and clinical education must have priority in the allotment of medical students’ time and energies. Duty hour assignments must recognize that faculty, residents and students collectively have responsibility for the safety and welfare of patients.
  • The preclinical curriculum consists of 19 to 20 credit hours per semester. Required contact hours, including lectures, laboratories, small discussion groups, and other formal educational activities, shall be appropriate to the academic credit given. Time for reading, self-directed learning, and other independent study activities are in addition to time for required course activities.
  • Duty hours for medical students on the clinical clerkships must not exceed the duty hours for residents, as defined by the Accreditation Council on Graduate Medical Education’s Common Program Requirements, with particular reference to the section on “Resident Duty Hours and the Working Environment,” subsections “Duty Hours” and “On-Call Activities.” See http://www.acgme.org/acWebsite/dutyHours/dh_Lang703.pdf. Clerkship directors should recognize that medical students and residents may have somewhat different roles and responsibilities regarding education and clinical service, and should make appropriate adjustments in allocating duties.
  • Every clerkship must include this policy in the clerkship syllabus and distribute it to all faculty, fellows, and residents who have responsibility for medical student instruction. The clerkship director is responsible for monitoring medical student duty hours, by a method at his or her discretion that is effective and sufficiently frequent, and shall report the average number of student duty hours to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Curriculum annually and to the Clerkship Directors’ Committee as part of the periodic clerkship reports.
  • Medical students who believe they are being required to devote time to clerkship duties in excess of the provisions of this policy should normally first bring their concerns to the clerkship director during the clerkship. If their concerns are not adequately resolved in this way, or after the end of the clerkship, or if they are not comfortable discussing them with the clerkship director, they may bring these concerns to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Curriculum.
  • If a clerkship director perceives that a student is spending excessive time on clerkship duties, such that the student’s well-being or the well-being of patients may be compromised, the director should counsel the student and if appropriate specifically restrict the amount of time the student spends on duty. If the matter is not appropriately resolved in this way, the director should refer it to the Associate Dean for Student Affairs and Curriculum.

 

Student Complaints Concerning Faculty Actions

Student complaints concerning actions of faculty members are pursued first through the informal mechanisms established in each college for this purpose. Although there is some variation among colleges, these mechanisms generally involve the following steps: (1) The student should first attempt to resolve the issue with the faculty member involved. (2) Lacking a satisfactory outcome, the student should turn to the departmental executive officer, if any. (3) If a satisfactory outcome still is not obtained, the student may take the matter to the collegiate dean.

The Carver College of Medicine has written policies and procedures for resolving complaints. A student dissatisfied with the outcome of an academic complaint against a faculty member at the collegiate level may ask the Office of the Provost to review the matter. If a student’s complaint concerning a faculty action cannot be resolved through the informal mechanisms available, the student may file a formal complaint that will be handled under the procedures established for dealing with alleged violations of the Statement on Professional Ethics and Academic Responsibility as specified in section III-15 of the University Operations Manual. A description of these formal procedures, found in section III-29 and following of the University Operations Manual, can be obtained at http://www.uiowa.edu/~our/opmanual/.

Medical Student Abuse

The College of Medicine's Medical Education Committee has used AMA guidelines to create a definition for medical student mistreatment.  

On the behavioral level abuse may be operationally defined as behavior by healthcare professionals and students which is exploitive or punishing. Examples of inappropriate behavior are; physical punishment or physical threats: sexual harassment; discrimination based on race, religion, ethnicity, sex, age, sexual orientation or physical disabilities; repeated episodes of psychological punishment of a student by a particular superior (e.g. public humiliation, threats, intimidation, removal of privileges); grading used to punish a student rather than to evaluate objective performance; assigning tasks for punishment rather than educational purposes; requiring the performance of personal services; taking credit for another individual's work; intentional neglect or intentional lack of communication.

