1.0 Policy Purpose
The purpose of this policy is to establish requirements for the Supervision of medical students in all phases of the curriculum in Clinical Settings to ensure safety in the delivery of patient care, while still serving to maximize student learning.
2.0 To Whom the Policy Applies
This policy applies to medical students of all years and phases (including visiting students), faculty members, housestaff officers, advanced practice providers, healthcare staff, clerkship directors, and administrators, regardless of where the clinical, sponsoring, affiliated, or non-affiliated sites are located.
3.0 Policy Statement
Medical students of any curriculum phase must be supervised at all times in the Clinical Setting by a faculty member, resident, attending, and/or fellow.
Any supervisor who teaches, assesses, or supervises medical students in the Clinical Setting must have a faculty appointment with The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University (the “Medical School”).
The course leader is responsible for:
- assuring all personnel who supervise medical students (e.g., residents, graduate students) are appropriately orientated to teach, assess, and supervise medical students within the scope of the students’ practices;
- ensuring compliance with this policy; and
- ensuring compliance with the learning environment protocols of the Medical School.
The level of responsibility delegated to a medical student must be appropriate to, and not above, the student’s level of training and experience. Students may notify a faculty member if they are asked to perform above their level of responsibility.
3.1 International Sites
When a medical student wishes to take an away clinical elective in another nation, the student must be supervised and mentored by a faculty member of the Medical School or a faculty member whose institution has an appropriate association via Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or Clinical Training Agreement with the Medical School.
3.2 Care by Other Students
Medical students must not participate in the clinical care of other medical students or visiting students in any capacity, phase, or year of medical school, including while rotating at domestic and/or international locations.
4.0 Definitions
For the purpose of this policy, the terms below have the following definitions:
- Clinical Setting:
-
A clinical environment where medical students engage in learning activities involving direct or indirect patient care, observation, or clinical interaction. Sites may be located at non-Brown affiliated hospitals, or other domestic or international elective sites, and include, but are not limited to, treatment centers, operating rooms, emergency departments, community mentor sites, and both outpatient and inpatient sites.
- Office of Medical Education:
-
The office that oversees the four-year, competency-based curriculum at The Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University.
- Supervision:
-
In the Clinical Setting, means either:
- direct observation (i.e., the supervisor is present with the student and patient), or
- immediately available indirect supervision (i.e., the supervisor is immediately available to the student and/or at the site of care to provide direct supervision when required).
5.0 Responsibilities
All individuals to whom this policy applies are responsible for becoming familiar with and following this policy. University supervisors and employees with student oversight duties are responsible for promoting the understanding of this policy and for taking appropriate steps to help ensure and enforce compliance with it.
Center for Global Health Equity: Will ensure MOUs with international sites are kept current and are recorded properly.
Course Leaders: Will ensure compliance with this policy for Brown-affiliated sites where students are present.
Office of Medical Education: Will ensure compliance with this policy for both domestic and international sites.
6.0 Consequences for Violating this Policy
Failure to comply with this and related policies is subject to disciplinary action, up to and including suspension without pay, or termination of employment or association with the University, in accordance with applicable (e.g., staff, faculty, student) disciplinary procedures, or for non-employees may result in the suspension or revocation of the user’s relationship with Brown University.
7.0 Related Information
Brown University is a community in which individuals are encouraged to share concerns with University leadership. Additionally, Brown’s Anonymous Reporting Hotline allows anonymous and confidential reporting on matters of concern online or by phone (877-318-9184).
The following information complements and supplements this document. The information is intended to help explain this policy and is not an all-inclusive list of policies, procedures, laws and requirements.
7.1 Related Policies
N/A
7.2 Related Procedures
- Learning Environment protocol in Medical Student Handbook
7.3 Related Forms
N/A
7.4 Frequently Asked Questions
N/A
7.5 Other Related Information
- Relates to accreditation Standard 9, Elements 1, 2, and 3 mandated by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), accrediting body for U.S. medical education programs.
Policy Owner and Contact(s)
Policy Owner: Dean for Medicine and Biological Sciences
Policy Approved by: President
Policy History
Policy Issue Date:
Policy Effective Date:
Policy Update/Review Summary:
Updated language for clarity and compliance with University policy standards.
Previous policy version(s) superseded by this policy:
- Preparation of Resident and Non-Faculty Instructors (former policy no. 09-01), Effective Date: July 1, 2019.
- Faculty Appointments (former policy no. 09-02), Effective Date: July 1, 2019.
- Clinical Supervision of Medical Students (former policy no. 09-03), Effective Date: July 1, 2019.
- Clinical Elective Supervision of The Warren Alpert Medical School Students in Other Nations (former policy no. 13-02), Effective Date: January 18, 2017.
- Medical Student Handbook, Effective Date: July 1, 2020.