Code of Professional Conduct
Faculty, Staff and Students are required to abide by the College’s Code of Professional Conduct Policy.
Faculty, Staff and Students shall also abide by the AOA Code of Ethics regarding ethical and professional responsibilities.
The College’s Professionalism Council Charge and Membership can be found here.
Code of Professional Conduct
Professionalism is the demonstration of attitudes and behaviors that represent the ethos of a unique community. Embodied in those attitudes are aspects of humanism, ethics, accountability, and a commitment to promote excellence. Where professionalism is practiced, cooperation and trust will emerge. Where such conduct is embraced by the community, learning and growth will be nurtured.
The Burrell College of Osteopathic Medicine requires its students, staff and faculty to consistently practice professionalism in its commitment to the community that it serves. The College has identified the following behaviors as germane to that social contract.
Humanism
- The College is a center for diverse thought and opinions. Free expression is encouraged provided that views are expressed in a composed and dignified manner. Criticism is welcome to the extent that adverse opinions are intended to enlighten the discourse. Whether verbal or written, in person or through social media, all dialogue shall be treated as if occurring in the public square.
- The College provides a communal environment for learning wherein cognitive, psychomotor and affective domains of knowledge and skill can be appreciated. Facilities and supporting resources are shared by all members of the College community and guests to the campus. These properties, if damaged or misused in any way deprive others of their beneficial use. Appreciation for the productive and respectful use of the College’s resources, those of its partner institutions, and the personal property of others shall be deemed to be within the core of professional behaviors.
- The College recognizes its duty to provide security and privacy for all those working and learning under its auspices. As sensitive information moves between scholars, teachers, and the teams that provide their support it becomes exposed to compromise. Assuring secure transmissions through all media relies on a trusting partnership that includes all those who access the wealth of information stored within College’s electronic platforms. So, too, should communication in public spaces be exercised with scrupulous attention to content and expression.
Ethics
- The College conducts its programs in an environment that values and demands honesty and truthfulness from all participants and stakeholders. Therein lies its ability to assure the integrity of its works. Whether fostered by its internal policies or memorialized in its external associations, sustaining integrity relies upon each of the College’s constituents to satisfy obligations with absolute candor.
- The College has adopted guiding principles that articulate the effort needed to fulfill its mission and vision. In so doing, the College has described its purpose thereby defining the uniqueness of its community. In accepting the opportunity to be part of this community, students, faculty and team members agree to abide by those principles as the ethical expression of the social mores they represent.
- The College is vested with the authority to provide programs of guided discovery that require a disciplined structure toward evoking the best outcomes. In turn, the College endows to others the authority to conduct those programs directly and support the effort from within the campus and at remote venues. Irrespective of the position that falls within this hierarchy, there shall be a respect for the role of every individual. The reasonable responsibilities of that role shall be honored and expected by all program participants.
Accountability
- The College is a participant in a discipline seen by society as holding autonomy in directing and informing some of its most critical decisions. Those whom the College nurtures through its programs and those that mentor and support their development accept this awesome charge. Throughout their tenure at the College and beyond those that count themselves as part of the community that is the College recognize their responsibility for the impact of their actions.
- The College represents a community that aspires to exemplify conduct that advances wellness of mind, body and spirit. Each individual within the community can be expected to demonstrate behaviors of self-obedience to these tenets. In so doing, each serves to strengthen the image and importance of the practice.
Excellence
- The College is responsible for enabling members of its community to attain competence in the performance of their responsibilities that exceeds that which society expects. In seeking to have all of its citizens attain that goal, the College shall foster within each a recognition of humanistic behaviors, institutional integrity and an overall accountability for their own accomplishments and that of the community. Therein shall be found the College’s identity in promoting Professionalism.