Diversity

The Carver College of Medicine’s Statement on Diversity: Consistent with its academic mission and standards, the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine is committed to achieving excellence through diversity. As a community of faculty, staff and students engaged in research, patient care, scholarship, teaching and learning, the College of Medicine fosters an environment that is diverse, humane, and welcoming. Efforts are made to provide a supportive environment in which people from a wide variety of backgrounds and cultures may encounter each other in a spirit of cooperation, openness, and mutual respect.

Please see the OSAC Diversity at Iowa website for information on a range of curricular and extracurricular opportunities, student organizations, support services, and mentoring networks.

Parking

Parking around the medical school is very limited. It is suggested that students search for housing that is within walking distance or is close to public transportation.

M1 and M2 medical students may apply for a commuter parking permit in the Finkbine and Hawkeye lots. Applications are due to OSAC in mid-July and permits are effective from approximately August 1 to June 1. In addition to allowing students to park at the Finkbine or Hawkeye commuter lot during the day, a commuter permit also allows students to park free in the Newton Road ramp across the street from MERF between 4:30 pm to 8:30 am on weekdays and all day on weekends. In the event more commuter permit applications are received than there are permits, students with the "greatest need" for parking (M1s through M4s who live outside of the Iowa City/Coralville city limits) are given highest priority in the assignment of permits. M3s and M4s who live within the Iowa City and Coralville limits but outside of the 10 block campus zone will be given next consideration. All other students who apply by the deadline will be considered for any remaining permits.

M3s and M4s are eligible to apply to use one of the 10 rotating parking permits for the Newton Road ramp. Here are the guidelines outlined by the UI Parking Department and OSAC:

  • the 2007-2008 cost of a permit is $18.00 per week (minimum of two weeks) charged to your U-bill or paid by check to the College of Medicine
  • priority for permits is given to students doing clerkships that require them to be present during the very early morning and/or late evening hours
  • placards and access cards must be returned at the end of the clerkship on Friday to allow the person who has reserved it after you to pick it up
  • late-returned or lost access cards and placards will incur a fine
  • students may request a maximum of 6 consecutive weeks on one application form
  • contact Marcia Hopp, marcia-hopp@uiowa.edu, regarding availability of these permits

Smoking

The University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics is a 100 percent smoke-free campus. This is a result of a journey we started back on October 5, 2005, when the University Hospital Advisory Committee (UHAC) approved a change to the UI Hospitals and Clinics’ policy regarding where smoking is permitted. That policy limited smoking outdoors at UI Hospitals and Clinics to designated smoking shelters, and had a future goal of banning smoking on campus entirely by July 1, 2006. On May 17, 2006, the UHAC approved the Smoke-free Environment Policy, which prohibits smoking anywhere on UI Hospitals and Clinics grounds, and includes Parking Ramps 1, 2, 3, and 4. The purpose of this policy change is to eliminate the dangers of secondhand smoke for individuals entering and exiting our health care facility.

Policy enforcement and the consequences of violation are not changed in the policy. It is the responsibility of every individual working at UI Hospitals and Clinics to ask policy violators to observe our policy and either extinguish their cigarettes, or move off campus to smoke. As with any other policy violation, staff that violates this revised smoking policy will be subject to disciplinary action.

We are making this change because we share the same goal as the Iowa Hospital Association, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, the Iowa Consortium for Comprehensive Cancer Control, and several other Iowa hospitals—to reduce exposure to secondhand smoke. Research now suggests that secondhand smoke exposure, even when experienced in the outdoors, is even more dangerous than believed previously. For example, we now have a considerable amount of data demonstrating that relatively small exposures to toxins in tobacco smoke seem to cause unexpectedly large increases in the risk of cardiovascular disease.

