You must have worked very hard to get into a medical school, and once you get there, your only goal is to graduate and receive your degree. The strict nature of a medical school, combined with practical classes in hospitals, makes it difficult for students to achieve their goals in the minimal time allotted.
Unlike other students, medical students are evaluated based on their academics, clinical skills, knowledge of conduct inside and outside medical schools, and evaluation at a teaching hospital. When requirements of a medical school are not met, the school may suspend the student temporarily, place the student on academic probation or completely dismiss them from enrolling in the school. However, students must know their rights and should fight against the school. Fighting alone can be challenging; a medical student appeals lawyer is the one who can fight for the rights of a student and get them what they deserve.
Grounds for an appeal
A student must base their appeal on one of the following grounds for their request to be considered.
- Improper conduct.
- Extenuating circumstances.
Be it a failing grade, wrong clinical evaluation result, dismissal, or academic probation, a student can appeal. However, a student must be able to provide valid reasons to justify the outcome; also, a student must show some evidence proving the wrongful outcome.
Improper conduct:
Being unsatisfied by a decision made by the school or a faculty is not something you can appeal to based on improper conduct. You can appeal based on inappropriate conduct only when the school has failed to follow the guidelines or a faculty has committed a mistake in your case. An example of improper conduct is when your professor has graded you incorrectly or the school has taken a wrongful, premature decision to expel you.
With the help of a lawyer, you will be able to identify whether you can request your appeal based on this ground, as determining whether or not this ground is applicable for your case is tricky.
Extenuating circumstances:
Students appeal on this ground when their rights have been violated or unpredictable situations have interrupted their academic progression. To get a better understanding of this ground, a few examples have been mentioned below:
Psychological issues:
A student may be suffering from depression, keeping them away from their focus on their studies, resulting in bad grades.
Financial issue:
A student could have lost their job and do not know how they will pay their tuition fees.
Family crisis:
An unexpected death in the family or death of a loved one can affect a student emotionally and psychologically. Moreover, the time students used to study and do homework is now spent taking care of the family and grieving.