College of MedicineMD ProgramPoliciesNon-Involvement

Non-Involvement Policy: Health Provider and Education Roles for Faculty Supervising Students 

Policy Number: CU.12.01.171012 

Applies to: Washington State University Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine Faculty and Medical Students 

Date: 1/7/2025 

1.0 Policy Statement 

It is the WSU College of Medicine policy that health care professionals who provide health services including psychiatric/psychological services, or other sensitive medical services care to a medical student is not involved in academic assessment of that student. 

2.0 Definitions 

Conflict of Interest

A situation in which an individual has multiple responsibilities which may result in a real or perceived interest held by an individual member which could affect teaching, scholarship, or administrative activities, and any situation in which an interest has the potential to unduly influence or appear to influence education. 

Close Relationships

Relationships between first and second-degree relatives, including those by marriage and close social relationships not by marriage. 

3.0 Responsibilities 

Office of Educational Affairs (Assessment, Evaluation, and Curriculum Management) 

4.0 Procedures 

Purpose 

To provide expectations and requirements regarding the potential conflict of interests that may occur with faculty who educate and may provide health care of WSU medical students. 

Overview 

Faculty physicians, fellows, residents, and other non-faculty instructors and supervisors as well as clinical staff serve roles in both teaching and clinical care. Medical students, by virtue of illness or learning difficulties, may need to seek medical advice, medical evaluation, and/or clinical care from faculty who teach in the medical school. When a student seeks care from a faculty member in the institution in which the student is enrolled, a conflict of interest may be created. 

This policy is established to address the potential conflict of interests that arise in these circumstances, to ensure the following: 

  • Maintaining the rights of the student to confidentiality with treating providers. 
  • Minimize the potential that academic assignments, assessments, grading, and progress could be impacted by a faculty member’s treatment of a student’s diagnosis/es, medical conditions. 
  • Minimizing concerns related to special relationships between a faculty and a student. 
  • Ensuring compliance with LCME standards, specifically standard 12.5: Non-Involvement of Providers of Student Health Services in Student Assessment/Location of Student Health Records. 

Principles

The student has the right to strict confidentiality of their health and medical conditions, inclusive of both physical and mental health or learning disability. The student may choose to waive their right to confidentiality. Faculty and students must avoid the appearance of (or manifest) conflicts of interest, which may impair the learning environment and negatively impact all its members. 

This policy is not intended to prevent the timely intervention by a qualified clinician in case of needed urgent, emergent care, medical emergency or specialty care. In the event that a conflict of interest is identified (emergency care is required, etc.), the program will mitigate the conflict by identifying alternate supervisors and assessors for the student. 

WSU Faculty Providing or who Have Provided Clinical Care Services for a Student 

  • Must not serve as the primary supervisor for that student in any academic setting (small group, clinical, or research). Specifically, they must not be the primary supervisor for the student in the clinical setting, must not provide a summative clinical assessment of the student (clinical environment), participate in assigning grades for that student, or participate in making decisions about academic progress for that student. 
  • May function as a large group classroom teacher for that student at any time and may function as a small group teacher for that student as long as they do not participate in assessment or grading activities. 
  • Must not provide written or verbal statements regarding their involvement in the student’s care or the nature of the student’s condition to the College of Medicine administration or other bodies unless specifically requested by the student under their care and after the appropriate consent has been provided. 
  • Any faculty member participating in grading panel discussions must recuse themselves from the discussions related to any student that are currently or have treated previously. 

WSU Faculty who have participated in supervision, assessment, grading, and academic advancement decisions for a student 

  • May accept a student request for medical care with the understanding that they will adhere to the directives in the above paragraph, WSU Faculty Providing or who Have Provided Clinical Care Services for a Student. 
  • Must not provide medical advice or care to their students while they are supervising that student. 
  • In the event that a faculty member has or is required to provide emergency care, the faculty member must notify the Regional Dean who will work with the Curriculum Office to identify an alternate supervisor and assessor. 

WSU Faculty with Familial Relationships with an Enrolled Student 

  • Must not serve as the primary academic supervisor for that student. They must not provide an academic assessment of the student, participate in assigning grades for that student, or participate in making decisions about academic progress for that student. 

Avoiding Conflict of Interest 

  • In the event that a faculty member recognizes that they have been assigned a role with an individual student that is prohibited by their current or prior clinical or familial relationship with that student, the Associate Dean for Curriculum (for pre-clerkship concerns) or Regional Dean (for clerkship concerns) should be notified, and re-assignment requested. The reason given for the reassignment should be limited to “conflict of interest”. 
  • Faculty members will be required to attest on the assessment form that they have not provided clinical care to a student before they complete an assessment on that student. They will be directed not to complete the assessment if they have provided care. 
  • Students are oriented to this policy during orientation and prior to starting their clinical work. 
  • If a student realizes they have been assigned to work with an individual faculty member that is prohibited by a current or prior clinical or familial relationship with that faculty member, the student should notify the Regional Dean and ask to be reassigned. The reason given for the reassignment is “conflict of interest”; the nature of the specific conflict of interest situation need not be identified. 

Mitigating Recognized or Suspected Conflict of Interest 

  • If an incident regarding this policy is discovered, the Regional Dean will notify Associate Dean of Assessment, Evaluation, and Curriculum Management who will review the assessment schedule and any assessments that may have been completed. The Associate Dean of Assessment, Evaluation and Curriculum Management will work with the Assistant Dean for Clerkship Assessment to identify an appropriate individual to re-assess student performance. The new assessment is completed as soon as possible and/or prior to the end of the course. Any delays incurred by the situation will be noted in the student’s portfolio gradebook to ensure that there is no impact on successful completion of the course or promotions decisions.
  • The Associate Dean for Curriculum will work with the Regional Dean to identify an alternate faculty member to serve as the primary supervisor for the remainder of the clinical experience. 
  • Reference to SEPAC COI policy and a note that all individuals who vote on promotions decisions shall follow procedures associated with determining, avoiding, and declaring a conflict of interest. For more information, see policy SE.09.04.170808. 

5.0 Related Policies 

  • Assessment of Medical Student Performance (CU.09.03.170808) 
  • Conflict of Interest Policy (EC.01.01.191203) 
  • Grading Policy (CU.09.04.170815) 
  • Student Evaluation, Promotion, & Awards Committee (SEPAC) Conflict of Interest Policy (SE.09.04.170808) 

6.0 Key Search Words 

Health care provider, assessment 

7.0 Revision History 

Original Approval: 5/16/2016
Policy Number: EC.12.04.160512
Review/Revision: 10/12/2017, 10/9/2018 (CU.12.01.171012), 02/21/2020.