We are not alone in efforts to reduce/eliminate exposure to secondhand smoke. Many Iowa hospitals have either become smoke free or have set dates by which they will become smoke free. For example, Cedar Rapids’ two hospitals went smoke free on January 1, 2006. In Des Moines, both Mercy Medical Center and Iowa Health Systems will be smoke free by July 1, 2006. In addition, the UI Health Sciences campus will become smoke free as of January 1, 2007. This includes the Colleges of Dentistry, Nursing, Medicine, and Pharmacy, and the Hardin Library for the Health Sciences. In the meantime, we are asking that you voluntarily refrain from smoking on the grounds of the UI Health Sciences campus, even though that smoke-free policy will not be implemented for several more months.

The location of our grounds within a larger University campus and the large numbers of daily visitors make this change challenging. At the same time, we recognize our responsibility to patients, their families, visitors, and staff to create a safe and healthy environment in which to both receive and give care. This policy change is not meant to make individuals quit smoking, however, we are committed to assisting staff members and others who wish to stop or reduce their smoking.

Staff members can purchase over-the-counter nicotine replacement products (gum and lozenges) in the Ambulatory Care Pharmacies and cessation counseling is available at no charge through the University Employee Health Clinic.

For patients:

  • UI Hospitals faculty and staff will assist hospitalized patients to assess their tobacco use and establish a plan for assistance during their hospital stay.
  • Clinic patients who would like to use nicotine replacement therapy while on campus should plan to bring their own supply, or may purchase gum or lozenges at the Ambulatory Care Pharmacies.
  • Visitors should plan to use nicotine replacement therapy while on our campus, or leave UI Hospitals and Clinics property to smoke.

UI Hospitals and Clinics has been smoke free inside our buildings since the early 1990s. Prohibiting smoking outdoors on our campus reflects our responsibility to create a safe and healthy environment in which to receive and to give care.

We hope that you will respect and support these actions to reduce secondhand smoke exposure to yourself, your co-workers, and our patients and visitors. Please discuss your questions with your supervisor.

This message sent on behalf of Director and CEO of UI Hospitals and Clinics Donna Katen-Bahensky and Dean of the UI Roy J. and Lucille A. Carver College of Medicine Jean E. Robillard, MD.

General Policy Statement Regarding On-Call Room Keys

On-call rooms are assigned by the Graduate Medical Education Office in order to provide accommodations for residents, fellows and medical students during their overnight stays in the hospital. In order to maintain a secure and safe environment of these call rooms, keys are provided to the requesting party through the Graduate Medical Education Office (located at C135 GH – first floor of the General Hospital).

In order to continue to provide safety and security for individuals in the Graduate Medical Education call rooms, the following procedure is necessary:

On-call room keys must be checked out in the Graduate Medical Education Office.

Individuals requesting a call room key will provide the following:

  1. Name
  2. Level of Training (i.e. M3, R2, F1)
  3. Length of Rotation/Anticipated Date of Return
  4. Today’s Date
  5. Initials to acknowledge policy

If the key is not returned within 30 days after the rotation, the individual who checked out the key will be charged $20.

  1. The $20 will be an expense generated on their University Bill.
  2. Refunds will be granted once the key is returned to the Graduate Medical Education Office.
  3. Directions will be provided to the requesting party in order to locate the on-call rooms.

 

Scheduling an event for a student organization or club

Contact Jean Lantz in OSAC, jean-lantz@uiowa.edu, if you have questions on these guidelines:

  • To schedule a student organization’s meeting or event, check the ICON events calendar https://icon.uiowa.edu/ in OSAC Communications to see what else is scheduled on that date. Please remember that from 12:30-1:30 on Tuesdays is reserved for Communities events so student groups cannot schedule regular events and meetings at that time. Events may be scheduled on Tuesday evenings .
  • Reserve a room for your meeting through Bev Black. See her in person in the MERF atrium, email her at Beverly-black@uiowa.edu or call 354-4709. This can be done as much in advance as you would like. If you plan to serve food at your event, please confirm with Bev that you are allowed to serve food in the room you are reserving. If you cancel your meeting, please cancel your room reservation through Bev. Please ask Bev to put the event on the ICON event calendar. Staff members in OSAC are also able to place items on the ICON events calendar.
  • Announce your meeting on your student organization’s list serve. You may also send reminder notices on the list serve. If you are posting flyers in the building, please use the white lab tape that is available in each of the community offices, in OSAC or from Bev Black. Scotch tape and masking tape leave marks on the walls, doors and glass. Please take your flyers down after your meeting.
  • Please leave the room clean. If you have served food at your meeting, please wipe the tables, tie the garbage bags closed and place them in the hall. A vacuum cleaner and broom are available in OSAC. If you have rearranged furniture, please put the room back together.

