Policy on Separation of Student Health/Counseling Services and Academic Evaluation
1. Purpose
To ensure that medical students can seek healthcare, psychiatric care, psychological counseling, or other sensitive services without fear of academic consequences, Xavier University School of Medicine (XUSOM) maintains a strict separation between those who provide such services and those who evaluate or make decisions regarding student academic performance, promotion, or graduation.
2. Policy Statement
Individuals who provide medical care, psychiatric or psychological counseling, stress-management support, or any other sensitive health services to XUSOM students shall not:
- Teach or assess those students in any academic course or clinical clerkship;
- Participate in grading, narrative assessments, OSCE evaluations, or clinical evaluations;
- Serve on the Promotions and Grievances Committee, Curriculum Committee, Admissions Committee, or any body that determines academic standing, remediation, or graduation;
- Access or use any student health or counseling information for academic or administrative purposes.
3. Providers Covered by This Policy
This policy applies to:
- External family physicians and healthcare providers assigned through Aruba national insurance
- Licensed counselors, mental health professionals, and psychologists
- Stress-management consultants engaged by the University
- Any contracted health or counseling provider who treats or advises students
These providers are not permitted to hold any academic evaluation responsibilities for the students they treat.
4. Confidentiality of Student Health Information
- Student medical, psychological, or counseling records are confidential and are not shared with faculty, academic advisors, system chairs, clinical preceptors, or members of academic committees.
- Only minimal information may be shared with the Dean of Student Affairs strictly for administrative purposes (e.g., referral or wellness monitoring), and never for academic evaluation.
5. Conflict of Interest Prohibition
If a faculty member or clinical preceptor becomes aware that they are treating or have treated a student for any sensitive health condition, they must:
- Recuse themselves immediately from all academic assessments of that student, and
- Notify the Dean of Basic Sciences or Dean of Clinical Sciences so that an alternate evaluator may be assigned.
Failure to recuse constitutes a breach of professional responsibility.
6. Student Rights
Students have the right to:
- Seek health or counseling services without academic penalty;
- Expect privacy and confidentiality regarding all health information;
- Request reassignment of an evaluator if they believe a conflict of interest exists;
- Report concerns directly to the Dean of Student Affairs.
7. Institutional Responsibilities
XUSOM will ensure:
- Health and counseling providers are external to the academic evaluation process;
- Faculty with evaluation responsibilities do not act as healthcare or mental-health providers for students;
- All committee members involved in academic decisions are screened for potential conflicts of interest.
Policy contact: Dean of Student Affairs
Approved by: Chief Academic Officer
Effective date: September 2026