VP&S Student Rights & Responsibilities and Clinical Education Program Values

Mission: 

Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons’ (VP&S) guiding mission is: We aspire to transform human health by driving discovery, advancing care, and educating leaders.’ We do this work in service to others and our community locally and globally.  

The VP&S MD programs’ values also include: 

We are committed to fostering an environment that values civility, acceptance, respect, ethics, and support (CUIMC Cares | Columbia University Irving Medical Center Civility Acceptance, Respect, Ethics and Support), ensuring that our staff, faculty, and students have meaningful opportunities to put these values into action. 

At VP&S, we strive to educate the next generation of physicians who will serve neighboring, national, and global communities through the lens of health equity, promoting both well-being and state-of-the-art care of patients. Their experiences at VP&S will shape the future and set the standards for health care throughout the United States and globally.  Guided exposure and training will foster the highest principles of humanism and professionalism in their responsibilities to their patients, to their community, and to society. 

The values of humanism, collaboration, inquiry, transformation, growth and wellness – both individually and collectively inspire our efforts to pursue these goals. 

Humanism and Collaboration 

  • Build authentic relationships with patients and team members through active listening, fostering empathy, and shared decision-making 
  • Partner with physicians-in-training, sharing values and expertise to ensure future generations of outstanding care clinicians who will reduce suffering and promote the health of patients and the wellness of communities 
  • Promote health equity and structural competency within the healthcare system, educational settings, and in interpersonal interactions 

Inquiry and Transformation

  • Engage in scientific investigation to expand understanding, drive innovation, and transform Medicine 
  • Critically assess and apply emerging scientific evidence to advance systems that ensure high quality equitable health care 

Growth and Wellness 

  • Develop a pattern of reflective practice and limitations, and engage with others of diverse viewpoints to inform growth and lifelong learning 
  • Attend to personal wellness and pursue support when needed, recognizing this as a professional strength 

These statements represent the schoolwide values for the VP&S curriculum. Clinical students will be expected to demonstrate mastery of each prior to graduation. 

VP&S Student Rights and Responsibilities 

At the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons (VP&S), students have the right to learn in an environment that promotes respect, professionalism, and academic integrity. Students also have the responsibility to allow others to learn by contributing to a community grounded in those same principles.  

The CUIMC CARES ( CUIMC Cares | Columbia University Irving Medical Center CUIMC Civility Acceptance, Respect, Ethics and Support) is a medical center code of values and the VP&S Educational Program Values (above) outline expectations for professional conduct, mechanisms for reporting concerns, and institutional processes that support a safe and respectful learning environment. These expectations align with many accreditation standards.  There are mechanisms for students to share concerns by submitting a Clinical Learning Environment Concern report. Within the MD program this includes the VP&S Standards of Professionalism and VP&S Honor Code and Policies.  

Rights

Each individual's rights place a reciprocal responsibility upon others to permit the individual to exercise the right. VP&S students have the right to:  

  • Learn free from undue interference, demonstration - protest, discrimination, harassment, or mistreatment in classrooms and/or clinical spaces.  
  • Study, and relax in a safe, clean, and respectful environment.  
  • Seek redress when their rights are violated through the Columbia University Office of Institutional Equity (OIE) or the VP&S Learning Environment and Mistreatment Policy   
  • Be treated with dignity and professionalism by peers, faculty, and staff.

Responsibilities

 VP&S students are expected to:  

  • Uphold the CUIMC CARES Code of Values CUIMC Cares | Columbia University Irving Medical Center  and the VP&S Educational Program Values and for the MD Program the VP&S Honor Code, VP&S Standards of Professionalism in order to support an environment that allows all community members to exercise their rights.  
  • Conduct themselves in accordance with the ethical and professional standards of the professions (e.g., medicine, genetic counseling, psychology, occupational and physical therapy). 
  • Foster a culture of mutual respect, honesty, and accountability in all academic and clinical settings.  
  • Take responsibility for their actions and engage in remediation when appropriate.  
  • Monitor official Columbia University communications, including email, to remain informed of institutional policies and expectations.  
 
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