Academic Misconduct: Academic dishonesty is intentional cheating, fabrication, or plagiarism. It is also knowingly helping or attempting to help others be dishonest. Academic dishonesty lowers scholastic quality and defrauds those who will eventually depend upon your knowledge and integrity.
Academic dishonesty is not limited to traditional classroom activities and applies equally to pre-clinical and clinical training. In addition to the definitions above, academic dishonesty includes any act that misrepresents a student’s knowledge, skills, or clinical competence.
Students are expected to uphold the highest standards of honesty and integrity in all educational and patient care activities, recognizing that violations not only undermine academic standards but also compromise patient trust and professional responsibility.
Academic misconduct includes, but is not limited to:
Cheating: Unauthorized use of notes, texts, devices, third-party assistance, artificial intelligence tools (including generative AI), or other aids during an exam or in completing an assignment when not expressly permitted by the instructor, syllabus, or policy; obtaining, distributing, or using an examination or assessment in advance; copying another student’s work; communicating during an exam; failing to protect one’s work from unauthorized viewing; or other conduct prohibited by the Testing Center Policy or course/college rules.
Cheating includes but is not limited to violations in pre-clinical and clinical settings, such as: not following Simulation Clinic policies or course syllabus requirements during any manikin-based exercise; submitting work that was not completed in accordance with course protocols; substituting previously prepared projects; obtaining or using unauthorized assistance or external fabrication (e.g., having pre-clinical lab work completed by a laboratory or another individual); misrepresenting one’s own work or competencies; forging or falsifying faculty signatures, patient records, or clinical documentation; performing procedures on patients that are not clinically indicated in order to satisfy course or graduation requirements; delaying or manipulating patient care for the purpose of future licensing examinations; or any other act intended to misrepresent performance, competency, or clinical care.
- Plagiarism: Presenting another’s work as one’s own without proper acknowledgment, including unattributed AI-generated output or AI-assisted work where attribution or disclosure is required by the instructor, course, college, Midwestern University policy.
- Unauthorized collaboration: Working with others on an exam, assessment, assignment, lab, or project where collaboration is prohibited or exceeds the scope permitted.
- Fabrication: Intentionally falsifying, inventing, or altering information, data, results, patient information (including simulated cases), citations, logs, time records, attendance, or documentation in any academic or clinical exercise. Fabrication or falsification of clinical or pre-clinical work; misrepresentation of patient care, procedures performed, or competency completion; unauthorized assistance or external completion of simulation or laboratory exercises; alteration or misuse of patient records or academic documents; and any action that compromises the integrity of patient care, assessment, or clinical outcomes.
- Facilitating academic dishonesty: Knowingly helping, attempting to help, or enabling another person to commit academic dishonesty.
- Forgery/alteration/misuse of Midwestern University documents: Including records, forms, evaluations, letters, credentials, IDs, clinical documentation, or any Midwestern University-related document or system.
- Providing false information: Knowingly furnishing false information to Midwestern University or to Midwestern University officials in connection with Midwestern University processes.
- Obstruction or disruption: Intentional obstruction or material disruption of teaching, research, assessment, administrative operations, or authorized Midwestern University activities.
- Computer misuse related to academics: Disruptive, unauthorized, or illegal use of computing resources, including unauthorized transmission of class or examination materials.
Note on AI: Authorized AI use may be permitted in some courses/contexts. Students are responsible for understanding and complying with the specific rules set by the instructor, program, college, clinic, or testing center. Unauthorized or undisclosed AI use may constitute cheating, plagiarism, fabrication, or other misconduct depending on the context.
Professional Misconduct: Professional misconduct includes conduct inconsistent with professional standards and Midwestern University expectations, including:
- Unprofessional communication and conduct: Behavior inconsistent with professional standards, including communications delivered verbally, in writing, by email/text, or online (including social media). Bullying, harassment, intimidation, threats, or posting private conversations without permission of all parties are prohibited. Midwestern University-related communications (including course evaluations and feedback) must be professional and non-threatening.
- Unauthorized recording or dissemination: Misuse of electronic devices (including phones, cameras, wearables) to record, photograph, or transmit lectures/materials, labs, clinical settings, patients or patient encounters, meetings with faculty/staff, or Midwestern University events, without authorization and/or as prohibited by policy or law.
- Computer misuse: Using Midwestern University or affiliate systems to access, create, store, or transmit pornographic, illegal, or prohibited content, or otherwise violating IT policies.
- Substance-related misconduct: Being under the influence of alcohol or other substances of abuse in settings where professional conduct is required (class, lab, rotation, clinical activities, or other Midwestern University jurisdiction), or otherwise violating applicable substance policies.
- Drug testing violations: Failing or tampering with a required drug test or refusing to comply with required testing when authorized by Midwestern University policy or an affiliation agreement; or otherwise violating applicable drug testing policies.
- Illegal drug activity: Manufacture, theft, sale, distribution, or unlawful use of controlled substances; assisting others in such conduct.
- Security interference: Failure to comply with, or obstruction of, campus security or authorized Midwestern University officials.
- Harassment: Harassment of any kind directed at an individual or group (subject to the separate processes noted above for protected-class harassment and sexual misconduct).
- Alcohol-related coercion and drugging: Inducing or forcing another to drink against their expressed desire, including spiking beverages; possession/distribution of drugs intended to facilitate assault (e.g., GHB, Rohypnol, Ketamine) or similar illegal substances.
- Misuse of pharmaceutical privileges: Any misuse, diversion, theft, or improper access.
- Clinical/rotation misconduct: Neglect of clinical/hospital duties; neglect of patient rights; violation of clinical site rules; falsification of clinical documentation; privacy violations; failure to follow safety requirements.
- Student leadership responsibilities: Neglect of responsibilities related to holding elected/appointed student leadership positions where such neglect materially impacts obligations or trust.
- Obstruction of the conduct process: Interfering with investigations or proceedings; retaliation; failure to comply with sanctions.
- Threats, violence, or abuse: Physical abuse of any person; threats; intimidation; or conduct that threatens or endangers health or safety.
- Weapons and explosives: Possession or use of firearms, ammunition, or explosive devices/materials on campus or at Midwestern University-sponsored events, except as expressly authorized by law and Midwestern University policy.
- Theft or damage: Theft of, or intentional damage to, property of any person or Midwestern University.
- Unauthorized access: Unauthorized entry, possession/duplication of keys/badges, or unauthorized use of facilities.
- Policy violations: Violation of campus rules or regulations.
- Confidentiality violations: Violation of confidentiality of medical, personal, financial, educational, or business information obtained through educational activities or practice settings (including HIPAA/FERPA-related responsibilities where applicable).
- Legal violations: Violation of federal, state, or local law while on campus, at Midwestern University-sponsored events, during rotations, or while enrolled as a student where the conduct affects Midwestern University interests or community safety.
- Repeated lateness to examinations: Late arrival to examinations three or more times during a single academic term/quarter (or as otherwise defined in Testing Center policy).