Confidentiality Agreement and Conflict of Interest For Admissions Policy

PURPOSE
To outline policies and procedures related to confidentiality and conflicts of interest (COI) in the admissions process at UC Davis School of Medicine (the School).

AUDIENCE
All faculty, staff, students, and other representatives participating in the School's admission process

LCME STANDARD
10.3 Policies Regarding Student Selection
12.5 Non-Involvement of Providers of Student Health Services in Student Assessment/Location of Student Health Records

POLICY

DEFINITIONS
Conflicting relationship or COI may result from one or more of the following:

  1. Student is an immediate family member of the faculty, resident, or staff member who is assessing the student.
  2. Student has a personal financial relationship with the faculty, resident, or staff member.
  3. Student has received medical or mental healthcare from the faculty, resident, or staff member.
  4. Student has an immediate family member who has received medical or mental healthcare from the faculty, resident, or staff member. Immediate family members include:
    1. Spouse
    2. Child or stepchild
    3. Parent
    4. Sibling
    5. Mother/Father-in-law
    6. Sister/Brother-in-law
    7. Grandparent
    8. Stepparent or step-sibling
    9. Member of the immediate household
  5. Student, faculty, resident or staff perceive a COI to exist that is not specified in items A-D, for which additional information may be requested.

Admissions committee member who participate in the School's admissions process should be free from conflicting relationships with applicants and no admission decision is influences by political or financial factors. The Confidentiality Agreement and COI for Admissions Policy is provided to all admissions committee members and volunteers annually for review and electronic signature within the Admissions portal (AMP) prior to any application access, review, or assessment takes place.

PROCEDURE

The medical school ensures there are no conflicts of interest in the admission process, specifically that no admission decisions are influenced by political or financial factors, by requiring all members of the Admissions Committee, and all individuals involved in the admissions process, to sign an annual Confidentiality, Privacy and Acknowledgement of COI Policy Statement. Admissions committee members and volunteers must adhere to the following statements:

  1. At all times, I will respect the privacy and dignity of all UC Davis School of Medicine faculty, staff, and students and all applicants to the School.
  2. I will treat all UC Davis records, including administrative, financial, employee, applicant, and other records, as confidential material. I will not read, record, discuss, or disclose this information to anyone other than to strictly perform my University duties.
  3. I shall not disclose any information about an applicant or any information I obtain during an interview, observation, or rating session to anyone other than appropriate personnel in the School's Admissions Office.
  4. I will immediately disclose to the Admissions Committee Chair if I know personally or professionally, or have independent knowledge of, any medical school applicant. I have reviewed and understand the definitions of conflicting relationships in the Academic Assessment of Students by Health Care Providers Policy.
  5.  If such a COI exists, I shall recuse myself from voting on or participating in assessment of those candidates.
  6. If I know a medical school applicant and the relationship does not violate Academic Assessment of Students by Health Care Providers Policy, I shall disclose the nature of the relationship before providing any written or verbal comments to be used in the selection process, by writing or stating prior "I know this applicant" and briefly summarizing the nature of the relationship.
  7. I shall recuse myself from participating in the current admissions cycle if I have any immediate family members applying to the School, pursuant to the definitions of conflicting relationships in the Academic Assessment of Students by Health Care Providers Policy.
  8. I will not be applying to medical school in the future. I understand that individuals interested in applying to medical school should not participate in the admissions process in any way. By participating in the admissions process will result in being automatically ineligible to become a candidate for admissions to UC Davis School of Medicine,
  9. I understand that the Multiple Mini Interview (MMI) scenarios are copyrighted and may not be disclosed, reproduced, or disseminated. This restriction includes “generalizations” or examples related to these scenarios.
  10. I understand/agree that no admission decisions be influenced by political or financial factors.

RESPONSIBILITY
Admissions Committee

REFERENCES

School of Medicine Bylaws and Regulations, Admissions Bylaws

RELATED POLICY/POLICIES
Academic Assessment of Students by Health Care Providers Policy
Premedical Requirements Policy
Statement of Confidentiality, Privacy, and Acknowledgement of Conflict of Interest Policy
Technical Standards Policy
UC Davis Health, Compliance and Privacy Services - Conflict of Interest
University of California Faculty Code of Conduct, AMP 015

POLICY OWNER
Admissions Committee

REVIEWED BY
Admissions Committee*

REVIEWED DATE and REVIEW CYCLE
July 2023, annual review cycle

* indicates the Policy Owner