Learning Environment

HWCOM endorses the AAMC Statement on the Learning Environment, which was developed by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) Council of Deans, with input from and endorsement by a broad spectrum of AAMC professional development groups. By this endorsement, HWCOM commits to creating a culture of respect between teachers, learners, and patients that are built upon constructive collaboration, mutual respect, and human dignity.

Student Mistreatment

In keeping with its commitment to creating and maintaining a professional learning environment that fosters respect, resilience, integrity, and excellence, HWCOM provides medical students, faculty, and staff avenues to seek guidance and to report incidents of suspected medical student mistreatment.

Forms of Mistreatment

Examples of mistreatment include situations in which a medical student is:

  1. Publicly embarrassed, publicly humiliated, threatened with physical harm, physically harmed, required to perform personal services
  2. Subjected to unwanted sexual advances, asked to exchange sexual favors for grades or other rewards, denied opportunities for training or rewards based solely on gender, subjected to offensive sexist remarks or names, given lower evaluations or grades solely because of gender, and denied opportunities for training or rewards based solely on race or ethnicity
  3. Subjected to racially or ethnically offensive remarks or names, given lower evaluations or grades solely because of race or ethnicity, denied opportunities for training or rewards based solely on sexual orientation, subjected to offensive remarks or names related to sexual orientation, or given lower evaluations or grades solely because of sexual orientation

Consultation

Students have many resources available to them if they wish to discuss the learning environment and potential incidents of mistreatment, including:

  • Student Support Services
  • HWCOM Ombudsman
    • Student Professionalism and Ethics Committee
    • Associate Dean for Medical Education
    • Associate Dean for Student Affairs
    • Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
    • Academic Advisors

Reporting

Students are encouraged to report mistreatment via the Incident Report Form as provided in the HWCOM Medical Student Handbook.

Students may also report mistreatment to any of the following individuals:

  • HWCOM Associate Dean for Student Affairs
  • HWCOM Associate Dean for Academic Affairs
  • Associate Dean for Clinical Affairs
  • His / her academic advisor

When a student chooses to report an incident of mistreatment, HWCOM will take every reasonable precaution to ensure that the student is protected from any form of retribution, including the removal of the student or the person of concern from the learning environment.

Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Misconduct Policy and Reporting

HWCOM complies with FIU’s regulation Prohibited Discrimination, Harassment, and Related Misconduct Including Sexual and Gender-Based Harassment, Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, and Stalking (see FIU-105). Consistent with Federal Law and Florida Statute, this regulation states that the university is prohibited from giving differential consideration based on age, color, creed, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other legally protected status.


Medical student grievances against faculty, staff, or other students involving discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct are governed by University Policy and the Equal Opportunity in Education Act, commonly known as Title IX. Any student who has experienced or the person who has witnessed discrimination, harassment, or sexual misconduct by a faculty member, staff, or student can file a Title IX complaint with the FIU Equal Opportunity Programs and Diversity Office by filing an anonymous complaint using the Ethical Panther Reporting Hotline at (844) 312-5358 or online. A student may also speak with a Title IX Coordinator by calling 305-348-1509.