Clubs & Organizations

Medical Polity

Hopefully by now you know what Polity is.
http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/polity/

Phase 1 Curriculum Committee

Phase 1 is a chance for students to communicate to the entire faculty about issues with the whole curriculum down to a specific module or even a specific exam. In general though, you should try to work out the small issues with individual module leaders and save larger or more difficult issues for the committee.

The first thing you need to realize is that while it may be your first year on the committee, the faculty members have all been there for a while - so before bringing up an issue with the committee it's a good idea to do a little background research to find out whether another student member has already brought it up before. Find out who the previous student Phase 1 reps were, and ask them about the issue you plan to bring up - they can give you advice about what's been tried before, which faculty members are more sympathetic about the issue, etc. And they can warn you away from issues that are known to be touchy.

The second thing to know is that in general, the module leaders do have reasons for doing what they do - try to find out what those reasons are in advance. Again, it helps to talk to students from previous classes - it's also probably a good idea to approach a module leader in private first to try to work things out without bringing it to the whole committee. Nobody likes to get called out in public, and some committee members take more offense than others. Don't burn any bridges.

The third thing is (as obvious as it may seem) to make sure you know what your class wants. Not just what the 3 or 4 people who pester you constantly want, but what the majority of the class wants. Surveys help - there's nothing quite like hard numbers to back your point.

And finally, realize it's not an "us versus them" type of thing, even when your classmates are speaking to you as if it is, and even when it seems to YOU that it is. While the faculty may have a different view of the best way to educate us, we all have the same goal. Keep in constant communication with individual module leaders - give them feedback on what works and what doesn't work throughout the module. Pester your classmates to submit their course evaluations - that's the only way faculty will know what to change about each module.

Being a Phase 1 rep is a great opportunity to make our curriculum better, but realize that change can be slow. Be happy with what you can do, don't sweat the things you can't. Someone might have better luck next year - be sure to fill them in on what you've tried! Please email moc.liamg|ytilopbu#moc.liamg|ytilopbu with any Phase 1 concerns.

Phase 2 Curriculum Committee

Phase 2 is comprised of the 3rd year clerkship coordinators, Dr. Nielsen and Dr. Milling from the OME, and one Polity member. Meetings are monthly and with the intent to assess and improve the 3rd and 4th year clerkship experience. Please email moc.liamg|ytilopbu#moc.liamg|ytilopbu with any Phase 2 concerns.

Professional Conduct Committee

The PCC is a committee of 3 student representatives from each class and 3 faculty members. Its purpose is to help us maintain a code of professionalism to serve throughout our medical careers. The committee serves to correct breaches of professional conduct. It is a committee existing in the best interests of the students and provides an impartial setting in which the student may give his or her account of the reported event. Guidelines are available to help students who have encountered potential misconduct or students who have been brought up on official charges.

More information about the PCC, the Code, and the mediation process can be found at the PCC’s website: http://www.smbs.buffalo.edu/ome/pcc

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