Students as Patient Volunteers

Policy Statement

Students may be asked to serve as patient volunteers for teaching purposes in a supervised environment. Students must not act as patient volunteers for sensitive portions of the physical exam (e.g., breast, genital, rectal or pelvic exam) and are not expected to reveal personal information about themselves or their health. Students may express their own parameters under which they will volunteer (e.g., gender, body parts examined and exposed, specific exams excluded).

Any information revealed or disclosed in such a setting is strictly confidential. These activities must not be recorded unless prior arrangements have been made between the course director, student(s) being recorded, and the Office of Student Affairs.

Students may have abnormal physical findings that could be revealed during this experience. If this happens, students will be directed to their personal physicians.

Functioning as a patient volunteer is optional and not an expectation of any course or clerkship. Students must not be coerced into volunteering, tacitly or explicitly. Students who decline to act as patient volunteers must not be penalized in any way. Students may withdraw consent to volunteer at any time, even while the activity is in progress.

History

Approved: CCC, May 19, 2020