Policies and Procedures for Investigating Reported Violations of Admission and Enrollment Standards

Two significant responsibilities of the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) are to promote integrity in the processes associated with entry into medical school or a graduate medical education program, and to encourage high standards during the course of enrollment. These policies and procedures have been developed to advance this purpose by addressing cases which arise in the following areas while ensuring the rights of all concerned parties.

Policies

Application Cases
The AAMC requires applicants to present accurate and current information at the time application materials are submitted and during all phases of the admission process for entry into medical school or a graduate medical education program. It is the policy of the AAMC to investigate discrepancies in credentials, attempts to subvert the admission process, and any other irregular matter which occurs in connection with application activities.

Testing Cases
The AAMC requires candidates for examination to present accurate and current information at the time registration materials are submitted and to adhere to all Test Center Regulations and Procedures as outlined in the MCAT® Announcement. It is the policy of the AAMC to investigate discrepancies, attempts to subvert eligibility requirements, violations of Test Center Regulations, and irregular behavior exhibited during the administration of the MCAT or other tests affiliated with the AAMC.

This investigation is distinct from a Score Validity Inquiry by the MCAT Program pertaining to the legitimacy of test scores as accurate representations of the individual's performance levels.

Other Cases
The AAMC may investigate and/or facilitate the reporting of certain cases that occur subsequent to an individual's enrollment in medical school. Such cases include, but are not limited to, academic and ethical violations and criminal activities. In addition, reports documenting cases submitted by other educational agencies may be disseminated by the AAMC to legitimately interested parties after notice and opportunity to comment are afforded the subject of the report.

Reporting of Cases
The AAMC will prepare and issue a report documenting the nature of a confirmed case and any attachments provided by the individual in accordance with the procedures outlined below. With the issuance of a report, the AAMC makes no judgement as to the culpability of any person with respect to matters reported and does not assess the suitability of an individual to study or practice medicine. Rather, the AAMC strives to communicate complete and accurate information to legitimately interested parties. Evaluation of this information is the responsibility of the recipient of the report.

Procedures

Investigation Proceedings
The subject of any case is informed of the existence of the investigation and is offered an opportunity to respond to the allegations. The individual is also provided with the opportunity to review a draft of any report proposed for distribution prior to issuance. Unless otherwise requested, the final report will include any explanation or justification provided by the individual during the course of the investigation.

A pending investigation may interrupt the processing of application or registration materials of questionable validity. Such action by the AAMC, however, does not relieve the individual of the responsibility for the payment of normal processing fees.

Arbitration
The AAMC offers the option and reserves the right to request arbitration should the individual conclude that a draft report unfairly characterizes the matter under investigation or an agreement between parties on the content and language of the report cannot be reached. Such arbitration must be requested prior to the conclusion of an investigation and the issuance of a final report.

Arbitration is conducted by a neutral arbitrator selected by the Washington, D.C. Office of the American Arbitration Association. The arbitrator acts solely on the basis of a written record submitted by both parties, and no hearing or oral arguments are held. The arbitrator will have final authority to conclude whether: (1) the report should be distributed as written; or, (2) the report should be modified in accordance with the arbitrator's directions before distribution; or, (3) no report should be distributed. In addition, the arbitrator determines which party is responsible for the arbitration fee. All other costs associated with arbitration are borne by the party incurring them.

Report Recipients
The report in final form will be issued to all medical schools to which the individual has applied or matriculated during the current cycle and medical schools to which the applicant applies or matriculates in the future. If, at the time of the investigation, the individual is enrolled in a medical school or graduate medical education program, the report will be forwarded to the current institution of attendance and will be distributed in response to all future application or matriculation activity.

In addition to its members, the AAMC provides services to other educational institutions. For example, the MCAT examination is used by a variety of health profession and graduate programs in addition to medicine. The report in final form is therefore subject to issuance in response to application or matriculation at such institutions of which the AAMC has knowledge.

Reports may contain information relevant to academic or disciplinary proceedings, criminal investigations, and decisions relative to entry into graduate medical education programs and professional licensure. It is the position of the AAMC to cooperate with duly constituted agencies by responding to official requests for such reports.

Rev. 12/19/2000