Study Space Guidelines

MERF 1st floor study rooms:

  • Are more appropriate for group study.
  • Individuals studying in a study room should make it clear that people can join them (leave the curtain up, door open).
  • Do not be afraid to ask to join people in their study rooms.
  • RESERVATIONS can be made at least 24 hours in advance with Bev Black, (beverly-black@uiowa.edu), by recognized student organizations, tutor groups, and groups such as path small groups that specifically need that space.
  • Reservations will be for no longer than 2 hours, unless there are special circumstances.
  • Leaving one’s belongings in a room does not reserve that room.
  • There is also space available in the communities and in 1117 MERF for study.

MERF 2nd floor:

  • 2123 & 2165 (except 2165a) will be available most evenings.
  • 2135 & 2155 can also be made available on a more limited basis if there is a demand (please talk to your mayor if this is the case).
  • Rooms may occasionally be closed for exam purposes.
  • Schedules will be posted outside to show availability.
  • Please use the “In Use” light to demonstrate that the room is in use.

Custodial Concerns for all study spaces:

  • Please leave all furniture in place.
  • Please leave the room cleaner than it was upon arrival.
  • Please accommodate the staff and leave the room while it is being cleaned if necessary.
  • Do not move the computer carts in the study rooms.
  • These spaces will only be available if they are respected and kept clean.

  • Please do not use the push-button locks on the classroom doors in MERF.  It is very easy to lock yourself out of the room when you take a break.

Cash handling policy

  1. Money/Checks must be deposited when they total $500 or once a week, whichever comes first.
  2. Each community has a locking deposit bag (with 2 keys) that can be used when collecting money. The keys for the bags will be kept by the community support staff person and either the faculty director or community director.
  3. If the money is to be held overnight without being deposited, it should be locked in the bag and given to the community support staff to be locked in their area.
  4. There is specific separation of duties that must be followed when processing money. They are as follows:
    • Student collects money/checks, counts (Count #1) and fills out the deposit form, brings form and money to support staff person in their community. Depending on the event you may want to keep a log of the actual checks received. If a log is kept please include a copy with the deposit form. Checks also need to have ‘For Deposit Only’ written on the back in the endorsement section.
    • Community support staff person counts (Count #2) the money/checks, fills out the deposit form and brings to depositor when finished along with the check log if one is kept.
    • Depositor (OSAC staff person) counts again (EDeposit Count) and fills out the deposit form for the bank, stamps the actual endorsement on the checks, and gives money/checks to our runner to take to the bank. A copy of the edeposit form, bank deposit slip, check log, and deposit form will all be attached together for the reconciler.
    • Reconciler (Linda Bissell) will monthly verify the statements of account with the deposit forms and bank deposit forms.

Visiting medical students

Only fourth year medical students from LCME accredited institutions (that is, allopathic medical schools in the United States and Canada) may participate in the Carver College of Medicine’s clinical programs. Thus, the College cannot approve students from foreign institutions or from colleges of osteopathic medicine for registration in our clinical electives. Visiting students must also comply or have complied with our requirements regarding immunization and background checks and provide their own health and malpractice insurance coverage. All applications by visiting students to participate in clinical electives at the University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine must be processed through the Office of Student Affairs and Curriculum (Marcia Hopp, Electives Secretary, marcia-hopp@uiowa.edu) and may not be arranged directly with a department.

 

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