School of Medicine Honor Code

“We, the students of UCI School of Medicine, shall not breach the Honor of our chosen profession through misrepresentation, harassment, or discrimination. We shall always maintain respect and compassion for others and conduct ourselves in a professional manner. We shall in no way take unfair advantage of a patient, colleague, instructor or any other members of the community.”

The following sections describe specific infractions and the enforcement of the Honor Code. The descriptions that follow are not an all-inclusive list but merely examples of conduct unbecoming of medical students at UCI School of Medicine (UCISOM). It is the spirit, not only the letter, of the Honor Code that is to be upheld and preserved by students:

Intellectual Dishonesty in Taking Exams

No student shall knowingly or willfully engage in conduct designed to obtain an unfair advantage in the taking of any UCISOM examination. This shall include but not be limited to:

Any plagiarizing of test answers or information.
The usage of unauthorized notes, tests, aids, or technology during the course of an examination.
The unauthorized obtaining or possession of test information or answers prior to or during the course of an examination.
Excusing oneself from, or obtaining the postponement of an examination under false pretenses.
Any and all other actions designed to falsely enhance an individual's performance on an examination, or an individual’s academic performance.

Conduct in Patient Care and Non-patient Care Settings

No student shall conduct themselves in an unprofessional manner through misrepresentation, harassment or unlawful discrimination, in patient-care settings (i.e., hospital or clinical) and non-patient care settings (i.e., personal or community). This shall include but not be limited to:

The falsification of physical examination findings, laboratory data, or patient history.
Misrepresentation of skills, experience or exposure to surgical and/or medical procedures.
Unlawful discrimination or harassment of a patient, colleague, instructor or other member of the community.
Endangering the lives of others by conducting clinical responsibilities while impaired by drugs (prescription or over-the-counter), alcohol, excessive fatigue, or any untreated emotional or behavioral condition.
Breaching patient confidentiality that is guaranteed by state and federal law by any means, including, but not limited to, oral conversation, electronic or written exchanges and inappropriate commenting on social media or other means of technology.

Academic Dishonesty

No student shall participate in any academically related activity in a dishonest manner. This shall include but not be limited to::

Copying, “cutting and pasting,” plagiarizing, or using without appropriately citing another person’s words
Using another person’s original work or intellectual property in violation of copyright protections
“Signing in” documenting participation in an educational activity, but not actually participating
Having another person sign in or signing in for another person documenting participation in an educational activity.

Academic Integrity

The UCI School of Medicine assumes that work submitted by students will be generated by the students themselves, working individually or in groups. This means that the following would be considered violations of academic integrity and the honor code:

If a student has another person/entity do any substantive portion of an assignment for them, which includes hiring a person or a company to write essays and drafts and/or other assignments, research-based or otherwise, and using artificial intelligence affordances like ChatGPT.

Duty to Self-Report to the Office of Medical Education

Students must report to the Office of Medical Education any misdemeanor arrests, charges or convictions or felony arrests, charges or convictions that have been levied against them in the past or any time throughout the duration of their enrollment in the School of Medicine. Students must report these actions when they matriculate at the School of Medicine and within 7 calendar days of any action that occurs during medical school.

Reporting Honor Code Violations

It is the duty of any student who has reasonable cause to believe that the spirit or provisions of the Honor Code have been violated by themselves or by another student to contact the Associate Dean for Students, in a timely manner.

All UCI students are expected to conduct themselves in a mature and responsible manner. "Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students" details of the rules concerning conduct and related matters as established by the policies of The Regents and the President of the University. Among other things, the publication lists types of misconduct for which students are subject to discipline. It also covers students’ rights and the grievance procedures available to students. University, Campus and School of Medicine procedures ensure that all cases of alleged student misconduct will be handled fairly in accordance with the appropriate due process requirements.

Medical students are expected to maintain the highest levels of professional and ethical behavior. The Student Honor Code for the School of Medicine broadly describes such behavior. Faculty evaluations may include comments on professionalism and ethical behavior, where appropriate, as well as the determination of final grades. Unprofessional behavior that affects student performance in the School of Medicine is addressed by the faculty and may be referred, if necessary, to the Committee on Promotions and Honors and/or to the Peer Review Committee, and may be reflected in the Medical Student Performance Evaluation (MSPE).

Allegations of physical abuse, threats of violence, or conduct that threatens the health or safety of any person on University property or in connection with official University functions will be investigated promptly, and where found to exist, appropriate actions will be taken in accordance with University policy. The following are University policies pertaining to student conduct and discipline as stated in “Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students." In addition, the Committee on Promotions and Honors may conduct their own independent investigation and further sanctions may apply, including dismissal.

RELATED POLICIES, FORMS AND LINKS

Policies Applying to Campus Activities, Organizations, and Students

Digital Communication: Email and Social Media Policy

Last approved by SOM Committee on Promotions and Honors: April 11, 2024