Policy
The Boonshoft School of Medicine (BSOM) follows the Student Privacy and Release of Educational Records – FERPA Policy 3010 set forth by Wright State University. Policy 3010 includes information pertaining, but not limited to:
- release of an educational record without consent
- consent for release of an educational record
- procedures for review of an educational record
- right to seek to amend an education record
- procedures for challenging information in an educational record.
The aforementioned Wright State University Policy 3010 and the following procedures are in place for the protection of student educational records and are in alignment with FERPA guidelines, in accordance with LCME elements 11.5 and 11.6:
"At a medical school, medical student educational records are confidential and available only to those members of the faculty and administration with a need to know, unless released by the student or as otherwise governed by laws concerning confidentiality." (LCME 11.5)
"A medical school has policies and procedures in place that permit a medical student to review and to challenge his or her educational records, including the Medical Student Performance Evaluation, if he or she considers the information contained therein to be inaccurate, misleading, or inappropriate." (LCME 11.6)
Under the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA), medical students have access to all items of their educational record except for those items to which they waive their rights (e.g., letters of recommendation).
Per Wright State University Policy 3010, a student education record is defined as “any record that is directly related to a student and maintained by Wright State University or by a party acting for Wright State University.”
Student education records are available only to those individuals who are official agents of University and have a legitimate need to access the information in order to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs. A person’s role (see table below) dictates the access level that person is provided as appropriate.
| Role | Student Education Record Access Eligibility | Business Need |
|---|---|---|
| Admissions Committee; Admissions staff | All applicant data, including all information submitted via AMCAS/WebAdmit, applicant interview reports/scoring | To determine those students who will be invited to interview and/or matriculate at BSOM |
| Clerkship/Module Director | Student absence reports, assignments, examinations, grades, evaluations pertinent to the clerkship/module the faculty is director | To assign final grade for the pertinent clerkship/module |
| Departmental Faculty | Student final grades and ranking pertinent to the module/clerkship associated with the particular department the faculty is a member | To write letters of recommendation for residency applications, scholarships, etc. |
| Faculty Advisor | Student final grades and ranking | To provide career and/or academic counseling to the student |
| Research Mentor | Student scholarly project data and paperwork | To provide mentoring to complete scholarly work |
| Honor Code Council | Professionalism grievances filed against a student, including formal documentation and evidence of incursion | To conduct investigation of honor code/ professionalism violation |
| Office of Medical Education staff; academic advisors | Student absence reports, complete student educational record, assignment drop boxes, student schedules, USMLE data | To manage students’ progress of curricular requirements |
| Office of Student Affairs & Admissions staff | Student schedules, final transcripts, USMLE data | To monitor completion of curricular requirements for promotion and graduation |
| Manager of Career Services | Complete student educational record | To review and make recommendations regarding student career planning |
| Manager of Financial Aid | Student financial aid, tuition, and debt data | To provide students and reporting agencies with pertinent tuition, debt, and financing data |
| Student Promotions Committee; Student Appeals Committee; Dean of Medicine | Complete student educational record | To review and make recommendations regarding student progress at BSOM |
Procedure
FERPA Training for Staff & Faculty
All personnel listed in the policy that have access to student educational records in order to fulfill the responsibilities of their jobs must complete annual FERPA training provided by BSOM indicating their understanding of the FERPA law and Wright State University FERPA policies. The completion of this annual attestation is monitored by the Department of Medical Education.
Student Release for Letters of Recommendation Writers
A release signed by the medical students at orientation and reaffirmed prior to the start of the Doctoring phase grants future letters of recommendation writers access to pertinent parts of student record depending on their roles (see the table in the Policy).
Opt-Out of Student Directory
The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974 (FERPA) is the federal law that governs the release of and access to student educational records. Institutions provide “directory information” in accordance with FERPA provisions. To opt out and prevent release of WSU directory information complete this form, and to opt out of photo use contact the Office of Student Affairs.
Reviewed and approved by FCC on April 22, 2020
Edited and approved by FCC on 9/22/2021