Scope 

This policy was developed for SIU Medicine. SIU Medicine collectively applies to the SIU School of Medicine (SIU SOM), including the Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC), and SIU HealthCare (SIU HC). These entities are collectively referred to as SIU in this document.

This document applies to SIU staff, faculty, trainees, agents, officers, directors, interns, volunteers, contractors, and any other individual or entity engaged in providing teaching, research and health care items and services at SIU. These individuals are collectively referred to as SIU personnel in this document.

Definitions 

The term “resident” is inclusive of all trainees at SIU SOM, whether training in a residency or fellowship program. The term “program” is inclusive of all SIU residency or fellowship programs, whether accredited or non-accredited.

Purpose 

SIU SOM provides a professional, equitable, respectful and civil environment that is free from unprofessional behavior, including discrimination, sexual and other forms of harassment, mistreatment, abuse, and/or coercion of learners, faculty and staff. It is the policy of the School of Medicine and the Affiliated Hospital to maintain an environment that is free from discrimination and all forms of harassment based on a person’s legally protected status and sexual harassment (hereinafter referred to as harassment), improprieties and intimidation.  Learners, faculty and staff are entitled to the protections afforded by these policies, and access to a process to raise and resolve complaints in a safe and non-punitive environment and in a timely manner, consistent with all applicable policies, laws and regulations.  

Procedure

Residents and faculty must abide by the School of Medicine and the Affiliated Hospital’s respective policies regarding equal employment, discrimination, sexual harassment and harassment on the basis of other protected status.  Failure to abide by the policies may result in immediate termination.  Allegations of discrimination and/or harassment will be addressed in accordance with the applicable policies of the School of Medicine or the Affiliated Hospital.  More specifically, the following procedure addresses how allegations by or toward a resident will be addressed:

  1. Any allegation of harassment or discrimination made by the resident against any employee of the Affiliated Hospital shall be addressed by the Affiliated Hospital
  2. Any allegation of harassment or discrimination made by the resident against any student, faculty member or employee of the School of Medicine shall be addressed by the School of Medicine 
  3. Any allegation of harassment or discrimination made by any patient or employee of the Affiliated Hospital against the resident shall be addressed by the Affiliated Hospital
  4. Any allegation of harassment made by any patient, student, faculty member or employee of the School of Medicine against the resident shall be addressed by the School of Medicine.