Conflict of Interest Policy

This policy defines dual relationships in order to avoid any potential conflict of interest and to ensure the most constructive and supportive learning atmosphere for our students in accordance with LCME Element 1.2 listed below:

“A medical school has in place and follows effective policies and procedures applicable to board members, faculty members, and any other individuals who participate in decision-making affecting the medical education program to avoid the impact of conflicts of interest in the operation of the medical education program, its associated clinical facilities, and any related enterprises.”

Conflicts of interest can pose problems for the student, as well as affecting the learning environment for the entire health care team. These conflicts of interest include but are not limited to:

• consensual relationships
• familial relationships
• physician-patient (health care) relationships
• financial relationships (including direct supervisor of employment)

Therefore, faculty and residents must avoid, whenever possible, such dual relationships with students. If such a relationship does exist, faculty and residents will make arrangements with the module or clerkship director to avoid any conflict of interest during teaching and evaluation periods. At a minimum, they will not complete an evaluation or provide summative assessment of any student with whom a conflict exists.

Procedure

Faculty and residents will be required to attest that they do not have a conflict of interest with the student they are evaluating. An attestation statement will be included at the top of the student evaluation. This attestation will be required to ensure that only evaluators without a conflict of interest will contribute to the student’s evaluation.

The attestation statement reads, “I hereby attest that I do not have a conflict of interest with this student, including but not limited to a consensual relationship, familial relationship, physician-patient (health care) relationship, and/or financial relationship.”

Students attest to the understanding of this policy during orientation to medical school and prior to starting their clerkships. If a student realizes they have been assigned a role with a faculty member or resident that is prohibited by a current or prior physician-patient (health care), financial (direct supervisor of employment), or familial/intimate relationship, the student should notify the module or clerkship director and ask to be reassigned.

At the beginning of all relevant committee meetings, all committee members must disclose any conflict of interest and should recuse themselves from the discussion and the vote. This must be reflected in the committee minutes.

Revised and approved by Executive Committee 6/13/2019

Revisions and approved by FCC on April 22, 2020