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Professional Issues

On Presenting a Professional Image

The medical school curriculum and the subsequent years of postgraduate training prepare you for the practice of medicine. What is not taught through a formal course is professionalism. From your very first day of medical school it is essential that you see yourself as a health care professional and act accordingly. Courtesy and honor are hallmarks of a professional. Please keep in mind that your colleagues' and patients' first impression of you is based upon your appearance and demeanor, and it is important that you present a professional image. You don't get a second chance to make a first impression. We do not expect skirts and shirts and ties to be worn at all times, particularly since such attire may not be appropriate for laboratory courses. However, we do expect you to wear clothing that is clean and in good condition. As a medical student attending the University of Maryland School of Medicine, you have both the privilege and the responsibility of upholding the image of the many fine physicians who have preceded you.

Dress Code Policy

http://medscope.umaryland.edu/misc/ummc-DressCode.doc

Liability Insurance

In the course of providing medical care today, even as a medical student, you may possibly be sued by a patient or one of their family members who is legally designated to do so. The allegation usually is that in carrying out the duty you had to the patient, you breached the standard of care that would have been rendered by most other medical students in a similar situation, and this was the cause of the patient's injury resulting in damages. To protect you, professional liability insurance has been purchased from the Maryland Medical Comprehensive Insurance Program (MMCIP). This is a joint venture between the University of Maryland Medical System (UMMS) and University Physicians, Inc. (UPI), established since 1985 to provide via a Self Insurance Trust professional liability insurance for most physicians and all employees providing medical/health care services at UMMS and UPI and their approved affiliates.

In order to provide advice to mitigate a serious situation or to obtain representation promptly, please contact us immediately in the event of the following:

  • Any diagnostic or therapeutic complication
  • Incident or potential liability claim
  • Contact by an attorney
  • Receipt of a subpoena or claim letter

Please call the Office of Risk Management at 410-328-4704 if you have further questions.

Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA)

HIPAA applies to health plans, clearinghouses and health care providers who transmit protected health information. Academic medical centers like the School of Medicine who do business with or obtain PHI from them must also comply with HIPAA.

All medical students are required to be HIPAA certified.

Background Checks

Any clinical training site may screen students in the same manner in which the site screens employees. Students may be required to have an additional health examination, be tested for drugs or be fingerprinted for a criminal background clearance before beginning placement. Students who cannot pass training site clearance requirements may not be able to fulfill the essential requirements needed to obtain a degree.

 

Last Revision: July 13, 2009

 

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