Medical Student Life Advisory Committee
Submit an Anonymous Comment
Medical students are encouraged to bring issues to the committee that impact their personal and career life decisions, well-being and academic environment.
Reporting Anonymously Through MSLAC
A medical student who feels that they have witnessed or experienced any type of bias, harassment, or mistreatment in the learning environment may contact the Medical Student Life Advisory Committee (MSLAC). Membership of the MSLAC is small but representative and consists of select members of the faculty, staff and students who are trained to assist students with any concerns of mistreatment or questions about how to proceed. Students can report to the co-chairs of the committee or to any member with whom they feel comfortable.
The MSLAC also offers an Anonymous Comment Box for medical students to submit reports. Students should be as specific as possible in the reports that they make through the comment box (location, service, date of occurrence, names/roles of individuals involved or present, etc.). Please note that anonymous reporting limits the ability of the administration to act due to lack of specificity and ability to follow up with the person making the report. Reports made to the anonymous comment box are nevertheless taken very seriously, and investigated thoroughly, by the School of Medicine. Submissions will be reviewed at each of the monthly MSLAC meetings and any identifiable patterns in a particular department will be addressed, in addition to case by case follow up as warranted. MSLAC prepares reports and recommendations to the Executive Dean and the Vice Dean for Student Affairs.
Upon receipt of any reports of mistreatment directly from a student, a Subcommittee of the Medical Student Life Advisory Committee composed of at least two faculty members and one student will convene to review and investigate the claims. If the report is found to have merit and involves two students, the case will be forwarded to the Vice Dean for Student Affairs, who may forward it to the Committee on Students. If the report is found to have merit and involves a student who has been mistreated by a faculty member, the MSLAC will forward the case to the Office for Equal Opportunity Compliance (OEOC). In the event that the faculty member is a MedStar employee or an employee of another affiliated institution, the Executive Dean may contact the Chair of the Department or the appropriate person in the affiliate administration at his discretion.
Charge of the Medical Student Life Advisory Committee
The Medical Student Life Advisory Committee (MSLAC) will act as an advisory resource for Dr. Princy Kumar, Vice Dean for Student Affairs, and will focus on aspects of medical education that impact student life, including, but not limited to, cultural, safety, and environmental issues and concerns. Staff members of the committee will include the School of Medicine Ombudsperson and Assistant Dean for Student Affairs.
The term of service for all other committee members will be two years in length; each member will be expected to participate in four meetings quarterly. The committee may opt to meet more frequently should the need arise. Elections for additional committee members will occur on an annual basis in October.
The committee has been conceived in order to discuss medical students’ concerns without any influence in students’ evaluation or grade, within a confidential environment and to answer the needs of the student population. The committee will represent and advocate for medical students and their well-being. Simply, the committee goal is to continue working to improve Georgetown University School of Medicine’s diverse culture and life together. Students will be encouraged to bring issues to MSLAC which impact their personal and career life decisions, well-being and academic environment. Issues appropriate for their purview include, but are not limited to, the following: interpersonal conflicts or misunderstandings; mistreatment in the teacher-learner or peer-peer setting; uncertainty regarding career decisions; questions regarding professionalism; discussion about the possible need of referral for medical care, psychological therapy, drug/alcohol dependency treatment, concerns about having to appear before the Committee on Students (COS), family or social issues, tutoring, study skills, harassment, financial problems, and legal advice.
MSLAC offers freedom for confidential discussions. Students will have the opportunity to submit concerns via surveys in a password-protected and anonymous site (under the caveat that MSLAC has a responsibility to report any situation which may need to be disclosed where the case may do harm to others — for example abuse, gender, and racial discrimination, sexual harassment or personal safety of the student/others). Committee work includes collaborating with the Executive Dean and the Vice Dean for Student Affairs in developing the advising and peer mentorship programs to promote student work-life balance, safety net and support network.
The Medical Student Life Advisory Committee will allow medical students to report violations of the standards of conduct that are established for teacher-learner and peer-to-peer relationships (Appendix C of the GUSOM Student Handbook) without fear of retaliation. The committee’s hope is that by advocating for our students, the University will in turn take appropriate action to address their concerns. This committee will provide an informal, impartial, neutral and confidential environment for students to discuss their concerns and disputes. The procedures will specify the mechanisms for the prompt handling of such complaints, and for the educational methods aimed at preventing student mistreatment.