The AOA COCA standards effective July 1, 2019 include the following requirement:
A COM must have a governing body, or be part of a parent institution with a governing body, that defines the mission of the COM and/or institution, approves the strategic plan, provides financial oversight, and approves requisite policies. The COM must publish and abide by policies regarding conflict of interest (for board members, employees, and institutionally employed faculty); due process for employees, students, and credentialed instructional staff; confidentiality of employee, student, and medical records; fiscal management; and ethics which must incorporate the American Osteopathic Association Code of Ethics.
This document addresses Element 1.4.2.e: Ethics. WVSOM's governance and policies regarding ethics can be grouped into five separate sections as follows:
A. Adherence to policies and procedures of WVSOM
B. Interaction of students, faculty, staff and administration
C. Ethical issues pertaining to medical education
D. Ethical issues pertaining to scholarly activity/research
E. Ethical issues pertaining to commercial relationships
In each of these sections, a breif summary statement is provided, and relevant West Virginia State Code, West Virginia Higher Education Policy Commission (WVHEPC) Policies, and Institutional Policies and other documents are listed.
WVSOM recognizes the duty to adhere to policies governing academic professional ethics for its entire faculty, administration and staff, students, clubs, and organizations as set forth in Federal and West Virginia State Codes, rules and policies of WVHEPC, and WVSOM institutional policies.
The State of West Virginia and WVSOM have many policies which include requirements regarding adherence to state law or policy and/or to institutional policies.
These state laws, policies, and other documents are listed below.
WVSOM Administration, Faculty, Staff, and Students are required to maintain the utmost level of professional conduct in their interactions with each other. The following institutional policies encompass the interactions among the different constituency groups:
Students learning is central to the primary mission of WVSOM and protection of that process from unethical behaviors is essential to the institution.
Both faculty and students are expected to adhere to the highest standards of conduct in teaching, learning, and the evaluation of student competency, including:
WVSOM values and promotes the free pursuit of knowledge through research and scholarly activity that indentifies new medical and scientific information, current best clinical practices, and effective pedagogical strategies.
Faculty, staff and students at WVSOM engages in research or scholarly activity must abide by the highest ethical standards when conducting such activity. This includes:
The WVSOM adheres to the highest ethical standards regarding administration, faculty and staff relationships with commercial entities. These standards include: