We would like to create a safe environment for students to share their experiences and assure them that leadership will investigate and address grievances in an effective and timely manner.
Our first step in this effort is to form a Student Advisory Subcommittee consisting of two ExMED executive members: Tricia Tang and Dirk Lange. This committee is charged with responding to and investigating potential cases of bullying and harassment as reported by students, intervening early on with alleged perpetrators, debriefing students and affected faculty members, and making the entire process transparent from start to completion.
With regard to the intervention model, this will consist of several levels. At level one, Drs. Tang and Lange will meet with the student to collect data regarding the incident and allegation and get a better understanding of the overall situation. If the student wishes to pursue this further and after obtaining the student’s consent, Drs. Tang and Lange will contact the faculty/non-faculty member in question and discuss the situation to have the opportunity to hear and consider both sides. This meeting can either be done in the presence or absence of the student and will depend on the comfort level of either party with respect to the presence of the other. After considering both sides of the story an action plan will be developed (in consultation with the Department of Medicine and/or Faculty of Medicine if necessary) to ensure that this does not happen in the future.
To increase awareness about bullying and harassment, Drs. Tang and Lange will raise this issue during the Fall orientation session for all incoming MSc and PhD students. Students will be able to submit any grievances confidentially.