Guiding Principles of Professionalism and Academic Integrity

Professional responsibility

1. Students have a responsibility to actively participate in their education and to work to improve the educational environment for future students.
2. Students should have a willingness to pursue lifelong, self-directed learning, which is an essential attribute of any professional.
3. Students should act responsibly in their personal and academic lives with regard to meeting deadlines, financial obligations and other comparable responsibilities.
4. Preparation for class and during practicum rotations sets a good example for peers, maximizes every student’s learning opportunity, and demonstrates respect for the teachers and peers. Respecting one’s peers in a classroom or in a practicum setting includes behaviors such as arriving on time, exhibiting respectful body language, listening attentively, turning off cell phones and allowing all present to engage in discussion.
5. Students should report to the appropriate supervisor potentially serious errors that others have committed.
6. Students should contribute to their community.
7. Attendance is expected for all classes, practicum experiences (including observation, practicum, and externships), research activities, labs, exams, and other activities required by PACS and/or the degree program.  See the Attendance and Absences section for more information.

 Competence and self-improvement

1. In order to function at the expected level, students should attend to their own physical and emotional health.
   1. The experience of being a graduate student can be physically and emotionally challenging. Students need to be able to identify when they are overwhelmed to the point where they may not be able to function appropriately. Students are encouraged to seek educational assistance and/or the emotional support of others in these instances.
2. Recognizing and admitting errors in any setting is key to being a competent professional.
   1. Students should view mistakes as part of learning. Assuming responsibility for mistakes is critical for professional development.
   2. Developing productive strategies for dealing with mistakes and non-confrontational ways of correcting them is essential.
3. Feedback, advice, and constructive criticism foster personal and professional development, and should be taken in the context of mentoring.
   1. Students should assume that opinions of faculty/supervisors that may seem unclear are usually solidly founded, and accept feedback regarding their performance openly and maturely from individuals more experienced than they.
   2. Students should provide suggestions and examples for improving the mentoring environment by forthrightly evaluating their instructors.
4. Students should identify and correct errors in practicum settings as soon as possible or notify those who can correct it.
5. Students should balance personal and professional interests.
   1. Students should not over-commit.

Respect for others and professional relationships

1. Students should conduct themselves with manners and consideration of all others, and be respectful of others’ time.
2. While individual effort is important in developing a knowledge base, much of what students learn will depend on a collaborative effort with their peers.
   1. From the first day of graduate school, students should encourage each other and collaborate with their peers when appropriate in the learning environments of lectures, small group discussions, and lab sessions. In doing so, they are laying the foundation for the truly collaborative nature of their profession.
   2. In all cases, students should respect the work and learning opportunities of their classmates and they should share educational opportunities with their peers. Professional behaviors include listening to other’s presentations, and encouraging others’ opportunities to present, ask/answer questions, and participate in hands-on learning opportunities.
3. Respect for the ethnic and cultural diversity of classmates provides for a more nurturing environment for all.
   1. Students should be aware that their classmates come from a wide variety of religious and ethnic backgrounds and that they will have differing lifestyles and viewpoints. This diversity is an important resource in our community, contributing to the personal and professional growth of all.
   2. Students should be sensitive to the importance of these issues and should seek opportunities to enhance appreciation of multiple cultures through dialog, educational opportunities, etc.
4. Students should be supportive of peers during difficult times in their personal and professional lives.
   1. Students must appreciate that their peers may have issues in their personal or professional lives (e.g., family, medical, academic, or administrative problems) that may affect their interactions with others. In these circumstances, students should make every attempt to be sympathetic and to offer their support to those students.
5. Participation and teamwork enhances the educational experience.
   1. The learning process is a partnership between students and faculty. Students should actively participate in this partnership by providing feedback to professors by way of evaluations and surveys.
6. Understanding the appropriate venues for feedback is critical to successfully resolving conflicts. Students should be aware of the hierarchy of the team, and appropriate mechanisms for handling disagreement with faculty, staff, and supervisors. Conflicts can be translated into productive outcomes if handled appropriately. For additional helpful information, reference the university Code of Conduct.
7. Maintaining a professional relationship with instructors (including faculty, staff, and supervisors) is important, especially during times when these individuals are in a position to grade or evaluate the student.
   1. Students should avoid behaviors that could potentially be construed as attempting to influence the faculty, for example running personal errands.
   2. The university has specific codes and regulations regarding romantic relationships between a student and a teacher, including faculty/resident/fellows outlined in the Consensual Relationships Policy. Students engaged in such relationships should review these codes and avoid any situation that can cause potential conflict of interest in the academic setting.
   3. The patients and students we serve should be treated as individuals in the context of their family, culture, and community.

 Honesty and Academic Integrity

1. Student work should be original.
   1. Only authorized resources should be used during examinations, quizzes or graded course work. Washington University has a zero tolerance policy for plagiarism or any form of cheating.
   2. When students are aware that a classmate has submitted work that is not their own (cheated), they should discuss this situation with the course instructor and/or the appropriate Program Director.
   3. All work should be appropriately cited using the American Psychological Association (APA) format, unless otherwise directed by the instructor or mentor.
2. Students must respect patients’ and students’ rights and maintain confidentiality, in accordance with HIPAA and FERPA guidelines.
3. Students should not participate in any practicum experience if under the influence of a substance that may compromise the student’s judgment or otherwise cause harm. Likewise, students should report any individual in a practicum setting who may be under the influence of a judgment-impairing substance.
4. Although students are often tired or under stress, they should attempt to maintain an appropriate level of composure at all times.
5. Students should be appropriately attired for all student-related activities.
6. Students should carefully consider their participation in benefits provided by pharmaceutical companies or other medically-related businesses. See Pharmaceutical and Medical Device Industry Policy for more information; these policies apply to students, as well as faculty and staff.
7. Students should clearly communicate their level of training and abilities in professional settings, including to colleagues, patients, students and their parents, and in public forums.
8. Students should be familiar with the code(s) of ethics for their profession and respect these.
9. Students should respect the laws of federal, state and local governments in both professional and private life.

All students have a responsibility to report violations, or suspected violations, of these guiding principles of professionalism to a member of the PACS faculty or staff.

For additional information on related policies and procedures, please visit the PACS Student Handbook and the Committee on Academic and Professional Evaluation of Students pages.