All Baylor College of Medicine (BCM) students enrolled in any School of Medicine (SOM) program, including students on an approved leave of absence, must report all criminal allegations, arrests, and convictions to the Associate Dean of Student Affairs within five days of such event. This mandatory reporting requirement extends to any jurisdiction, whether domestic or international, in which the student faces or has been the subject of at least one of the following legal actions:
- Cited or charged with any violation of the law, except for a class C misdemeanor traffic violation or the equivalent (i.e., a moving violation for speeding or a parking ticket);
- Served with an Order of Protection or an equivalent court order restricting the student’s access to a specific location or proximity to a specific individual or organization;
- Arrested, arraigned, or indicted on criminal charges;
- Convicted of a misdemeanor or felony other than a class C misdemeanor traffic violation or equivalent;
- Sentenced to serve jail or prison time or to pay a fine other than for a class C misdemeanor traffic violation or equivalent; or
- Subjected to a court martial.
Compliance with this policy is a professionalism requirement of the SOM, and prompt reporting of any of the legal actions enumerated above offers the student immunity from an Adverse Action as may arise from an undue delay or failure to report the legal action. The Committee on Student Promotions and Academic Achievement (MDPC) has discretion to determine when an undue delay in reporting has occurred or alternatively to excuse delays in reporting based on the circumstances of a particular case. Failure to report alleged criminal activity, convictions, or arrests (as provided above) or other legal activity enumerated above may result in an Adverse Action as defined in the Student Progression and Adverse Action Policy (28.1.05). The MDPC determines the impact of either an alleged or a substantiated violation of the law on the student’s status in the SOM, as provided in the Background Checks and Criminal Convictions Policy for Program Applicants and Current Students (23.1.00) and the Student Progression and Adverse Action Policy (28.1.05).
