PA Probation & Dismissal

Dismissal and Remediation

Dismissal is defined as being dismissed from the program without opportunity to return or continue later. Specific to the clinical phase of the program, failing a supervised clinical practice experience (SCPE) and repeating that course at the end of the clinical phase of the program, is considered ‘course remediation’.

The following policies apply to dismissal:

• Failure to receive a grade of ‘C’ (≥70.00%) in any course is considered course failure and, in the case of didactic phase coursework, will prevent the student from progressing to the next semester. Depending on the course, course exams may be able to be remediated for grade change, as noted in course syllabi. However, course grades cannot be remediated or changed once finalized by the course director.
  • In the case of a didactic phase course failure, a student will be automatically dismissed at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee. 
• Failure of more than two Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) courses in the clinical phase of the program, will automatically result in immediate dismissal from the program.  Students are allowed to remediate two Supervised Clinical Practice Experience (SCPE) courses and will be required to fully complete the course work and retake the End of Rotation examination in the remediation.

Academic Probation/Academic Dismissal

These policies apply to academic performance only, academic infractions (e.g., honor code violations etc.) are addressed under the Professional Policy section below.

• The following students may be subject to dismissal:
  • Any student who fails to attain and/or maintain a cumulative 3.00 GPA by the end of the didactic year (semester 3). 
  • Failure of two standalone courses or failure of a single course and its reassessment exam.
  • Failure of more than four clinical medicine components across the didactic phase (semesters 1-3) or failure of more than two components in a single clinical medicine course. Clinical medicine courses include CML 1, CML 2, CML 3, and Integrative Medicine.  
  • Cumulative GPA falls below 3.0 after successful completion of academic probation.
• Students on probation or at risk for probation, may be required to meet with the following individuals/centers by the Course & Standing Committee:
  • Academic Advisor 
  • Course & Standing Committee
  • CUNY School of Medicine Learning Resource Center
  • Counseling and Wellness Office
• In the didactic phase of the program, two course failures or failure of a reassessment exam will result in dismissal from the program, at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee. 
• Students cannot be on academic probation for more than two consecutive semesters.
• Students placed on academic and/or professional probation may be removed from any program, school, and/or college student leadership roles and student committee participation as students must be in good academic standing to be in these roles.
• If a professionalism issue is involved along with an academic issue, the policies governing professional probation and dismissal will be applied at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee.

Professional Probation/Professional Dismissal

A student, faculty member, administrative officer, or employee of the School may charge a student with a conduct violation. Further, complaints from SCPE sites or the community, at the discretion of the Program Director, will be investigated thoroughly by the Course & Standing Committee as the program expects student professionalism to be maintained at all times.

Students found to be in violation of the student conduct policies/standards and/or unable to meet the Program defined technical standards are subject to disciplinary action up to and including dismissal from the program. Students placed on professional probation are immediately removed from any program, school, and/or college student leadership roles and student committee participation and are not able to serve as mentors to other students. 

Depending on the violation, and at the discretion of the Associate Dean/Program Director, students may be referred to the Course & Standing Committee for determination of recommended disposition (i.e., probation vs. dismissal). Egregious violations, including, but not limited to, issues of cheating and/or plagiarism (also termed an academic infraction), and issues adversely affecting the safety and welfare of others involved in the college and/or clinical sites (e.g., classmates, principal faculty, instructional faculty, staff, patients, campus/clinical site visitors) may result in consequences up to and including immediate dismissal at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee.

Student rights regarding a required meeting with the Course and Standing Committee

• Students will be notified by the Course & Standing Committee Chair in writing, of their required attendance at the committee meeting, no less than 24 hours in advance of the required meeting. 
• Students will be advised that the committee meeting is considered confidential and is not to be discussed with other students. 
• Students may request a CUNY Medicine advocate** to accompany them to the C&SC Committee meeting, but the advocate must be approved or confirmed by the Program Director and must remain silent during the meeting. 
• Students are not allowed to bring any outside advocates to any program related meetings. 

• If students continue to exhibit professional issues while on professional probation, they will be automatically considered for a leave or dismissal by the Course & Standing Committee called at the discretion of the Program Director. 
• If students are placed on professional probation on more than one occasion, consecutive or nonconsecutive, they will automatically be considered for a leave or dismissal at the discretion of the Course & Standing Committee. 
• In addition to the above, a notation that the student had professionalism and/or conduct issues during their enrollment in the program, including but not limited to that the student was placed on Professional Probation, will be noted in any Program and/or faculty letters of reference/recommendation. 

**The CUNY Medicine PA Program has defined advocate as a member of the medical school faculty and/or Student Affairs Office, excluding the program director, who functions to ensure that the student understands the allegation and the policies to which the allegation pertains. The advocate role is to ensure the student receives due process. If a faculty member is called to serve as a student advocate, they will be recused from the decision-making process of the Course & Standing Committee. 

***Course & Standing Committee meetings are considered confidential and may not be discussed with other students