By George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law
The road to becoming a physician is paved with many unique challenges. The long, exhausting journey begins and students are faced with the first battle: rigorous undergraduate course work, followed by the MCAT and medical school applications. During medical school, and for some, after graduation, the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination) and its STEP 1, STEP 2 and STEP 3 exams provide another hurdle in the uphill battle. At any of these stages, medical students can face a gauntlet of accusations including cheating, misrepresentation, falsification of information, unfair advantages and the many faces under the general label of “irregular behavior.”
Challenges Prior to Entering Medical School.
Prior to medical school, pre-med students must be ambitious, inquisitive and extra cautious about any disciplinary action. A minor blemish on a pre-med student’s academic record (from academic dishonesty or other accusations), will become a major red flag once that student begins applying. Not only will any kind of discipline record hinder a student’s chances of acceptance, an infraction can also ruin that student’s reputation as they apply for residency and beyond.
Because the process of becoming a physician is difficult without having a discipline record, any charge against a pre-med student must be taken with the upmost seriousness. Don’t raise a white flag early on in the uphill battle!
Challenges After Medical School.
The battle continues for medical students; medical school courses and clinical rotations will be rigorous and challenging, calling on every neuron you possess to fire efficiently. You will be tested, in more ways than one. You will forget the term “MCAT” and substitute for it a new acronym–“USMLE” which stands for United States Medical Licensing Examination.
The USMLE is a four stage examination required for medical licensure in the United States. Because the USMLE is the barrier between you and your medical license, it is an extremely important component of your medical education.
One such issue is being accused of “irregular behavior.” This broad label includes anything from cheating to disruptions during testing or soliciting information on actual examination content. In the event that your test score is held up or invalidated due to irregular behavior you will want to correct the situation immediately, or you may be prohibited from taking future exams (meaning you won’t be able to obtain your license or a residency in the U.S.). If you are accused of irregular behavior or if you feel that you were faced with inadequate testing conditions, resolving the issue may be as simple as requesting a rescoring of the examination or a retest. Sometimes, because of problems at a test site or because of technical problems, retesting is an option.
The National Board of Medical Examiners and the USMLE take all such matters concerning the administration and the security of the test contents extremely seriously. In ceratin cases, they have sued those they believe may have compromised actual test contents. Click here to read more about the case.
After years of schooling, don’t allow an allegation of irregular behavior to mark your test transcripts and prevent you from attaining your goals and reaping the benefits of your hard work.
To learn more about USMLE, irregular behavior and how we can help you, click here to read one of my prior blogs. Check our Medical Education Law Blog Regularly to stay on top of news and tips!
Contact a Health Care Attorney Experienced in the Representation of Medical Students, Interns, Residents and Applicants, Fellows and Those Involved in Graduate Medical Education.
The Health Law Firm and its attorneys represent interns, residents, fellows and medical school students in disputes with their medical schools, supervisors, residency programs and in dismissal hearings. We have experience representing such individuals and those in graduate medical education programs in various disputes regarding their academic and clinical performance, allegations of substance abuse, failure to complete integral parts training, alleged false or incomplete statements on applications, allegations of impairment (because of abuse or addiction to drugs or alcohol or because of mental or physical issues), because of discrimination due to race, sex, national origin, sexual orientation and any other matters.
To contact The Health Law Firm please call (407) 331-6620 or (850) 439-1001 and visit our website at www.TheHealthLawFirm.com.
About the Author: George F. Indest III, J.D., M.P.A., LL.M., is Board Certified by The Florida Bar in Health Law. He is the President and Managing Partner of The Health Law Firm, which has a national practice. Its main office is in the Orlando, Florida area. www.TheHealthLawFirm.com The Health Law Firm, 1101 Douglas Ave., Altamonte Springs, FL 32714, Phone: (407) 331-6620
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