Summary of LEAC concerns and actions - 10/1/2024 - 12/31/2024

During the 2024-25 academic year, the LEAC committee used a process for reviewing and addressing reports received by the LEAC committee. The committee categorizes learning environment concerns into five categories:

A: Mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were reviewed and founded, egregious.

B: Mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were reviewed and founded, not egregious.

C: Mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were not founded though reported concerns may have impacted the learning environment but not resulting in a violation.

D: Insufficient information to follow up on the incident.

E: Unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation were reported.

For October 1, 2024 – December 31, 2024, the LEAC committee reviewed and acted on concerns received through ONE 45 or BEACON. Note, no LEAC meeting was held in December due to the holiday schedule. The summary of concerns includes 1 Category A concern, 4 Category B concerns, 4 Category C concerns, 1 Category D concern, and 5 Category E concerns. The learning environment where the concerns occurred included: several domains in Phase 1 (3) and on clinical rotations, Neurology (1), OB GYN (5), Pediatrics (2), Surgery (3), and clinical domain not specific to a clerkship (1).

• One concern reported an overheard conversation between CRMH nursing staff regarding a SOM student’s physical appearance and diet.  The student reported this interaction as having been subjected to/the object of ethnically or religiously offensive remarks.  After investigation of the details by Carilion Clinic’s Sr. Director, Education and Organizational Development and discussion by the committee, this was deemed Category B, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were founded, not egregious.
• One concern related to lack of recognizing medical students by name. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed in the committee. It was deemed Category E, unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation.
• One concern related to a disparaging conversation using LGBT-related, negatively-implied language. As the report was anonymous, it could not be reported to Title IX for investigation. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category A, founded and egregious.
• One concern related to judgmental language used to describe patients. This was discussed with departmental leadership and deliberated on by the committee. It was deemed Category E, unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation.
• One concern related to nonspecific gossip from residents inquiring about student behavior and performance. This was discussed with VTCSOM Student Affairs leadership and deliberated on by the committee. It was deemed Category D, insufficient information.
• One concern related to resident(s) not including medical students in daily patient care tasks. This was discussed with departmental leadership and deliberated on by the committee. It was deemed Category C, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were not found.
• One concern related to language used to describe an under-resourced patient. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category E, unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation.
• One concern related to jokes being made. This was discussed with Phase 1 leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category C, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were not found.
• One concern related to criticizing a clinical skill in a gender-specific manner. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category C, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were not found.
• One concern related to what was perceived as nonurgency in providing clinical care and not always including medical students by teams. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category B, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were reviewed and founded, not egregious.
• One concern related to gossiping among resident teams. This was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category E, unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation.
• One concern reported perceived inappropriate inquiry into the personal life of female students by a faculty member. As sexual harassment was used in the description, this was presented to the VTCSOM Title IX lead. As the report was anonymous, it was not sent to the university level Title IX. The concern was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category C, mistreatment and unprofessional behaviors were not found.
• One concern reported gossiping among residents which included comments directed toward medical students. This concern was discussed with departmental leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category B, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were founded, not egregious.
• One concern related to tardiness and joking of a medical student in several phase 1 curricular events. This concern was presented to VTCSOM Student Affairs leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category E, unprofessional behaviors that are not a learning environment violation.
• One concern related to language tone and word selection used with a student. This was discussed with VTCSOM medical education leadership and discussed within the committee. It was deemed Category B, mistreatment or unprofessional behaviors were founded, not egregious.

Respectfully submitted:

Rebecca R. Pauly, MD

Vice Dean