Professional Behavior

RVU PA students are held to a high standard of professional and ethical conduct throughout their time in the Program. Professional behavior includes, but is not limited to: 

  • Patient Care: hold primary responsibility for the health, safety, welfare, and dignity of all humans; assume responsibility for all professional duties; maintain patient confidentiality.
  • Timeliness: punctuality for class and clinic; timely submission of assignments, evaluations, patient documentation, and other required paperwork.
  • Participation: appropriate, constructive, non-derogatory participation in the classroom and clinic (further examples may be found in individual course syllabi).
  • Appearance: appropriate attire, hygiene, and presentation (further examples may be found in individual course syllabi).
  • Behavior: appropriate conduct, attentiveness, and non-disruptive, preparation for class and clinic, courtesy, flexibility, collaboration and support of one’s classmates.
  • Respect: regard for patients, faculty, staff, colleagues, students, members of the healthcare team, and others.
  • Education: responsibility for self-education and accepting responsibility for own learning.
  • Constructive Evaluation: seeking and accepting feedback in a mature manner to change behaviors; providing constructive feedback.
  • Personal Accountability: accepts responsibility for actions and behaviors; demonstrates dependability; acknowledges limitations.
  • Self-Reflection: willingness to examine one’s own strengths, weaknesses, and biases.

Professional behavior will be evaluated on a regular basis by the Student Assessment and Promotions Committee (SAPC), through review of classroom behaviors and clinical evaluations; behavior may be considered when Course Directors assign grades.